Creating a Signature Request

Create a Signature Request

nChain Sign allows you to create a signature request for documents uploaded to the platform. It can be sent to either a single or multiple signers. The process consists of four main stages:

1. Upload Documents

2. Add Signers and any Authorisers and parties who Receive a Copy

3. Place Signature Fileds, and other fields if applicable

4. Review and Send

Click on the + New Envelope button on your Dashboard

You will be guided through several steps:

1. Prepare and fill envelope

  • Add files for your signing request.

  • Use your browser to search for and select the files you’d like to send for signing.

  • You can add multiple documents (up to a maximum of 30 documents on each Signature Request and each document no more than 10MB).

  • Uploaded files will appear under Documents included

2. Add Recipients

The sender can add themself as a signer.

You can easily enforce a signing order. Signing order can be fully "ordered" or "Custom"

Sequential Signature Orders

nChain Sign provides sequential ordering of signatures and roles in situations where multiple signers, authorisers and witnesses are required.

The Enforce Signing Order feature allows you to manage the sequence in which the recipients should add their signature to documents sent for signing. You can change the signing order by simply clicking and dragging the assigned signers and placing them according to their position in the signing request.

Parallel vs Sequential Workflow

A parallel workflow type is one where there is no set order in which signers need to sign the document. If your signing workflow type is parallel, make sure that Enforce Signing Order is switched to the ‘Off’ position.

A sequential workflow type is one where the order of signing needs to be strictly adhered to. If your signing workflow type is sequential, make sure that Enforce Signing Order is switched to the ‘on’ position.

Custom Workflow

Custom Workflow is a combination of sequential and parallel order. The requestor can, for example, specify only the first signer, only the last signer, or both first and last, where anyone in between follows parallel routing.

3. Place fields to each Document within the Envelope

For each Signer, you can place several different fields

  • Signature field

  • Date

  • Initials

  • Custom text

For each field, you can specify whether it is required or not. You can also add help text to each field to guide each Signer individually.

4. Review and Send

Review the information for the signing request.

  • Your message to recipients

  • Envelope Title

  • Documents Included

  • Recipients

In this step, you also have the option to Preview the envelope. It will open a document preview, where you can check if all the fields are placed correctly.

You can switch through different recipient views by clicking on the top right drop-down. This will show you exactly how a certain recipient will see the documents within the envelope.

5. Send for signatures

Click Send for Signatures to send the envelope to the recipients for signing and authorization. They will receive an email notification. Once a signer signs the document, you will receive an email notification.


Let’s look at how this would work in practice

Example: A digital signature request for a Health and Safety Inspection at a restaurant involving the above-defined roles.

  • The Health Inspector visits the establishment and performs the inspection

  • The Health Inspector electronically AND digitally self-signs the report (Signer role)

  • The Restaurant Manager reviews and digitally signs the report (Authoriser role) and allows the document to be shared at a higher level (for example with the CEO).

  • The restaurant owner receives a copy. They are simply being kept informed about the procedure.

Sequential Signature Orders

nChain Sign provides sequential ordering of signatures and roles in situations where multiple signers and authorisers are required.

The Enforce Signing Order feature allows you to manage the sequence in which the recipients should add their signature to documents sent for signing. You can change the signing order by simply clicking and dragging the assigned signers and placing them according to their position in the signing request.

Parallel vs Sequential Workflow

A parallel workflow type is one where there is no set order in which signers need to sign the document. If your signing workflow type is parallel, make sure that Enforce Signing Order is switched to the ‘Off’ position.

A sequential workflow type is one where the order of signing needs to be strictly adhered to. If your signing workflow type is sequential, make sure that Enforce Signing Order is switched to the ‘on’ position.

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