Guide
How to Send a Document for Signature
By Keelstar Team · Updated June 1, 2026
The short answer
Prepare the final document, identify every signer and their role, send one controlled signature request per document, and store the executed copy with timestamps for each action. Do not circulate unsigned PDFs over email — versions diverge, signers get lost, and you cannot prove who signed what.
Prepare the document before you send
The signature request should contain the final text — not a draft with tracked changes. Confirm the correct entity names, dates, and exhibits. If legal reviewed the document, use the approved version only. Sending a draft that gets signed creates rework and weakens enforceability.
Identify every signer and their role
List each person who must sign and why. A vendor agreement may need the vendor's authorized representative and your contract owner. An employment offer needs the candidate and an HR signatory. Missing a required signer means the document is not fully executed — even if one party already signed.
- Counterparty signers: confirm they have authority to bind the entity
- Internal signers: route to someone with delegated signing authority
- Witness or notary: required only for specific document types — confirm with counsel
Send one controlled request
Use a single signature request that delivers the document to each signer's inbox with a unique link. The system should record when the request was sent, when each party viewed the document, and when they signed. Avoid parallel email threads with different PDF versions attached.
Set expectations and deadlines
Include a clear subject line, a short note explaining what is being signed, and a reasonable deadline. For time-sensitive agreements, say so. Most U.S. business teams use 3–7 business days for routine documents and shorter windows for offers or closing items.
Close the loop when signing completes
When all parties have signed, distribute the executed copy to stakeholders who need it — AP for vendor agreements, HR for offer letters, operations for SOWs. Store the final PDF in your document system with the signature audit trail attached or linked. Unsigned requests should not linger in limbo; chase or cancel them explicitly.
Frequently asked questions
- Should I send the document as an email attachment?
- Avoid it for anything you need to defend later. A signature request link keeps one authoritative version, records each signer action, and produces a single executed file.
- Can multiple people sign the same document?
- Yes. Define signing order when sequence matters — for example, the company representative signs after the counterparty. Parallel signing works when order does not matter.
Related guides
Put this into a monitored workflow
Simple Signer handles this continuously — with reminders and an audit trail.