Configure sign workflow in Writer

How to configure signer details and sign workflow for signing documents

Overview

Zoho Writer integrates with Zoho Sign to let you send documents for e-signature directly from Writer. You can predefine signers, place signature fields, set the signing order, and automate the sending process as part of your document workflows. Additionally, you can configure reminders to prompt signers and set a due date to ensure the document is signed within a specified timeframe.

Step up Sign Fields

Add Sign Fields

From the Fields Panel -> Signer Fields, drag and drop the required fields (Signature, Name, Date, Initials, etc.) onto the document.

Assign a Signer to Fields

For each field, select the signer (Signer A, Signer B, or Signer C) from Signers List. This ensures only the assigned signer can interact with that field during the signing process. Prevents other signers from viewing or editing fields not meant for them. Assign signers to each field as shown.



Configure Sign Workflow

Configure Signer Details  


Signer Details tab of the Setup Sign Dialog allows you to configure
  1. To be signed by : Choose who should sign your document. You can choose "Only me", "Only Others" and "Me and others".
  2. Signer Roles       : assign different roles to the recipients, namely:
    1. Signer - Signs the document after filling in the assigned fields
    2. Approver - Approves the document to process further.
    3. Viewer - Gets a copy of the filled document only to view
  3. In-person signer : An email prompting to start signing or hosting a session (in case of in-person signing) will be sent to all the members configured as signers. Configure the email subject and message as necessary.
  4. Sign in Order      : Turn on "Sign in the above order" to control who signs the document and when. This means each person will get the document only after the one before them has signed. You can set the order For example, if Alice is 1, Bob is 2, and Charlie is 3, the document goes to Alice first, then Bob, then Charlie.
  5. Signer Details     : Enter the signer's email id. Click on the plus icon to insert a merge field to your signer details. You can add up to 10 signers.
  6. Email subject and message
  7. Document Name : Assign a name to the document that has to be sent out.
  8. Attachments to your Email : Additionally, you can add up to 3 common attachments along with the document to be signed in the email.

Customize Signer Settings 

Use conditional recipients to dynamically change who signs a document based on specific conditions—removing the need to create multiple templates for different scenarios. Unlike fixed workflows with a set signing order, conditional recipients allow you to assign alternate signers based on conditions or include additional signers only when specific criteria are met. For instance, conditionally assign signers, if the contract value is greater than $10,000, send it to the Director for approval; otherwise, send it to another designated signer.

      Steps to Configure Conditional Signers 
  1. Set up the sign by adding emails and names for up to 7 signers, with the 7th signer designated as the client.
  2. Configure conditions for the first 6 signers. This ensures that the document will be sent to them only when specific conditions are met.
  3. Save the configurations.

Set Language to Send Emails to Signers

Zoho Sign Professional plan users can choose a language for email notifications and the signing interface. Others will use the account's default language.

 

 


Now, the client will consistently be set as the 7th signer, providing flexibility for a dynamic number of signers while ensuring the client is always the final participant in the signing process.

Set Password and Private message for Signers

Optionally set a password for signers, approvers, viewers, or in-person signers by providing their email. This is useful for keeping document contents confidential, even from facilitators during in-person signing.
 
You can send an auto-generated passcode via email, SMS, or deliver it offline. For offline delivery, the initiator is responsible for sharing the code. The passcode can also be edited before sharing.

 

 

 

Advanced Sign Settings

Click the Advanced Settings tab of the Setup Sign Workflow Dialog allows you to
  1. Set reminders and a term of expiry for signing the document in Advanced Settings.
  2. Save a copy of the signed document to a particular folder in WorkDrive as a Writer document.
  3. Notify Others When a Document Is Signed : Email the signed document to configured email ids. You can optionally set a password to open the document. Check the Email the signed document(s) to option and click Configure. Now you can add the email IDs you want the signed documents to be sent to, including Cc / Bcc, and hit Save.
  4. Execute a custom function to perform different actions like pushing the data filled in the signer fields to the CRM, posting to a Zoho Cliq chat, etc. by creating and linking any function via Zoho's Deluge Custom functions. You can choose to add the signed documents to any folder inside Work Drive Learn More

 

 

Additional Notes

Feature Availability

Feature

Details

Multiple Signers with Same Email ID

You can assign multiple signers using the same email address by giving each a unique name. Useful for teams sharing a common email ID.

Approver Role Availability

Available only in the Zoho Sign Standard plan and above.

Choose a language for Signers

Available Zoho Sign Professional plan

In-person sign

Available only for users with the Zoho Sign enterprise plan.

Supported Attachment Formats

.doc, .docx, .htm, .html, .jpeg, .ods, .odt, .pdf, .png, .rtf, .sxw, .xls, .xlsx, .txt

Max number of signer
25 recipient detail for one request.

Attachment Size Limit

Maximum 3 MB per file

 

About -  In-person signing

In-person signing is most useful when the physical presence of the signer is required. A facilitator is often a member within the organization of the initiator, who acts as a host or a witness for members outside the organization to sign the document.

One of the common use cases for this feature is delivery services getting a form or a document signed from their customers on delivery. In this case, the delivery service partner is the sign initiator; the customer or person receiving the delivery will be the in-person signer and the delivery person will be the facilitator.

Persons involved in in-person signing are
  1. Sign initiator - The document owner is the initiator and designates roles to others involved.
  2. Signer - Signs the document while physically being present in a meeting.
  3. Facilitator - The facilitator passes the control of the document to the signer during the session. The host/facilitator's responsibility is to physically hand the device over to the in-person signer and guide them through the in-person signing transaction.

Troubleshooting

Problem : What happens when the sign initiator is the first signer has not subscribed to Zoho Sign?   
Solution: When the sign initiator is the primary/first signer and clicks Send for sign, the initiator is prompted to sign the document from inside Writer itself. The sign initiator with no Zoho Sign account or users who don't belong to an organization in Zoho Sign even if they have an account, while initiating the sign process (choosing sign yourself/send for sign), will be redirected to the Configure and Manage page to create a new account.
 

  

Related Articles / Videos

  1. How to configure Embedded Signing


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