With a qualified signature (QES)
Generate a document that requires a qualified electronic signature — the highest level of assurance, with legal effect equivalent to a handwritten signature.
IF YOU ARE UNSURE WHICH SIGNATURE TO CHOOSE, CONSULT A LAWYER. 16IT IS NOT LIABLE FOR THE LEGAL CONSEQUENCES OF AN INCORRECT SIGNATURE CHOICE.
A qualified electronic signature (QES) within the meaning of Art. 3(12) and Art. 25(2) of the eIDAS Regulation is made in person using a USB QSCD card with a qualified certificate (issuer: a QTSP from the EU Trust List — e.g. KIR Szafir, CenCert, Asseco eCert).
The process: after the signer opens the unique link from the email, the Autosignly QES application installed locally on their computer is launched (no login required); it downloads the document already secured with a qualified 16IT seal (integrity anchor), connects to the USB card, asks for the PIN and creates the QES locally. After all signatures are complete, the document is sealed with another qualified 16IT seal with an archival timestamp.
A QES has legal effect equivalent to a handwritten signature (Art. 25(2) eIDAS, Art. 78(2) of the Polish Civil Code), satisfies the written‑form requirement and is recognised throughout the European Union.
The private key for the certificate resides solely on the signer's USB card and never leaves the device — 16IT has no access to it. Autosignly QES only orchestrates the process; the signature itself is created locally on the signer's machine.
The counterparty is the party of the document — it can be a company (Business) or a private person. The generated document is assigned to the selected counterparty and appears on the documents list (and on that counterparty's own document list).
Signing is a separate matter: a document must always be signed by a natural person — a company as such cannot sign. Signers are added in a separate step, when you send the document for signature — not here. Only a counterparty saved as Private can additionally be used as a signer. See Suppliers and Signatures.
1. Choose the signature type
Start generating a document — from a template or from a PDF. In the Signatures section turn on Required signature and choose Qualified signature (QES) from the dropdown.
2. Add signers
In Signers, add the people who must sign — enter each one's name and e‑mail (use Add signatory for more, or the toggles to add yourself or the counterparty).
Turn on Change signature type under a signer to give that person a different type.
So you don't retype the same person every time, save them as a counterparty — on the Suppliers page or via Settings → Suppliers → Add — and mark them as Private (a natural person). Then in Signers use Find signer to load them, or turn on Supplier as signer (only if private person) to add the selected counterparty. Only Private counterparties can sign: a counterparty marked as Business (a company) cannot be a signing person.
3. Generate and send, or generate and sign
The Add [email protected] as signer toggle (adding yourself as a signer) changes the action button:
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Off → Generate and send to sign — the document is created and sent to the listed signers.
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On → Generate and sign document — takes you straight to the signing page so you can sign right away.
A signature summary appears first — review it and click Confirm:
The document then appears on the documents list with status Awaiting signature:
Each signatory then signs with their own qualified certificate via the Autosignly QES desktop app — see Signing documents.
Generate now, send later
You don't have to send the document right away. After choosing the signers, click Generate document (instead of Generate and send / sign). The document is created and appears on the documents list with a Send to sign button. Click it when you're ready — on the send‑to‑sign screen you can still edit the signers and the signature mode before sending.
Clicking Send to sign opens the send‑to‑sign screen, where — before sending — you can edit the signers, the signature type and the signature mode:
The signature type and signature mode are set on the document by whoever generates it (here, or on the send‑to‑sign screen). A signer who receives the document cannot change them — they sign with the type and mode you assigned.
Screenshots are generated automatically from the test environment and are available in Polish and English.