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Contract Execution

Contracts usually involve more than one party and more than one round of review. This page covers the configurations that matter specifically for contracts, routing order, what tags to use, and how to handle multi-party signing, so you can close agreements faster without sacrificing the audit trail you'll need if one is ever disputed.

→ For the general workflow of creating and sending an agreement, see Creating Agreements.

Signing Order for Contracts​

Most contracts need signatures to happen in a specific sequence, internal review before the client sees it, or one party signing before another. Set this using routing order.

Common patterns:

PatternHow to configureBest for
Internal review → clientApprover at step 1, client at step 2Any contract requiring internal sign-off first
All parties at onceEveryone at the same step numberSimpler agreements where order doesn't matter
Parallel counterparties, sequential approvalsApprovals sequential, client contacts at the same stepMulti-stakeholder deals with internal governance

Tags for Contracts​

Every contract needs at minimum: a Signature tag and a Date Signed tag (auto-filled) for each signer. Beyond that:

  • Initials next to key clauses (payment terms, liability limits, exclusivity provisions) confirms each party has reviewed them, and strengthens the audit record if terms are later disputed
  • Text tags for names, titles, or any field that varies per contract
  • Checkbox for agreement to specific terms or representations
  • Date for effective dates or term start dates

→ See Tag Types for the full list.

Coming Soon

Screenshot: contract-tags-placed, a contract document in the editor showing signature, initials, and date tags placed for each signer

Authentication​

For most routine contracts, the email link is sufficient. For higher-value or sensitive agreements, add a second layer:

  • Access code, good for external parties where you want verification through a separate channel
  • SMS, good for financial or regulated agreements

→ See Identity Verification for setup details and a full comparison.

Deadlines and Reminders​

7–14 days is the typical expiration window for business contracts. Set automatic reminders every 3 days, it keeps contracts moving without requiring you to follow up manually.

→ Configure these in Notifications & Reminders.

After Signing​

Once all parties have signed:

  1. Download the signed PDF and completion certificate from the agreement.
  2. Store both in your document management system or client record.
  3. The completion certificate is the tamper-evident audit record, keep it alongside the signed document, not separately.

Troubleshooting​

Need to change the document after sending, Agreements can't be edited once sent. Void the agreement, correct the document, and resend.

Wrong signing order, Void, create a new agreement with the correct routing, and resend.

A recipient declined, Their reason is recorded in the audit trail. Address the concern and send a new agreement once resolved.