Send documents for Digital Signing with Encodian Sign

Encodian Sign allows you to prepare, send, and manage documents for electronic signature directly from the Sign dashboard.

You can upload documents, add recipients, configure signing and review stages, and assign signature fields before sending your request. Once sent, you can monitor progress and download completed documents and their associated audit trails.

This guide explains how to create and send an envelope manually using Encodian Sign.

Before You Begin

To send documents for signature, you will need:

• An active Encodian Sign trial or subscription.
• Access to your Encodian Sign dashboard.
• The documents you want to send for signature.
• The names and email addresses of your recipients.

Supported file formats: PDF, DOCX, and XLSX, with a maximum file size of 25 MB. Uploaded documents are converted to PDF when the envelope is sent.

Step 1: Create a New Envelope

1. Sign in to the Encodian Sign dashboard
2. Select Create New in the top-left corner.
3. Select New Envelope from the dropdown menu.

Alternatively, open the Envelopes tab and select Create New in the top-right corner.

The Create New Envelope window will open, allowing you to upload documents and configure your signature request.

Step 2: Upload your documents

In the Add Files section:

1. Select Browse Files to choose documents from your device, or drag and drop them into the upload area.
2. Upload the documents you want to include in the envelope.
3. Review the uploaded file list to ensure you have selected the correct documents.

You can include multiple documents within a single envelope.

Note: Encodian Sign supports PDF, DOCX, and XLSX files. Word and Excel documents are converted to PDF when the envelope is sent.

Step 3: Add Recipients and Configure Signing Stages

In the Recipients section, you can specify who needs to sign or review your documents and determine the order in which they receive them.

Add recipients

1. Enter the recipient's Name and Email address.
2. Under Type, select the recipient's role: 
   • Signer: Must electronically sign the document
   • Reviewer: Must review and approve the document without signing it
3. Under Language, select the language for the recipient's notification.
4. Select Add Recipient to include additional people.

If you've previously sent envelopes to a recipient, their name and email address may appear as an autofill suggestion.

Note: Selecting a recipient's language changes the language of their notification, not the language of the documents you upload.

Configure signing stages

If your documents require multiple signing or review stages, select Stages in the Recipients section.

For each stage, configure the Delivery setting:

• Sequential: Recipients complete their actions in a defined order.
• Parallel: Recipients within the stage can complete their actions independently.

For parallel stages, you can also configure the Requirement:

• All recipients must sign
• One recipient must sign

Add the required stages and assign recipients to each one.

Tip: If you need multiple stages, configure them before adding your recipients. This makes it easier to assign each recipient to the correct stage.

For example, you could configure an initial review stage followed by a signing stage, so the document is approved before being sent for signature.

Add CC recipients (optional)

Use the Add CC field to enter email addresses for anyone who should receive a copy of the document for visibility.

CC recipients do not participate in signing or approval.

Step 4: Configure Envelope details and settings

Scroll to Envelope Details to configure the information associated with your request.

Envelope details

• Title: Enter a name for your envelope. By default, this is taken from the first uploaded document.
• Message: Enter the message you want recipients to receive with their signature request email.

Choose a descriptive title so you can identify the request easily when tracking envelopes in your dashboard.

Envelope settings

In the Settings section, you can configure:

• Document download options: Select whether documents should be downloaded together or separately.
• Expiry time: Specify how long recipients have to complete the request.
• Expiration alert: Choose whether to receive a notification one day before the envelope expires.

Additional default settings are available under Settings > Workspace in the Sign dashboard. These include accepted signature types, default document download preferences, and password-related settings.

Once you've configured your envelope, select Create in the bottom-right corner.

This opens the document viewer, where you can add signing fields.

Step 5: Prepare Your Documents for Signing

The document viewer allows you to position signature and other data-entry fields within your uploaded documents.

Select the appropriate stage

If your envelope contains multiple stages, use the Stage dropdown in the top-left corner to select the stage you want to configure.

Fields can be configured separately for different signing stages.

Note: Review-only stages do not require signature fields. Add signing fields to the appropriate signer stage instead.

Add and configure fields

1. Select the appropriate signing stage and recipient.
2. Locate the field you want to add in the document preparation panel.
3. Drag the field onto the required position in the document.
4. Resize or reposition the field as needed.
5. Use the properties panel to adjust its settings.

Available fields include common signing requirements such as:

• Signature
• Initials
• Name
• Title
• Signed date
• Image
• Attachment

You can use the properties panel to configure field dimensions and positioning, specify whether a field is required or read-only, and add default values to applicable fields.

Important: Image fields use the configured field dimensions for the final uploaded image. Make sure the field is large enough to display the image correctly.

Copy or manage multiple fields

To duplicate fields, use Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V.

You can also use the selection tool at the top of the document viewer to select multiple fields and copy, move, or delete them together.

Adjust the document view (optional)

The viewer includes tools to help you navigate and prepare your documents:

• Page navigation: Open the thumbnail panel to move between documents and pages.
• Zoom: Adjust the document magnification.
• Page layout: Change the display or page transition settings.
• Display language: Select the viewer language.

Important: If you need to change the display language, do so before adding fields. Changing the language reloads the page.

Step 6: Review and Send Your Envelope

Once you have configured all required fields:

1. Select Send in the top-right corner of the document viewer.
2. Review the confirmation window, including the documents, recipients, and signing stages.
3. Confirm that the correct recipients have been assigned.
4. Select Send to issue the signature request.

Encodian Sign will send the relevant notification emails to your recipients.

If you are also a recipient, you may be prompted to begin your own signing process immediately.

Step 7: What Happens After Sending?

Each recipient receives an email containing the envelope information, your message, and a secure link to review or sign the documents.

The recipient experience depends on their assigned role and stage.

For reviewers

When a reviewer opens the request:

They review and accept the applicable electronic signature disclosure.

They can view the document(s)

They can select Approve to accept the documents or use More Actions > Reject to reject them.

If the envelope contains a subsequent signing stage, the next recipients are notified according to the configured sequence.

For signers

When a signer opens the request:

They review and accept the electronic signature disclosure

They complete the fields assigned to them

They select the required signature field to create or apply a signature

Once all required fields are completed, they select Complete

Depending on the permitted signature methods configured in your workspace, recipients can:

• Type their signature, selecting an available style and color.
• Draw their signature.
• Upload an existing signature image.

The signing interface indicates how many required fields remain incomplete.

Some fields, such as automatically populated signing dates, cannot be manually edited.

Step 8: Track Your Envelope

After sending an envelope, you can track its progress directly from the Encodian Sign dashboard.

Use the following sections:

• Dashboard: View an overview of envelopes and their current statuses.
• Envelopes: Find individual requests and review their progress.
• Activity: Review recorded actions and signing activity.

Encodian Sign records signing-related activity, including changes in envelope status.

Depending on the event, the sender may also receive notifications when recipients view, approve, or sign a document.

Step 9: Download Completed Documents and Audit Trails

When all required signing actions have been completed, Encodian Sign sends a completion notification to the sender.

To access the completed documents:

1. Open the completed envelope using the link in your notification email or through the Sign dashboard.
2. Open the document viewer.
3. Select More Actions in the top-right corner.
4. Choose the appropriate option: 
   • Download document: Download the completed signed document.
   • Download audit trail: Download the associated signing audit trail.
   • More Info: Review additional information about the envelope.

These records provide visibility into the completed signing process.

Next Steps

Now that you've sent your first envelope, you can use the Encodian Sign dashboard to manage outstanding requests, monitor signing activity, and access completed documents.

You can also use the Encodian Sign Power Automate connector to incorporate electronic signatures into automated business workflows.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I send multiple documents in one envelope?

Yes. You can upload multiple supported documents into a single envelope. They are converted to PDF when the envelope is sent. When uploading multiple documents at once, please limit this to 10 documents at a time.

Can different recipients sign at different stages?

Yes. You can configure multiple stages, assign recipients to each stage, and determine whether signing takes place sequentially or in parallel.

Can someone approve a document without signing it?

Yes. Set their recipient Type to Reviewer. Reviewers approve or reject documents without needing to provide a signature.

Can I change the language of signature request emails?

Yes. You can select a notification language for each recipient. This does not translate the content of the uploaded documents.

Can recipients draw or upload a signature?

Yes, if those methods are enabled in your workspace settings. Available signature methods include typing, drawing, and uploading a signature image.

Where can I find completed documents and audit trails?

Open the completed envelope through your dashboard or completion notification, then use More Actions to download the document or audit trail.