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The Signing Experience

Receiving the Email Notification

This process begins when you receive an email requesting that you electronically sign a document. The email is sent by DocuSign on behalf of the sender and has a message from the sender and a link to open an electronic envelope with the document. After opening your email, click Review Documents to access the documents. A new web browser window opens, connects to the secure DocuSign Online Signing Service website and displays the Welcome or Overview page.

Note: If your client is signing documents in-person, view this for more information about how the in-session signing process is initiated.

Signer ID Check Authentication

You will need to verify your identity using Signer Authentication. We use the ID Check authentication method. With this option you are prompted to enter some personal information and then you are presented with questions about yourself based on data available in public records. See Validating the Client ID for more information about this process.

After entering the information, click Next to continue.
You are presented with a set of questions. Answer the questions to complete the ID check. After the ID check is successfully completed, you are taken through the normal signing process.

Signing Introduction

The introduction page list the documents included in the envelope. It also has the consumer Electronic Signature Disclosure, which covers conducting business electronically with the sender. Signers must review the consumer Electronic Signature Disclosure and select the checkbox (#3) to agree to conduct business electronically, before they can view the documents. Signers can either view (#2) or print (#1) the Electronic Signature Disclosure if they don't want to read and review it from this window.

Note: Important! Signer's must agree to conduct business electronically with the document sender in order to view and sign the documents.

If signer's do not want to eSign their documents, they can also opt to:

Click Finish Later if you are not ready to sign the document. You can return to the document later by using the link in the email notification.
Click Sign on Paper to print and sign the document on paper. See Choosing to Sign on Paper for more information about using this option. In some cases this option might not be available.
Click Decline to decline signing the document. You might be asked to provide a message for the person that sent the document telling them why you have declined to sign.

Adding Requested Information and Signing Documents

The first page of the document you are signing is shown in the window. There are several controls available for your use.

The right side of the window has a document map showing the number of pages in the envelope and the pages that have tags. You can click on a page to jump to a page. You can hide or show the document map by click the Hide/Show control.
There is also a control for zooming in or out on the current page. You can select the page size from the list.
In the center of the header you can download the document as a PDF file, print the document, and access the More menu.
From the More menu, you can view information about the envelope, or select to change the signer, decline to sign, print and sign on paper and fax, or finish signing later.
1. View History: This option shows envelope data and history.
2. View Certificate: This option opens a new browser window with a PDF version of the certificate of completion, which includes information about the envelope events, and the consumer disclosure. The PDF can be saved or printed.
3. View Consumer Disclosure: This option shows the consumer disclosure for the envelope.
4. Change Signer: If you should not sign the documents in the envelope, this option is used to send this document to a different person to sign. You will be asked to provide the new signer’s name, email address and a reason for changing the signer. The reason for changing the signer is sent to person that sent the document, along with the new signer’s name and email.
5. Decline to Sign: This option lets you decline to sign the document. You might be asked to provide a message for the person that sent the document telling them why you have declined to sign.
6. Sign on Paper: This option lets you print and sign the document on paper. See Choosing to Sign on Paper for more information about using this option. In some cases this option might not be available.
7. Finish Later: This option lets you exit the signing process. You can return to sign the document later by using the link in the email notification.

The Yellow indicator on the left side of the document page is used to guide you through the process of filling in and signing your document. Click Start to begin the signing process. The indicator changes to and arrow and you are taken to the first tab to fill out.
The text shown in the indicator arrow is the action you are expected to take for the current information tag. The text in the arrow changes as the indicator guides you through the document. The images below are examples of possible indicator arrows and with the expected actions:
1. Choose: Select an item from a drop down list, a checkbox, or option button.
2. Fill In: Type information into the data field. Click Next (see below) or press the Tab key to go to the next information field.
3. Attach: The sender is asking you to provide some supporting documentation. See Adding Attachments for information about submitting the documents.
4. Sign/Initial: Click the Sign Here or Initial tab to place a signature or initial in the document. If this is the first signature or initial tab, you are asked to adopt a signature. See Adopting your Signature for more information.
5. Next/Next Page: After adding information to a tab, you can click Next to go to the next tab or , in some cases, Next Page to go to the next page in the envelope.
6. Confirm Signing: After adding information to all the required tabs, the signer can review the document. When they are done reviewing the document, click Confirm Signing to complete signing the process.

As the arrow leads you through the document, use the following guidelines for filling out information:

Note: Some fields, such as signing date fields, are automatically filled in based on information available to the system. You cannot change or modify this information.

To select an option button or checkbox, click on the appropriate option button or checkbox. Note that you can only select one option button in a group.
To select an option from a drop-down list, click on the list and select the appropriate option.
To add other information in a boxed field, type the requested information into the field and click Next or press the Tab key to continue.
To sign or initial a tag, click the Sign Here or Initial tag.

When you have completed adding information to all the required tabs in the envelope, the indicator arrow change to a box that says Confirm Signing and a message box appears around the box. You are ready to review your documents and complete signing.

Completing the Signing Process

When you have completed adding information to all the required tags in the envelope, the indicator arrow changes to a box that says Confirm Signing and a message box appears around the box.

You can stay and review the document and make any changes to the information you have added and add information to other tags. After you are done reviewing the document, click the Confirm Signing indicator.

Your signing information is saved and a message window stating that you have completed your documents appears over the document.

You are given the option of downloading a PDF copy of the documents or printing a copy of the documents.

Additionally, you can sign up for a free DocuSign account and save the document in your account.

You can close the message window by clicking the X icon in the upper right corner.

After closing the message window, the browser displays a website designated by the sender.

Congratulations! You have successfully completed electronically signing your documents.

When all the documents in the envelope are completed, you will receive an email confirming that all parties have completed signing the envelope and giving you the option to download a PDF copy of the documents.