One of the things I am working on is building a residential real estate business (crazy considering the times but it is going well).  This often requires me to have to sign documents and receive faxed documents to sign.  Problems:

A.  I never wanted to see a fax machine again in my life.

B. I don’t really like paper – really I can’t stand paper.  It seems like a waste to print out a document only to sign, scan, and reassemble in a pdf.

So after a few iterations over the last several months I’ve completely solved the issues.  As follow below are a few helpful steps to a paperless system.

1. Get some kind of pdf software – You can find cheap versions of pdf creation and editing software.  Pick your poison and learn it to death.  I found a cheap copy of Adobe Acrobat 8.0 for my mac and use it.
2. Get a online fax number.  I use RingCentral.com  and have found them to be very reliable and affordable.
3. Scan your signature and use FREE photo editing software to edit your signature such that the image is made up only of your signature (basically have the image be your signature with background or a transparent background).
   1. Good programs to use:  Seashore for Mac & Paint.net for windows (This is an awesome program).
   2. A few helpful hints:  Save the file as a .png to preserve the transparent background, use the selection tool that looks like a wand to select the signature.
4. Using your PDF software, learn how to create a stamp or insert your signature.  For Adobe use the Custom Stamp Feature (see links below).
   1. Adobe Acrobat Transparent Signature Link
   2. Google Search with Helpful Links to Create Adobe Acrobat Custom Stamp for Macs
5. Get a good scanner.  If you are going to spend the money on a fax machine, don’t do it and spend the money on a good scanner.  I use a Scan Snap and would say it is invaluable.
6. I find the actual Digital Signature ability in Adobe Acrobat to be cumbersome and not as helpful.  It often is necessary for some legal docs.  I’m sure there is a wealth of info about what Adobe is trying to do with its digial signature security technology.