EchoSign totally automates getting documents signed, tracked, and filed.

You get send through EchoSign's webmail, and EchoSign does all the rest. Track down the signatures. Remind them until they sign. Route signed copies to everyone that needs one as a PDF. And automatically archive a copy in everyone's EchoSign account.

IT|Redux on EchoSign: "In a nutshell, what the folks at EchoSign built is a very generic document management system, extended with a collection of simple workflow processes. But instead of marketing it as such, and fighting with established players such as Documentum (now part of EMC) or FileNet, they dumbed it down, and presented it as the easiest tool you could possibly find to get a document signed. I think it’s a really smart move."

TechCrunch on EchoSign: "EchoSign helps you keep executed documents organized. Document writing and negotiation has been largely handled online, via emails, for the last ten years (before that, fedex and faxing of versions back and forth was the way to go). However, when it comes time to execute a final agreement, both sides generally print the document and fax it back to the other side. Unless someone scans the signature pages and creates a pdf, there is no electronic signed copy.

Efax helps somewhat and I often ask people to send docs to my efax number so that I have an electronic copy. But Echosign, besides being free, goes further. Once a document is finalized, you simply upload it to the site and use their interface to email it out to everyone. The emailed document includes a fax cover sheet with the fax number pre-filled. The other side simply prints it, signs it, and sends it to the fax number on the pre-printed form. The original party then receives a pdf version of the signed document for filing, printing and/or forwarding."