The ÖH FH Upper Austria represents the students vis-à-vis the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria. In addition to the legal mandate to represent students, the ÖH FH OÖ is a corporation under public law and is subject to numerous regulations, laws and a supervisory body in the Federal Ministry.
The University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria (FH OÖ) offers practice-oriented courses of study at four locations: Hagenberg (Computer Science, Communication and Media), Linz (Medical Technology and Social Sciences), Steyr (Business and Management) and Wels (Technology and Natural Sciences). Since its founding in 1993, the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria has developed into a leading educational institution, with over 5,000 students enrolled in the 2023/2024 academic year.
Organization Name:
ÖH FH Upper Austria
Short description of the project:
Digitization of the Students’ Union: Introduction of the digital signature to increase the efficiency of administrative processes
Why sproof sign:
sproof sign offers a significant advantage through the ability to invite external people to sign via email. These people can then easily sign documents throughout the EU using a wide variety of signature methods.
How did the decision to introduce the digital signature come about?
There are different levels of representation and administration within the Students’ Union. This requires the release of various documents and payment approvals on a daily basis. For these use cases, the use of the qualified signature or alternatively physical signatures and their original documents is required. It’s a really time-consuming process. In order to be able to invest more time in our actual task, which is representation work, we have decided to digitize and modernize our administrative processes and tasks. For this reason, we have also connected sproof sign to our internal budget management tool in order to have the documents digitally signed by the 3 necessary people in the future, without having to exchange them by e-mail and send them around.
What criteria were decisive for you in your search for the right e-signature provider?
When looking for the right e-signature provider, several criteria were decisive for us. A key aspect was the API connection, as we need to build it from a third-party system. In addition, it was important that external persons could also be easily invited to sign by e-mail. Another criterion was the user-friendliness and modernity of the software, which was to be reflected in an intuitive user interface. A provider that combines all these requirements in an affordable software is a great advantage for us and I think that is a very big plus point for sproof sign. For these reasons, we have also decided to work with sproof.
For which use cases is the digital signature used?
We use the digital signature for various applications. On the one hand, we use them for payment approvals, which allows financial transactions to be authorized quickly and securely. On the other hand, we use them for internal documents to optimize work processes and reduce administrative effort. In addition, we use the digital signature for documents of students of the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria. These documents confirm that the students in the Austrian Students’ Union (ÖH) perform a certain function. The digital signature enables us to create and send these confirmations in an uncomplicated and legally compliant manner. The wide range of uses of digital signatures allows us to work more efficiently while ensuring the security of our documents.
How did the integration of the cloud work?
The integration of the cloud was implemented by a partner and went smoothly. The API integration worked well and allowed us to seamlessly link our existing systems to the new signature solution. However, changing the appropriate processes for employees and introducing them to these new, modern ways of working is a process that takes time.
What standards in terms of data security and compliance does a software solution in your organization have to meet?
We as the Upper Austrian Students’ Union are also subject to the usual regulations and laws. The software solution we use for digital signatures must therefore meet several standards in terms of data security and compliance. On the one hand, it is essential that the signature solution complies with the eIDAS EU Regulation, as this defines the legal framework for electronic signatures in the European Union. In addition, the software must comply with the current national laws and regulations so that we are legally protected. Not to forget that it must be GDPR compliant. Our solution is basically designed to ensure that all personal information and documents are processed and stored in accordance with the strict requirements of the GDPR.
What do you particularly like about sproof sign?
What I particularly like about sproof sign is the clear and modern presentation of all applications as well as the practical filter function to quickly identify open documents for signing. Of course, the batch function is also helpful, as it makes it possible to efficiently add QES to large quantities of documents at the same time. Especially when processing up to 400 documents, this function is a real relief in everyday work.
Of course, the batch function is also helpful, as it makes it possible to efficiently add QES to large quantities of documents at the same time. Especially when processing up to 400 documents, this function is a real relief in everyday work.
Sascha Bauer
Chairman of the Students’ Union of the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria
Are there any special advantages of sproof sign that are particularly advantageous in your industry?
sproof sign offers us a significant advantage in the ability to invite external people to sign via email. These people can then easily sign documents throughout the EU using a wide variety of signature methods.
