System and method for document-driven processing of digitally-signed electronic documents

A computer-implemented method for digitally signing an electronic document by a plurality of signers, each signer having a signing role and a unique private key for applying a digital signature, each signing role corresponding to a to-be-signed portion of the document, at least two signing roles corresponding to different to-be-signed portions, the method comprising:

• determining the signing role of each signer;
• identifying the to-be-signed portion of the document corresponding to the signing role of each signer;
• receiving an indication from each signer to digitally sign the document;
• and
• applying the digital signature of each signer to the corresponding to-be-signed portion in response to the indication from each signer,
• wherein the applying step comprises:
• storing within the corresponding to-be-signed portion a date in which the to-be-signed portion is digitally signed by each signer.

A computer-implemented method for digitally signing an electronic document by a plurality of signers, each signer having a signing role and a unique private key for applying a digital signature, each signing role corresponding to a to-be-signed portion of the document, at least two signing roles corresponding to different to-be-signed portions, the method comprising:

• determining the signing role of each signer;
• identifying the to-be-signed portion of the document corresponding to the signing role of each signer;
• receiving an indication from each signer to digitally sign the document;
• and
• applying the digital signature of each signer to the corresponding to-be-signed portion in response to the indication from each signer,
• wherein the applying step comprises:
• storing within the corresponding to-be-signed portion a time in which the to-be-signed portion is digitally signed by each signer.

A computer-implemented method for digitally signing an electronic document by a plurality of signers, each signer having a signing role and a unique private key for applying a digital signature, each signing role corresponding to a to-be-signed portion of the document, at least two signing roles corresponding to different to-be-signed portions, the method comprising:

• determining the signing role of each signer;
• identifying the to-be-signed portion of the document corresponding to the signing role of each signer;
• receiving an indication from each signer to digitally sign the document;
• and
• applying the digital signature of each signer to the corresponding to-be-signed portion in response to the indication from each signer,
• wherein the applying step comprises:
• calculating a message digest for the corresponding to-be-signed portion;
• encrypting the message digest using the signer's private key;
• and
• storing the encrypted message digest in the document as the signer's digital signature.

A computer-implemented method for digitally signing an electronic document by a plurality of signers, each signer having a signing role and a unique private key for applying a digital signature, each signing role corresponding to a to-be-signed portion of the document, at least two signing roles corresponding to different to-be-signed portions, the method comprising:

• determining the signing role of each signer;
• identifying the to-be-signed portion of the document corresponding to the signing role of each signer;
• receiving an indication from each signer to digitally sign the document;
• and
• applying the digital signature of each signer to the corresponding to-be-signed portion in response to the indication from each signer, further comprising:
• prior to the receiving step, obtaining from the signer at least one proposed edit to the to-be-signed portion of the document.

A computer-implemented method for digitally signing an electronic document by a plurality of signers, each signer having a signing role and a unique private key for applying a digital signature, each signing role corresponding to a to-be-signed portion of the document, the document including a signing order for indicating an order in which the document is to be signed by the plurality of signers, the method comprising:

• determining a signing role of a signer;
• determining whether the signer is signing in the indicated order;
• when the signer is signing in the indicated order:
• identifying the to-be-signed portion of the document corresponding to the role of the signer;
• receiving an indication from the signer to digitally sign the document;
• and
• applying the digital signature of the signer to the corresponding to-be-signed portion.

A computer-implemented method for digitally signing an electronic document by a plurality of signers, each signer having a signing role and a unique private key for applying a digital signature, each signing role corresponding to a to-be-signed portion of the document, at least two signing roles corresponding to different to-be-signed portions, the method comprising:

• determining the signing role of each signer;
• identifying the to-be-signed portion of the document corresponding to the signing role of each signer;
• receiving an indication from each signer to digitally sign the document;
• and
• applying the digital signature of each signer to the corresponding to-be-signed portion in response to the indication from each signer,
• further comprising adding the digital signature to a signing history associated with the document.