Sending a document for electronic signing should be as simple as sending an email. With modern eSignature platforms, it nearly is. This guide walks you through the complete process of sending a document for signing using SignAndGo — from upload to completion — with tips to ensure a smooth experience for both you and your signers.
Upload Your Document
Start by clicking "New Envelope" from your SignAndGo dashboard. You have two options:
- Upload your own PDF. Drag and drop your document into the upload area or click to browse. SignAndGo accepts PDFs up to 20MB. This is ideal for documents you have already prepared — contracts from your lawyer, proposals you have written, forms from third parties.
- Use a template. Choose from 14 pre-built Australian legal templates — NDAs, employment agreements, contractor agreements, privacy policies, and more. SignAndGo's AI assistant customises the template with your company details, producing a ready-to-sign PDF in seconds.
Once uploaded, the document appears in a full-page preview. Scroll through to confirm all pages are correct before proceeding.
Add Recipients
Next, add the people who need to sign the document. For each recipient, you will need:
- Name — displayed in the signing invitation and on the signed document.
- Email address — where the signing invitation is sent. The signing link is tied to this address for identity verification.
You can add multiple recipients. If you need signatures in a specific order (e.g., employee signs first, then manager countersigns), enable sequential signing. Otherwise, all recipients receive their invitations simultaneously and can sign in any order.
You can also add yourself as a signer if you need to sign the document as well. Carbon copy (CC) recipients receive a copy of the signed document without needing to sign.
Place Signature Fields
This step tells the system exactly where each signer needs to act. The drag-and-drop field editor lets you place fields anywhere on the document. Available field types:
- Signature — the main signing field. Signers can draw, type, or upload their signature.
- Initials — for multi-page documents where each page needs initialling.
- Date signed — automatically populated with the date the signer completes their signature.
- Full name — pre-filled with the signer's name from the invitation.
- Text field — for custom input (e.g., job title, address, ABN).
Each field is colour-coded to a specific recipient, so you can see at a glance who is responsible for which fields. If you have multiple signers, assign fields to the correct person by selecting their name before placing the field.
Pro tip: SignAndGo's AI-powered field detection can suggest field placements based on the document content. This is especially useful for standard document layouts where the signature lines are predictable.
Add a Message and Send
Before sending, you can add a subject line and personal message. The subject appears as the email subject line, and the message appears in the body of the signing invitation.
A well-crafted message significantly improves signing rates. Include:
- What the document is (e.g., "Your employment agreement with Acme Corp")
- Why it needs to be signed (e.g., "Required before your start date on Monday")
- Any deadline (e.g., "Please sign by Friday 5pm")
You can also set an expiration date on the envelope. After this date, the signing link expires and the document can no longer be signed. This creates gentle urgency without being pushy.
When you are satisfied, click "Send." The signing invitations are dispatched immediately. Recipients get an email from SignAndGo with a secure link to review and sign the document. They do not need a SignAndGo account — they simply click the link and sign in their browser.
Track and Send Reminders
Once sent, your dashboard shows real-time status for every envelope:
- Sent — the invitation email has been dispatched.
- Delivered — the email reached the recipient's inbox.
- Viewed — the recipient opened the document.
- Signed — the recipient completed their signature fields.
- Completed — all recipients have signed.
SignAndGo automatically sends reminders to recipients who have not signed after a configurable period. You can also send a manual reminder at any time from the envelope detail page — useful when a deadline is approaching.
For businesses sending many documents, the dashboard provides a clear overview of all envelopes across all statuses. Filter by status, date, or recipient to find what you need quickly.
Download the Completed Document
When all recipients have signed, you receive a completion notification email. The signed document is available for download from your dashboard and includes:
- All signatures embedded in the PDF at the positions you specified
- A certificate of completion with the date, time, and identity of each signer
- A full audit trail showing every action taken on the document
The signed PDF is a standard document that can be opened in any PDF viewer, stored in your document management system, shared with your accountant or lawyer, or archived for your records.
All documents are stored securely in SignAndGo's Australian data centres (Sydney) for as long as your account is active. You can download them any time.
Tips for Higher Signing Rates
Based on data from thousands of envelopes processed through SignAndGo, here are the practices that lead to faster, more reliable signing:
- Write a clear subject line. Recipients are more likely to open and sign when the subject tells them exactly what the document is. "Your NDA with Acme Corp" is better than "Document for signing."
- Keep the message brief. Explain what the document is, why it matters, and any deadline. Two to three sentences is ideal.
- Set an expiration date. A deadline creates natural urgency. Seven days is a common choice for standard business documents.
- Minimise required fields. The fewer fields a signer needs to complete, the faster they will finish. Only include fields that are genuinely necessary.
- Send at the right time. Emails sent during business hours (9am-5pm, recipient's timezone) are opened and signed more quickly than those sent outside hours.
- Use templates for repeat documents. If you send the same document type regularly, save it as a template. This ensures consistency and reduces setup time to seconds.
What Your Recipients See
Understanding the recipient experience helps you set expectations and answer questions:
- They receive an email from SignAndGo with your message and a "Review & Sign" button.
- Clicking the button opens the document in their browser — no account or download required.
- They scroll through the document to review it. Their assigned fields are highlighted.
- They click each field to complete it — signature, initials, date, text, etc.
- For signature fields, they can draw with their mouse/finger, type their name, or upload an image.
- Once all required fields are completed, they click "Finish" to submit their signature.
- They receive a confirmation email with a link to download the signed document.
The entire process typically takes one to three minutes. No app installation, no account creation, no learning curve.