Why your next printer might be your digital signing hub

Why your next printer might be your digital signing hub.

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For decades, businesses have relied on printers and multifunction devices to handle their document needs. But as companies race to digitise workflows, an unexpected trend is emerging: printer companies are becoming key players in digital signing solutions.

At first glance, it may seem counterintuitive – why would a company known for print hardware be offering electronic signatures? Yet, when you look deeper, it makes perfect sense. As businesses shift towards less paper in the office environment, document life cycle management has become more critical than ever. And who better to streamline the transition than companies that have spent years managing how documents flow through organisations?

Traditionally, printers have been seen as endpoints – machines that churn out hard copies of contracts, reports and legal documents. But the modern office is no longer confined to paper. Digital transformation has made businesses rethink how documents are created, signed, stored and secured.

Digital signing is no longer just an add-on – it’s a business necessity.

Greg Griffith, Product Marketing Team Lead at KDZA.

Enter AI-driven automation, cloud integration and advanced security protocols – technologies that are now embedded into next-generation printing solutions. With the rise of digital workflows, today’s multifunction printers (MFPs) act as central hubs, not just for printing and scanning, but for securely managing, storing and authenticating documents. When scanning to PDF, MFPs can embed a digital signature using the device’s certificate, ensuring the document’s origin and integrity.

Greg Griffith, Product Marketing Team Lead at KDZA. (Image: Kyocera Document Solutions South Africa (KDZA)

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This shift is particularly relevant for industries where compliance, efficiency and security are top priorities – finance, legal, healthcare and government. The ability to sign and process documents electronically directly from a secure document management ecosystem eliminates inefficiencies and speeds up approvals without compromising regulatory requirements.

The integration of AI and machine learning (ML) into document workflows is what’s making this evolution possible. While electronic signatures themselves are not new, their application within AI-powered smart office environments are transforming how businesses operate.

• AI-powered classification and extraction Modern document solutions automatically categorise documents, extract relevant data and route them to the right workflow for signing, reducing human error.
• ML-driven fraud detection Intelligent systems can analyse signing patterns and detect anomalies, preventing unauthorised alterations.
• Predictive workflow automation Smart algorithms learn from document handling patterns and streamline approval processes, cutting down turnaround times from days to minutes.

This level of automation ensures businesses don’t just sign documents digitally, but also manage and secure them intelligently – a critical factor in today’s cyber security-conscious landscape.

In South Africa, the legal landscape supports the use of digital signatures under the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act (ECTA). Yet, adoption has been inconsistent, with many organisations still relying on manual, paper-based processes that slow down transactions and increase costs.

The real driver behind change isn’t just compliance – it’s efficiency. Businesses that fail to digitise signing processes risk losing out on productivity gains, delayed contract approvals and missed opportunities in an increasingly digital-first world.

Printer manufacturers that once focused solely on hardware are now document solutions providers, bridging the gap between the physical and digital worlds. Companies like Kyocera, long known for their expertise in document management, have expanded their offerings to include end-to-end digital workflows – including secure digital signing.

What sets printer companies apart from standalone e-signature providers?

• Seamless integration – Unlike third-party solutions that require complex set-ups, document solutions from printer companies integrate natively into existing enterprise workflows.
• Security-first approach – Given their experience in handling sensitive documents, printer companies incorporate advanced security measures, ensuring compliance with data protection laws like POPIA.
• Complete document life cycle management – From creation and scanning to signing, storage and archiving, businesses benefit from a single, streamlined ecosystem rather than a fragmented approach.

For South African businesses looking to increase efficiency, enhance security and future-proof their workflows, digital signatures are no longer a nice-to-have, they’re a necessity, and as it turns out, your next printer might just be the missing link to making it happen.