FAQs

Blockchain is a relatively new technology with a lot of potential due to its various benefits.

A Blockchain network is like a large ledger that records transactions without the need for a third party, meaning it is decentralized.

It is a network of blocks where each block contains transactions and each block knows its predecessor in the form of a chain, hence the name.

Blockchain networks allow for a secure, decentralized, synchronized, and distributed record of digital operations.

When information is added to Blockchain, it is impossible to delete or modify this information, and the date it was added is recorded.

The main Blockchain networks that exist are Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, AION, among others.

If you want to know more about how it works, we recommend reading more about Blockchain.

The SHA-256 algorithm is a mathematical algorithm that allows converting a string of text, a document, or any digital object into a unique string of characters for that object.

For example, the string of text: https://www.contractualis.com passed through the SHA-256 algorithm, becomes:

b6b19422a35795a14cd82ec6ff3aef25fb41112e4d8310e31a89f69e30da1635.

If we were to change even one letter or dot, it would produce a completely different value or 'hash'.

This algorithm helps us validate if a document has changed since it was generated in Contractualis.

If a person modifies a document, even by a single dot, it will no longer be valid in any way.

No, your document will not be sent to Blockchain, what will be sent is a series of characters that represent the hash of your document obtained mathematically through the SHA-256 algorithm.

A hash obtained through the SHA-256 algorithm cannot be used to obtain the information that was used to obtain it. The SHA-256 algorithm is a one-way algorithm, meaning that only its hash can be obtained, but the original document cannot be obtained with its hash.

Therefore, the privacy of your document is maintained while ensuring that your document benefits from the advantages of the Blockchain network.

It's not necessary, you can add all the signers you need, without requiring them to have an account on our platform.

The signers are added via email and through this medium they are sent a link so that they can access a special guest screen where they can sign without needing an account on Contractualis.

Yes, you can delete a record at any time.

A deleted record will automatically be moved to the Deleted folder where, after 3 days, its files will be permanently deleted and space will be freed up in your account.

If the record is still a draft then it will be deleted immediately.

Of course, the deleted records will be permanent and will always remain verifiable.

If you deleted a record by mistake, you will have 3 days to recover it. Just go to the Deleted folder and click on the icon Return to My Documents.

Keep in mind that after this period, the document's files will be permanently deleted.

No, you can add as many signers as necessary for your contract or document.

You will receive the original document with the signature page (if applicable), a certificate generated by Contractualis, the Audit Trail, and the NOM-151 Certificate.

No, but you can use the digital signature which is equally valid internationally for signing in Contractualis, or carry out the necessary procedures before the Tax Administration Service to renew your advanced electronic signature.

Once the process of a Contract, Document, or Time Stamp is complete, you will receive an email with the generated files.

Additionally, in your account, for each record, you have the option to download the Document, Contractualis Certificate, Audit Trail, NOM-151 Certificate, or a compressed file with all the files.

For each document or contract you create in your account, you have an allowed space of 100 MB, so you can add all the attachments you need as long as you stay within the limit.

If you started a signing or timestamp process but did not complete it, it will be automatically deleted 15 days after its creation date.

Yes, you can consult the documents in which you participated as a signer in the Received section.

When you create your account, you receive 1 GB of storage and 1 token for free.

If you need more tokens later on, you can purchase them in the store by choosing a package or selecting the desired amount of tokens.

If you no longer have storage space for new documents, you can purchase more space in the store by choosing a plan that fits your needs.

The ASN1 file is a certificate associated with the NOM-151, which is issued by a certified CSP (Certification Service Provider).

This certificate contains one or more Time Stamps that validate the Certain Date or Proof of Existence of your document.

In the side menu, in the My Documents section, you can create new folders according to your needs.

It is also possible to sort the folders you have created so that you can work better on your documents.

When creating a new Contract or Document, you can add information to the document and come back to it later. You will find it just as you left it to continue with your process.

In the side menu, click on Settings and go to the Security tab.

Enter your current password in the indicated field, then enter and confirm your new password to update it.

Remember that: The minimum length of the password is 8 characters and must contain at least 1 lowercase letter, 1 uppercase letter, 1 number, and 1 special character.

In the side menu, click on Settings and go to the Security tab. Look for the 2 Step Authentication option and slide the control to the right to activate it. Click on Update.

Yes, the documents generated by Contractualis have characteristics that make them valid before a Judge, such as Certain Date or Proof of Existence, Integrity, and the Authenticity of the signers (if applicable).

The Certain Date or Proof of Existence proves that the document existed exactly as it is at a certain date and time, which is provided by Blockchain and the NOM-151 certificate.

The Integrity of the document indicates that it has not changed since it was generated, which is achieved through a mathematical algorithm known as SHA-256 and Blockchain, as well as the NOM-151 certificate.

The Authenticity of the signers is achieved through the signatures collected in the process, whether they are digital signatures or advanced electronic signatures (Electronic Advanced Signature).

This is a standard that establishes the rules that conservation certificates of electronic messages must follow when signing electronic documents.

A NOM-151 certificate is a file that contains digital seals that allow validating the date and time of a particular document.

This certificate is issued by a CSP or Certification Service Provider, and it is also possible to verify the integrity of the document from the date the certificate was issued.

This is achieved through a mathematical algorithm known as SHA-256, where if the content of the document is modified, it will no longer match when validated with the CSP.

Yes, as according to the fourth and fifth paragraphs of article 114 of the Mexican Commercial Code, the parties will agree among themselves the use of certain types of electronic signatures and certificates, and such agreement will be sufficient for international recognition purposes.

This is reinforced by the fact that international standards recognized by Mexico and any other relevant means of evidence will be taken into consideration, as in this case is the Treaty between Mexico, the United States, and Canada, in its article 19.6.

According to this, the parties may not deny the legal validity of a signature solely on the basis that the signature is in electronic form.

Yes, according to the provisions of article 97 of the Mexican Commercial Code, a different electronic signature from the advanced electronic signature of the Tax Administration Service may be valid for signing a contract or agreement of wills on a website or digital application, as long as it meets certain requirements, such as:

• The data used to create the signature correspond exclusively to the signer and are used only in the relevant context (such as the email notification sent to the signer).
• The data used to create the signature were under the exclusive control of the signer at the time of signing (which corresponds to the moment of applying the digital signature under the Contractualis service).
• Any alteration made to the electronic signature after the moment of signing is detectable (which can be verified in the Audit Trail or Audit Record, to verify the signature of the parties in the relevant digital document).
• Regarding the integrity of the information in a data message, any alteration made to the information after the moment of signing is detectable (as in the completed Document, Contractualis Certificate, Audit Trail, and NOM-151 certificate).

Furthermore, Article 89-bis of the Mexican Commercial Code states that no legal effect, validity or force shall be denied to any information solely on the grounds that it is contained in a data message, provided that the electronic signature is qualified as appropriate or reliable in accordance with the Code's own guidelines.

Finally, the legal validity of the appropriate or reliable electronic signature is reinforced by Article 1803, Section I, of the Mexican Federal Civil Code, which highlights that consent is express when the will is expressed by electronic means.

Yes, digital signatures are recognized in different International Treaties such as the Free Trade Agreement between Mexico, the United States, and Canada, as well as in the United Nations Convention on the Use of Electronic Communications in International Contracts. The UNCITRAL Model Law on Electronic Commerce has also been adopted by different countries, where they agree that the will can be expressed through electronic means and the legal validity of the signature cannot be denied solely because it is in digital media, as long as it meets certain performance standards, reliability requirements, and creation aspects, which are widely regulated by Contractualis.

There are different ways, for example, article 9 of the United Nations Convention on the Use of Electronic Communications in International Contracts (which is mentioned in an exemplary but not exhaustive manner), establishes the following requirements for digital documents to be valid internationally:

• When the law requires a communication or contract to be in writing, the text of the electronic communication must be accessible for later consultation (a requirement that Contractualis services meet).
• When the law requires a communication or contract to be signed by a party, a method must be used to determine the identity of that party and to indicate the intention of that party with respect to the information contained in the electronic communication. The method employed must also meet the following criteria:
• That the method is as reliable as is appropriate for the purposes for which the electronic communication was generated or transmitted,
• That it can be demonstrated, either alone or with the support of other evidence, that the method has fulfilled the functions described above (Reliability that is supported by the files generated when the signing process is completed, such as the Completed Document, the Contractualis Certificate, the Audit Trail, and the NOM-151 certification).

Yes, as according to article 9.4 of the United Nations Convention on the Use of Electronic Communications in International Contracts (which is mentioned enunciatively but not limitatively), when the law requires that a communication or contract be provided or preserved in its original form, there must be a reliable guarantee of the integrity of the information it contains from the moment it was first generated in its final form, as offered by Contractualis with the Time Stamp that is granted to electronic documents provided by the User to Contractualis' services, where said Time Stamp provides certainty about the invariability of the content of a completed document, allowing the User to comply with the requirement set forth in said United Nations Convention, that is, to provide legal certainty to said electronic communication.

Yes, they do have legal validity in electronic documents, based on Article 1803, section I, of the Federal Civil Code of the United Mexican States, which states the following:

“Article 1803.- Consent may be express or implied, for which the following shall apply:
I.- It shall be express when the will is expressed verbally, in writing, by electronic, optical or any other technology, or by unequivocal signs…”

In addition, article 89-bis of the Mexican Commercial Code establishes that legal effects, validity, or force cannot be denied to any type of information solely because it is contained in a data message, such as a qualified electronic signature deemed appropriate or reliable under the guidelines of the referred Code.

The information generated or communicated in electronic media is recognized as evidence, as the Judicial Authority is legally capable of recognizing them as such once they have been subjected to different evaluation criteria, where the reliability of the method with which it was generated, received, or archived will be primarily estimated, as is the case with the services offered by Contractualis, which include the four files generated when the signing process is completed, such as the Completed Document, the Contractualis Certificate, the Audit Trail, and the NOM-151 Certificate.

The information that serves as evidence in the Judicial Authorities generated on the Contractualis website or application consists of the documents signed by the User, since they went through the signing process on the Contractualis website or application, thus fully complying with the different requirements established by articles 88, 197, 210-A, and 217 of the Federal Code of Civil Procedures of the United Mexican States.

In this regard, the criterion sustained by the Fourth Collegiate Administrative Court in the First Circuit, with registration number 2017009, located in the Judicial Gazette of the Federal Judiciary, reinforces the previously developed argument.

Yes, they are valid as evidence in court proceedings, as they have full probative value based on the reliability of the method used to generate them, allowing their content to be linked to the obligated parties or signers, accessible for further consultation, and backed by a Contractualis Certificate, Audit Trail, and NOM-151 Certificate, files that provide full conviction of their authenticity.

This is supported by the criterion with digital registration number 2015428, located in the Judicial Gazette of the Federation, of the Judicial Power of the Federation.