Are you having problems getting your digital documents signed by all contract parties? You can take several steps to process your contracts and agreements efficiently. In this article, we’ll cover how to send a document for electronic signature, including:
- 4 best practices
- Step-by-step instructions for using Signaturely
- Frequently asked questions
After reading the information this article outlines, you should have no issues sending documents and getting them signed.
Ready? Let’s get into it.
1. Create a personalized message to the signer
Sending your contract parties a personalized message before requesting their signature helps ensure they sign your document. This provides you with an opportunity to outline specific instructions regarding how to sign the document electronically.
Using their name is a great way to grab their attention. They’ll be more likely to notice the email in their inbox. You can also provide steps for signing the document, including details for both typed and handwritten digital signatures.
Most electronic signature apps allow you to do this. For example, with Signaturely, you can include a small message to the individual from whom you request a signature.
2. Preview the document before sending
When sending a document for electronic signature, editing is an essential process you can’t ignore. You must review it before you send it to your contract parties. If you fail, you might send them an incorrect document they can’t properly sign.
If you don’t properly prepare the document, they might be requested to sign the wrong form field. They’ll see this error when you request their signature and refuse to add their digital signature to your document. It wouldn’t be valid even if they did, so avoiding this is vital.
Most electronic signature tools have built-in measures that ensure the document is set up appropriately. For example, Signaturely only lets you send the signature request if the form fields are correct.
3. Notify the recipient that they will receive an email requesting their signature
You need to ensure that when requesting a signature, you notify your recipient that they’ll receive an email. People often ignore signature requests simply because the recipients didn’t see the email in their inbox.
Preventing this is key; you must notify your contract parties that they should expect to receive a signature request email.
4. Guide the signer through the signing process with complementary instructions
One mistake often is assuming that contract parties know how to respond to a signature request. The truth is the process can be complicated for some people who may have questions about how to sign the document.
To avoid this pitfall, don’t rely on your knowledge base; you can’t expect your recipients to do additional research. The more barriers to contract parties signing your document, the more likely they won’t complete the workflow.
Ensure that you provide specific, easy-to-understand instructions that outline the signing process. Make sure this is aligned with the demographics and needs of your target audience.
How to send a document for electronic signature with Signaturely
Signaturely is an electronic signature tool that empowers businesses by making it easier to sign documents online digitally. You can create an electronic signature and add it to contracts and agreements, as well as request signatures from others.
Signaturely is a SaaS-based web application, so anyone with an internet connection can use the tool. It doesn’t matter what device or operating system you use; Signaturely can help streamline your digital signature workflow.
The process for sending a document for electronic signature with Signaturely is simple. Just follow these steps:
Step 1: Log in to Signaturely
- Start by going over to Signaturely.com.
- Login to your account.
- Create a free account if you don’t have one already.
Step 2: Upload Your Document
- Select “Sign” on the left sidebar.
- Select the correct “Who needs to sign?” option.
- Upload your document, and give it a name.
- Add any email addresses and names of those who need to sign your document.
Step 3: Complete and Send Your Document
- Use the editor to add any text, checkboxes, or signatures the document requires.
- Select “Send” when finished.
Advantages of using a tool like Signaturely to request electronic signatures
- Free to use: Signaturely has a free plan, so anyone can use it to sign and send documents.
- Easy to use: Signaturely has a simple interface, making the tool easy to master.
- Web-based: Anyone with an internet connection can use Signaturely; it doesn’t matter what device or operating system you use.
- Affordable: The premium Signaturely plans are cheaper than other electronic signature solutions.
- Effective: Signature requests are sent straight to contract parties’ email inboxes.
Pricing
Signaturely offers two premium versions.
The personal plan is the cheaper of the two premium plans. It costs $25 USD per month or $240 annually. This package gives unlimited signature requests and access to one template.
The business plan is more expensive, costing $50 USD per month or $480 annually. You get unlimited signature requests, templates, and other advanced features such as team management and custom business branding.
FAQs
An electronic signature — also referred to as an eSignature — is the digital equivalent of a signature. It’s legally binding, just as if handwritten with a pen and paper. Electronic signatures can be used for any means, personal or business-related. You could use them for nondisclosure agreements, employee onboarding documents, or contractor agreements.
The benefits of signing a document electronically are that you save time, effort, and money. Your organization can streamline its document workflow, increasing employee productivity and operational efficiency. You also don’t have to spend money on paper, ink, or fax machines.
No, sending a document to be signed electronically isn’t difficult. There are several ways that you could accomplish this. An electronic signature tool is one such method. Signaturely — a popular electronic signature tool — makes signing documents and requesting signatures digitally easy. You can add your digital signature to a document, then send it to the other contract parties.
Yes, you can send a document for free; an electronic signature tool like Signaturely makes it possible. Signaturely offers a free plan that allows you to request signatures from other contract parties. You’re given up to three signature requests per month. If you need more signature requests, you must purchase one of the two premium Signaturely plans.
No, you don’t have to use electronic signature software to send a document to be signed. There are several other ways to accomplish this task, such as using Adobe Acrobat Reader. Although there are other ways, electronic signature software is the easiest strategy. Most are web-based, so you can use them on any device or operating system. All that’s required is an internet connection.
How to send a document for electronic signature: Conclusion
Being able to get your documents signed and processed efficiently is extremely important. Many organizations lack digital signature workflows, which decreases employee productivity and operational efficiency.
This is often a result of contract parties taking their sweet time to put their digital pen to paper. This article covered various strategies and tactics you can implement to speed up this process.
Hopefully, you’ve found value in the information we shared. Are you looking for an electronic signature tool that can streamline your organization’s digital signature workflow? Sign up for a free Signaturely account today.
