Creating agreements

An agreement is the sending transaction — it holds your documents, your recipients, and a record of every action taken. You create an agreement each time you need to collect signatures. You can start from a saved template or build one from scratch.

Overview

Two ways to start

From a template

Templates are the recommended starting point for agreements you send regularly. The document is already uploaded, tags are placed, and recipient roles are pre-configured — you only need to assign real people to the roles.

1. Navigate to Sign > Templates.
2. Find the template you want to use.
3. Click Use Template (or Send for Signature).

The system creates a new agreement with the template's document, tags, and recipient role structure already in place. Proceed to assign recipients.

From scratch

Use this path when you have a one-off document that does not fit an existing template, or when you are sending a new agreement type for the first time.

1. Navigate to Sign > Agreements.
2. Click New Agreement.
3. Enter an agreement name and configure email settings (see Step 1 below).
4. Click New Agreement to create the draft.

You are taken to the prepare view where you upload documents, add recipients, and place tags before sending.

Step 1: Name the agreement

Give the agreement a clear, descriptive name. The name appears in your dashboard and in the subject line of notification emails sent to you. It is not shown to recipients unless you include it in the email subject or message.

Example	Notes
Employment Offer — Jane Smith	Identifies the person and document type
Q1 2026 Vendor Contract — Acme Corp	Identifies the period and counterparty
Agreement 1	Too vague — avoid

Email settings (optional at creation)

You can set the email subject and message during creation or return to them before sending. These fields customize the invitation email sent to each recipient:

• Email Subject — Defaults to Please sign this agreement. A specific subject improves open rates and reduces recipient confusion.
• Email Message — Optional body text. Use it to explain the document and set expectations.

See email customization for guidance on writing effective messages.

Step 2: Add documents

If you started from a template, the document is already attached. Skip ahead to Step 3.

If you started from scratch, upload your documents in the prepare view:

1. Click Upload Document or drag and drop your file onto the upload area.
2. Wait for processing to complete.
3. Verify the document preview looks correct.
4. To add more files, click Add Document and repeat.

Note: Documents are combined into a single signing experience. Recipients see all uploaded files in upload order. For full details on supported formats, file size limits, and upload tips, see Adding Documents.

Step 3: Add recipients

Recipients are the people who will sign or receive a copy of the agreement. You must add at least one recipient before you can send.

For each recipient:

1. Click Add Recipient.
2. Enter the recipient's full name and email address.
3. Select their responsibility:
   • Needs to Sign — must complete their assigned tags before the agreement can complete.
   • Receives a Copy — receives the completed agreement by email; no action required.
   • Needs to View — must open and view the document; no signing required.
4. Set authentication (optional) — require recipients to verify their identity before accessing the document.

Routing order

By default, all recipients receive their invitation at the same time (parallel routing). To send invitations in sequence — so each recipient receives their invitation only after the previous one finishes — assign different routing positions.

For full recipient configuration including routing patterns, authentication methods, and role types, see Recipients.

Step 4: Place tags

Tags are the interactive elements recipients fill in or sign. If you started from a template, tags are already placed.

If you are building from scratch, place tags from the prepare view after uploading documents and adding recipients:

1. Select a tag type from the tag palette.
2. Drag it onto the document in the correct position, or click the tag type and then click the document to place it.
3. Assign the tag to a recipient using the Assigned To field.
4. Mark the tag as required or optional.
5. Repeat for all signature, initial, date, text, and other tags needed.

For detailed guidance on tag types and placement, see Adding Tags.

Customize the email

Every recipient receives an email invitation containing a link to the signing experience. Customizing the subject and message gives recipients context and increases the likelihood they sign promptly.

Subject line

The default subject is Please sign this agreement. Replace it with something specific to the document.

Example	Notes
Your employment offer from Acme Corp	Clear, specific, professional
NDA — please review and sign	Short and direct
Please sign this	Too vague — avoid

Message body

Use the message to explain what the document is, what you need from the recipient, and any time-sensitive context.

Hi [Recipient Name],

Please review and sign the attached [document type].

[Add any context or instructions here.]

This should take about [estimated time].

Thanks,
[Your name]

tip

If you send the same agreement type regularly, save a template with a pre-written email message so you do not have to rewrite it each time.

Review before sending

Before clicking Send Agreement, use the review step to verify your agreement is ready:

• Documents display correctly and are in the right order
• Tags are positioned accurately on each page
• Each tag is assigned to the correct recipient
• Recipient names and email addresses are correct
• Routing order reflects the intended sequence
• Email subject and message are accurate

Pre-send checklist

• Document uploaded and preview verified
• All recipients added with correct email addresses
• Routing order set (if using sequential signing)
• Tags placed and assigned to the correct recipients
• Authentication method configured for each recipient (if required)
• Email subject and message reviewed

If the Send Agreement button is disabled, look for validation errors on the page. Common causes include recipients with no assigned tags, required tags left unassigned, or an empty recipient list.

Send the agreement

When you are ready to send:

1. Click Send Agreement.
2. Review the confirmation prompt — it shows the number of recipients who will be notified.
3. Click Send to confirm.

info

Send Now is the only delivery option. Agreements are sent immediately when you confirm — there is no scheduled or delayed send.

What happens after you send

Immediately after sending

1. The agreement status changes to Sent.
2. Recipients in routing position 1 receive their signing invitation by email.
3. An audit log entry is created.
4. The agreement appears in your Agreements list with live status tracking.

Confirmation screen

Coming Soon

Screenshot: send-confirmation-screen — the confirmation screen after sending an agreement

After you click Send, a confirmation screen appears: "Your agreement is on its way — we've emailed your recipients." From there you can navigate to the agreement detail page to monitor progress.

Sequential routing

If you configured sequential routing, only the first recipient in the sequence receives an invitation immediately. The next recipient is notified automatically after the previous one completes their action.

After all recipients sign

1. All recipients receive a copy of the completed document by email.
2. An audit certificate is generated.
3. The signed documents become available for download from the agreement detail page.

Sender notifications

By default, you receive an email notification when:

• A recipient views the agreement
• A recipient signs
• The agreement is completed
• The agreement is declined or expires

Configure notification preferences in Settings.

For expiration dates and automatic reminder settings, see Notifications.

Troubleshooting

The New Agreement button is not available

Your plan may not include agreements, or you may have reached your plan's agreement limit. Contact your organization admin or visit your plan settings.

Recipients are not receiving the invitation email

Check that the email addresses are spelled correctly. Ask recipients to check their spam or junk folder. If addresses are correct and delivery still fails, verify that the recipient's email domain is not blocking automated messages.

The Send Agreement button is disabled

One or more required fields are incomplete. Look for validation errors on the page — common causes include recipients with no assigned tags, required tags left unassigned, or an empty recipient list.

Need to make changes after sending

Sent agreements cannot be edited. To fix errors, void the agreement and send a corrected version. See Voiding Agreements for details.

A recipient says they did not receive the email

From the agreement detail page, find the recipient and click Resend to resend their invitation. Verify the email address is correct before resending.

Best practices

• Test with yourself first. Add your own email as a recipient before sending to real recipients. Complete the full signing flow to verify the document, tags, and email look correct.
• Write specific subjects. A descriptive email subject reduces confusion and improves the chance recipients sign promptly.
• Use templates for recurring agreements. A template with pre-configured recipients, tags, and email settings saves time and reduces errors on every send.
• Confirm email addresses before sending. A typo in a recipient's email address means they will not receive their invitation. Double-check every address before you click Send.

Related topics

• Adding Documents
• Recipients
• Adding Tags
• Notifications
• Status Tracking
• Voiding Agreements