Obtaining signatures (with signature workflow)

In this tutorial, we would like to show you how you can obrain signatures by using smart workflows. A so-called workflow helps you to map even complex signature processes and make them reusable. You can find more about workflows in the tutorial Create & use Workflows .

Important information first:

• The inviting person always pays for the signatures
• Your counterpart does not need to have a sproof sign account and can simply open your invitation (e.g. by email) with any mobile device (smartphone, PC, table) and follow the instructions.

Step by step instructions

In this tutorial, we would like to show you how you can obrain signatures by using smart workflows. A so-called workflow helps you to map even complex signature processes and make them reusable. You can find more about workflows in the tutorial Create & use Workflows .

As soon as you are logged in, you have several options for uploading one or more documents in a document folder. You can also start with a template that you would like to send for signature.

The document or documents are opened in the editor view of sproof sign. Open the "Recipients" tab on the right-hand side.

Click in the search field in the right-hand sidebar under ‘Add recipients’. This tutorial is about using a workflow to obtain signatures. You can find out more about workflows in the Create & use workflows learning module. To select one of your workflows, proceed as follows:

1. in the overlay, click on the book icon with the text ‘Select from contacts & workflows’. A screen will now open where all your contacts, groups and workflows are listed.
2. at the top you can filter by contacts, groups or workflows. To find your workflow more easily, click on ‘Workflows’.
3. to select a workflow, click on the green plus (+) in the respective list entry.
4. you can then confirm your selection by clicking on the green ‘Apply selection’ button.

Once you have made your selection, click on ‘Next’.

The settings of the selected workflow have now been applied. However, you can adjust your settings at any time. For example, you can add more people or remove people who are saved in the workflow from the list of recipients. In general, you have the following options:

1. Define an order in which the invited persons must carry out your interactions (signing, viewing, approving). You can also define whether your recipients should sign with a specific signature standard (AES/QES). If you do not make this setting, the invited persons themselves have the choice. With sproof sign, you and your counterpart sign 100% eIDAS-compliant with the advanced or qualified electronic signature. Thanks to the integrated interface for all eID providers, all eID providers from all over Europe are available to you or the persons invited to sign. For example, ID-Austria or the German ID card with online function.
2. Below you will see the list of your recipients. If you have selected the ‘Set order’ checkbox, you can now drag and drop the individual people into the desired order.
3. By clicking on the 3-dot icon, you can make settings for the respective round. For example, you can specify that only one person from this round must sign/view/approve on behalf of the other people.
4. By clicking on the arrow icon (>) next to a recipient, you can access the settings for the respective person. These are explained in more detail in another graphic.

You have the following options in the recipient settings:

1. click on the pencil icon to customise the person's personal data (e.g. name)
2. define the role of the person: you can choose between ‘Signer’, ‘Viewer’ and ‘Approver’. A signer must sign the document. A viewer may only view the document and an approver must give their consent (approve). Important: Signers and approvers influence the progress of the workflow. This means that if a person in a designated position does not sign or approve, the process cannot be completed. This is not the case for a viewing person!
3. specify the individual signature type for the respective person: The individual signature type overwrites the settings for the general document signature type. 

Info: If you want your counterpart to sign with the qualified electronic signature (QES), but this person does not have a QES, you can cover the costs for identification. You can find out more about this in the tutorial OnDemand signatures .
4. you can remove the recipient by clicking on the red button.

Click on the X-icon at the top right to return to the recipients.

In the second step, you can place signature placeholders and other form fields for your recipients. If you have already defined these in the workflow, they will be applied automatically. Important: You must set at least one signature position per signatory.

1. here you can see for which signatory you are defining the signature position and form fields. You can use the drop-down menu to switch between the recipients.
2. place at least one placeholder per recipient on the document to define their signature position and continue. You can choose between a signature (full name) or initials (e.g. A.B.). Both are equivalent signatures.
3. here you will find additional form fields that are assigned to the recipient and can only be completed by this person. Place these on the document using drag & drop. (Note: Fields without assignment – so-called general fields – which can be filled in by any recipient can be added in the menu under ‘Edit document’ or if you select ‘Not assigned’ as the recipient when inviting contacts).

The size and position can be adjusted for all signature placeholders and form fields. Click on the green X to remove the field again. In the thumbnail view on the left, you can see on which page you have placed form fields and signature placeholders for which recipients. The small indicators have a different color for each person.

When you have finished preparing the document, click on "Next".

In the third step, you can set up the email invitation. Your plan admin (or you as admin) may have set default texts for emails. You can customise these. You can find out more about how you can predefine email texts as an admin in the Branding options module.

1. define a subject: Select a unique subject that will be displayed to the invitees as the ‘title’ of the email.
2. the general invitation text is the same for all recipients. Compose a message or select from previous messages.
3. you can also compose an individual message for each recipient, which is only displayed for the respective person. Here you can add personalised information and explanations, for example.

You can make further settings in the fourth and final step:

1. set a reminder and/or due date: The reminder date defines the time from which automatic reminders will be sent. The due date defines the date by which the invited persons must have completed their actions.
2. in the additional settings you can, for example, allow the document to be forwarded. If an invited person forwards the document, this authorises someone else to sign it instead of the actual person. You can also specify whether the finalised document should be sent at the end. You can also define the invitation language of the email.
3. finally, click on the green ‘Send invitation’ button to send your invitations to the recipients.

An overlay informs you that your invitations have been sent. If you have made changes to the selected workflow, you can update it. To do this, click on the green ‘Update workflow’ button.

As soon as the document has been sent, you can track the progress of signatures in the document under ‘Recipients’ and in the dashboard.

After the invitation, you can adjust the reminder settings in the document, view the general settings and add additional recipients to the document afterwards.

By clicking on the arrow (>) next to a person, if they have not yet signed, you can edit the fields set for this person, resend the invitation or delete the recipient completely.