Office of Enterprise Technology Services

State’s electronic signature solution piloted one year ago

HONOLULU – With a single tap on a Microsoft Surface Pro, Gov. David Y. Ige today proclaimed October 10, 2016, Electronic Records Day in Hawaii, electronically signing the ceremonial proclamation using the State of Hawaii’s “eSign Service” solution that the governor’s office piloted one year ago. It is Hawaii’s first “paperless” proclamation by a governor.

“eSign is just one of the tools this administration is using to meet our goals of transforming from a paper-based system to one that is leading the nation in electronic signature capability,” Gov. Ige said. “We are reducing the amount of paper used and saving valuable time that can be better used working on issues facing the state.”

On Oct. 1, 2015, the Office of the Governor, with assistance from the Office of Enterprise Technology Services (ETS), piloted the use of eSign Service, processing all documents electronically to the extent possible. Departments were instructed to submit documents for the governor’s signature using an electronic routing form template. In the first three months alone, there were 2,337 eSign transactions.

ETS has since expanded the service to departments statewide to increase government efficiency within the executive branch. As of today, more than 64,000 (and counting) unique electronic transactions have been processed across departments, representing a reduction and associated savings in the use of paper, ink, and process time.

For example, without eSign, the average time for a state document to be signed was between four and 12 days. With eSign, that average is between 129 and 181 minutes.

“We are eliminating much of the time previously spent preparing and routing documents,” said state Chief Information Officer Todd Nacapuy. “State personnel can sign with just a few clicks, so we can focus on state business and providing effective, efficient services.”

State Archivist Adam Jansen added: “In collaboration with ETS and in support of Gov. Ige’s initiative, the State Archives has been developing a digital archives that can not only collect digital records of permanent value, but also ensure accessibility and readability of those records for future generations. As of today, the Hawaii State Digital Archives is able to accept, describe and process born digital records — with this proclamation being the first record officially accessioned into the repository.”

Accelerated signing dramatically reduces the time that employees spend on paperwork overall. For instance, newly hired government employees, who once spent 2.5 hours filling out onboarding paperwork on their first day, can now complete the process online in less than 30 minutes and from anywhere. Another area of opportunity is presented by the fact that state employees must sign an average of 30 documents a year, from annual tax documents to updated acceptable use policies — a process that can be greatly streamlined.

“In collaboration with ETS and in support of Gov. Ige’s initiative, the State Archives has been developing a digital archives that can not only collect digital records of permanent value, but also ensure accessibility and readability of those records for future generations,” said State Archivist Adam Jansen. “As of today, the Hawaii State Digital Archives is able to accept, describe and process born digital records – with this proclamation being the first record officially accessioned into the repository.”

In addition to gained efficiency, there are environmental benefits. According to the Adobe ResourceSaver Calculator, signing 64,000 documents electronically instead of on paper saves 23,840 pounds of wood, 73,132 gallons of water, and 6,150 pounds of waste.

Electronic Records Day began as an initiative of the Council of State Archivists of the United States and today is observed nationally as an opportunity to raise awareness about the crucial roles electronic records play in our world. For more information on Electronic Records Day, visit: https://www.statearchivists.org/programs/state-electronic-records-initiative/electronic-records-day/

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Electronic Records Day Proclamation (PDF):
https://ets.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Proclamation_-Electronic-Records-Day-10_10_16.pdf

Additional photos:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/govhawaii/sets/72157675043180625/

Video:

“Governor’s Office Goes Paperless” (News Release, Sept. 30, 2015)

Media Contact:
Keith DeMello
Senior Communications Manager
Office of Enterprise Technology Services
Phone: (808) 586-1920 ext. 325
Mobile: (808) 594-3645
[email protected]
ets.hawaii.gov