What is the difference between an electronic contract and a paper contract?

Comparing electronic contract and paper contract from vertical and horizontal angles;

1, comparison of horizontal contract life cycle management:

1) Comparison of signing process:

What steps should a contract go through from project initiation to final filing? What do sponsors and signatories need to do As can be seen from the following table, the overall operation process of electronic contracts and paper contracts from project initiation to final filing is consistent, but there are obvious differences in many key links:

2) Advantages and disadvantages analysis:

From the operation process alone, compared with the paper contract stamping process, the use process of electronic contracts has the following changes:

Simplify the process: save printing, sending back and forth and other links to shorten the overall cycle of contract management;

Ensure consistency: operate online all the time, leaving no trace of data transmission, and ensure the consistency of file content;

Cost saving: electronic documents are transmitted, sealed and stored, avoiding energy consumption such as paper and storage;

Based on the above characteristics, electronic contracts also have a hidden advantage, that is, universal applicability. With the application of Internet and mobile Internet, traditional enterprises can use online signing and stamping, but the Internet industry, such as e-commerce platform, is obviously difficult to operate online in the form of traditional paper contract stamping.

2. Vertical process control:

In addition to the comparison of the whole process from contract signing to filing, there are also some differences in process control between electronic contracts and paper contracts:

1) Comparison of operation convenience:

Contract template management: Compared with paper contracts, users' ability to control contract templates under electronic contract mode is further improved. In addition to local drafting or maintenance of contract contents, it also includes electronic contracts. Such as: supporting more version formats, specifying contract seal authority, etc. ;

Management of signing mode: paper contracts are based on mutual trust, and they are signed by offline or off-site mail; The electronic contract is online all the time, and the operation speed and timeliness are improved through various mobile signing methods;

2) Identification and comparison of authenticity:

The authenticity appraisal of the contract mainly includes whether the contents of the contract are consistent and whether the signature or seal is true.

A, content consistency guarantee: the paper contract is stamped online and offline, and the content consistency mainly depends on manual verification, which is time-consuming, laborious and error-prone; Electronic contracts ensure the consistency of online content through all links.

B. Authenticity identification of signatures: paper contracts are often lost after disputes arise, and the identification is carried out by public security organs to limit their responsibilities, which is lagging behind and difficult to prevent hidden dangers; Electronic contract is to ensure that the contents of the contract can be identified and cannot be tampered with through digital signature technology. It can quickly identify the authenticity through online signing, and issue an authoritative notarial certificate or judicial appraisal to prove its authenticity and effectiveness according to actual needs.

3) Cost control comparison:

The traditional paper contract management mode consumes a lot of costs besides sending freight back and forth and occupying storage space. With the growth of years, it will become more and more difficult to store, access and file contracts. Electronic contract will consume 0 links such as paper, freight and storage space; Through online transmission and storage, speed up, reduce costs and control risks.

Summary: Based on the whole process analysis and process control ability of contract use, the advantages of electronic contract in flexibility and expansibility are more obvious.

But as the saying goes, for enterprises at different stages of development and different usage scenarios, whether electronic contracts are more advantageous or paper contracts are more suitable cannot be judged by one sentence alone.

It is believed that on the basis of comparing their respective advantages and disadvantages, enterprises will be able to choose the appropriate contract management model in combination with their actual needs and phased deployment needs.