Steps are parts of a user journey and are executed one by one after the conditions are met. The Signer element is a step in which a signer is given specific access rights to documents and their fields.
Use case example: In a sales agreement workflow, the Signer feature allows sales representatives to securely access the contract and sign it electronically before sending it to the client for final approval. This process ensures that the document is reviewed and signed in a sequential manner, maintaining its integrity and compliance with company policies.
Upon creating a workflow and uploading/creating a new document, a Signer step will be added to the workflow diagram automatically.
To add a new Signer step, click on the + button and select the corresponding step.
Configuration
Click on the Signer step to proceed with its configuration settings.
Signer assigning
Specify the default signer and customize the invitation message for this step in the Signer section.
Choose from options such as:
Specify at execution: specify signers' email addresses or phone numbers during workflow execution
Contact: enter static contact details or select from your contact book
Group: choose a predefined group from your contact book (if available)
Signer from document field: use an email address or phone number from a fillable field or tag pre-filled or entered by a previous signer
Workflow initiator: Select this option if the signer is the person who starts the workflow. The workflow initiator is automatically assigned as the signer without needing to specify their contact details manually.
Let’s check the options usage on the example.
In an employee performance review process, the Signer section is configured to streamline the review assignment and notification process:
Specify at execution: The HR manager initiates the performance review workflow and specifies the email addresses of the employees' supervisors who will conduct the reviews during workflow execution. This ensures that each employee's review is directed to their respective supervisor for evaluation.
Contact: For departmental performance reviews, the HR manager enters static contact details of department heads or selects them from the contact book. This ensures that departmental supervisors receive notifications for conducting performance evaluations within their respective teams.
Group: To facilitate team-wide evaluations, the HR manager selects a predefined group from the contact book, such as 'Management Team' or 'Sales Department.' This ensures that all members of the designated group receive notifications simultaneously for conducting performance reviews.
Signer from document field: In cases where performance review assignments are based on organizational hierarchy or reporting structure, the HR manager uses email addresses stored in fillable fields within the employee database. This dynamically assigns reviews to the appropriate supervisors as per the organizational structure, ensuring efficiency and accuracy in the review process.
Workflow initiator: This option is ideal when the individual triggering the workflow should also be responsible for signing the document, ensuring a seamless and automated signing process.
Customize email message to signer
Use this option to add a personalized email message for the signer. This message will be included in the email invitation they receive to review and sign the document.
The option allows:
Provide instructions or context for the document
Add a friendly greeting or explanation to make the request clearer
Include deadlines or important notes to guide the signer.
Note:This option is available for all signer types except Workflow initiator, as the workflow starter is automatically assigned as the signer without an email invitation.
Documents section:
Under the Documents section, you can find all documents added to the workflow
Each document listed includes its name, file type, and the number of fillable fields.
Assign fields to the step
Designate which fields are accessible to the signer in this step and proceed with the field assignment. To learn more about the fields assigning check this article.
Document access permissions setup
Specify document access permissions for the Signer step:
Fill out: grant full access to view and fill out fillable fields
View: allow viewing the document without making changes.
Hide: restrict access to the document
Conditional Fill: set certain conditions that will allow signers to access the document and fill out any fillable fields during the step.
Conditional View: set certain conditions that will allow the signers to view the document without making changes during the step.
If a Document placeholder is added to your workflow, you can allow signers to edit the uploaded documents by enabling the Fill out and annotate option. Find all the instructions in this article.
Conditions section
Set the conditions that will initiate the step activation. For instance, specify that the step should occur when a certain field equals a specific value or is filled out.
More information about the conditions setup can be found in this article.
Advanced section
The section allows:
Send emails when a signer completes the documents;
Send reminders for the signer to complete the send documents. The follow-up is sent to the same email or phone number used for the initial invite, regardless of whether it was an email or a text message.
Automatically save any signatures and initials added by the signer during this step to their signature gallery. This allows them to reuse their saved signature in future signing sessions;
Signing process. Configure the permissions for the signers during the signing session:
— Allow declining to sign: the signers will be able to decline a document filling out. The Decline signing option will be available in the More actions menu.
— Allow saving progress as draft: let signers save their progress and return later to complete the document.. The Save as draft option will be available in the More actions menu.
— Allow discarding changes: allow signers to discard their current changes and revert the document to its original state. The Discard option will be available in the More actions menu.
To proceed with the settings, toggle the needed option.
Rename the step
To rename the step, click the step name and enter the desired value.
Actions to the element
Upon hovering the step, you can perform the following actions:
Preview the document from the signers perspective
Duplicate the step with its current settings
Delete the step
