Signatures (Advanced): Qualified and Advanced electronic signatures (QES and AdES)

European firms can fully meet and comply with signature requirements in the European Union by requesting Qualified electronic signatures (QES) or Advanced electronic signature (AdES) on TaxDome. In this article, we will explain how to request a signature with QES/AdES.

Covered here:

• QES/AdES
• Adding funds to your firm’s balance
• Requesting QES/AdES signature
• How QES/AdES pricing works

QES/AdES

Qualified electronic signature (QES) ensures compliance with the highest standards of electronic signatures, meeting the requirements set forth by European regulatory bodies (eIDAS). QES has the same legal value and effect as a handwritten signature.

Advanced electronic signature (AdES) functions similarly to QES and follows the same process in TaxDome. However, unlike QES, AdES does not use a qualified certificate to verify the signatory's identity. As a result, AdES is generally considered to be less legally binding than QES.

Here's how it works:

1. Go to Settings > Firm settings from the left menu bar and check if the Show QES/AdES verification as option toggle in the Signatures section is enabled, then edit your QES/AdES providers.

2. Add funds to your firm's balance. Here's the pricing for each signature verification.

3. Upload the document that needs to be signed and toggle on QES/AdES when requesting signatures.

4. When signing, your client will be asked to select a provider and verify their identity. Depending on the selected provider, they might be required to use their mobile phone and the personal identity code number, provider's website (app).

You'll receive an Inbox+ notification when a client signs the document.

The document signed with QES/AdES can not be edited and will have the following stamp:

Adding funds to your firm’s balance

Depending on your needs, you have the option of adding different amounts to your firm’s balance. Go to Settings > Firm Balance from the left menu bar, select the amount, then click Buy. This can be done by a firm owner, admin or any employee with the Charge firm balance access rights.

For details on the QES/AdES cost, go to the section below.

Requesting QES/AdES signature

To request a signature with QES/AdES:

1. Upload the document to the  Firm docs shared with client folder, click on the three dots to the far right of the document’s name, then click Request Signature.

2. Toggle on  QES/AdES. The signers' list will be displayed.

• Click and hold the six dots to the left to change the signers' order. Signers will sign in the selected order and the next signer cannot sign until the previous one has signed. You won't be able to reorder them once the document is sent.
• Click X to the right to delete a signer.

Then, no using templates or signature fields drag-and-drops are required, just click Send and reserve.

Note! If you add a firm representative as a signer, they will also need to sign using QES/AdES in the selected order.

How QES/AdES pricing works

Once you've requested the QES/AdES signature, €10 per each signing contact, as well as for the firm representative's signature, will be reserved from your firm balance ( for example, if you request signatures from a firm representative and a client, €20 will be reserved). If unused (e.g. signature request cancellation before signature verification), funds will be fully returned.

Tip: To save money, merge several documents of one client and use them for one QES/AdES request.

If your client signs the document, the funds will be returned less the cost of signatures verification.

Each signature verification price depends on the provider selected by the client upon signing: