A recipient is a pre-configured actual user/ group in a workflow. While a placeholder is a kind of blank user, who may be unknown at the time of document preparation. On the other hand, an electronic seal is a preconfigured automated user. They are added during the workflow execution on their turn, by the immediate previous recipient. In such a case, a title field is defined for them in the workflow, which is then updated with the actual recipient.


Each type of user is assigned a definite role in a template, see the following table for details:


User Roles

Roles

Description

Document Signer

Being a signer, the recipient/ placeholder needs to sign a document. As per the workflow configuration, this signature can either be electronic or digital. After signing in the assigned signature field, a signer has to click the "Finish" button to complete the document signing. Alternatively s/he may use the "Decline" option to refuse it, or use the "Delegated" option to assign their role to someone else.

Moreover, a signer should also fill in the assigned form fields, initials, and/ or in-persons fields (if any) before signing. Whenever a digital signature is made by any signer, the signature quota of the respective document owner's account will be consumed. 

Document Reviewer

Being a reviewer, the recipient/ placeholder needs to approve a document by clicking the "Review" button. Alternatively s/he may use the "Decline" option to refuse it, or use the "Delegated" option to assign their role to someone else. Reviewing does not involve any signing activity. Moreover, a reviewer should also fill in the assigned form fields, and/ or initials (if any) before reviewing.

Document Editor

Being an editor, the recipient/ placeholder needs to update a document by clicking the "Submit" button. Alternatively s/he may use the "Decline" option to refuse it, or use the "Delegated" option to assign their role to someone else. Editing does not involve any signing activity. An editor should also fill in the assigned form fields, and/ or initials (if any) before updating.

Meeting Host

Being a meeting host, the recipient/ placeholder needs to facilitate the document signing process for the configured in-person signers. A host can give his/her device control to the (in-person) signers, and get their signatures in his/her presence. After getting all the signatures, a meeting host has to click the "Finish" button to complete the document hosting. Alternatively s/he may use the "Decline" option to refuse it, or use the "Delegated" option to assign their role to someone else.

Hosting itself does not involve any signing activity. However, a host should also fill in the assigned form fields, and/ or other information fields before finishing.

Send a Copy

When the "Send a Copy" role is selected for a recipient, SigningHub emails the most recent copy (at that stage of workflow) of document to the recipient as an email attachment. The document copy is auto sent (on its turn) and does not require any human intervention. 

Electronic Seal

This user role only appears against an electronic seal added to the workflow. This user role is disabled and can not be updated.


Add a recipient in the template
As you add a template document, the "Add Recipients" area will appear:

  1. Click  and specify the recipient name, National ID or mobile number in the provided field. As you type in, your (related) personal contacts/ groups (and enterprise contacts/ groups in case you are an enterprise user) will appear for selection. Select a recipient and their email address/mobile number will be automatically populated in the adjacent field. 
    In case your intended recipient does not have a SigningHub account (i.e. guest user), specify their name, email address, and mobile number in the provided fields accordingly. 

  2. Assign a role to the recipient from the immediate next drop down, i.e. Signer, Reviewer, Editor, Meeting Host, or Send a Copy. See the "User Roles" table for details.
  3. Repeat the above two steps to add multiple recipients as required.
  1. The "SMS" and "Email & SMS" delivery methods will become available if the "Enable SMS notifications" option is enabled in your service plan.

  1. In case of "SMS" or "Email & SMS", the document owner will have to provide the mobile number of the recipient. The full international number must be entered in the  00 44 234334334 or +44 234334334 format. By default, the specified mobile number is displayed partially masked to comply with the GDPR policy.
  2. The SMS notifications will be sent for the following actions:
  • When a document has been shared or bulk shared
  • When a document has been recalled
  • For a sign-off reminder
  • When a document has been signed
  • When a document has been processed by others
  • When a document has been processed by me
  • When a comment  has been added to a document
  1. The "SMS" and "Email & SMS" will not be available as delivery methods for the following:
    • When the recipient is a group
    • When the recipient is a placeholder
    • For an electronic seal
    • When the role of the recipient is "Send a Copy"


Add a placeholder in the template
From the "Add Recipients" area:

  1. Click  and specify the placeholder name.

  2. Assign a role to the placeholder from the provided drop down, i.e. Signer, Reviewer, Editor,  Meeting Host, or Send a Copy. See the "User Roles" table for details.
  3. Repeat the above two steps to add multiple placeholders as required.
  1. The "SMS" and "Email & SMS" will not be available as delivery methods when the recipient is a placeholder.


Add a logged-in user in the template
The logged-in user is added as a placeholder in a template. When this template is applied on a document the logged-in user field will be automatically updated with the document owner. From the "Add Recipients" area:

  1. Click .
    A logged-in user field is added in the recipients list as a placeholder.

  2. Assign a role to the user from the provided drop down, i.e. Signer, Reviewer, Editor, Meeting Host, or Send a Copy. See the "User Roles" table for details.
  3. Repeat the above two steps to add multiple logged-in users as required.


Add recipients through a CSV file
You can also add recipients through a CSV file. The file must have the valid email addresses/mobile number of each recipient. 

SigningHub supports:

  • The "Primary Email", "E-mail Address", and "Email Address", to read the email address from the CSV file
  • The "Mobile Number" header to read the mobile number of the contacts.
  • The "Delivery Method" header to read the delivery method for each recipient. The delivery methods are as follows:
    • "EMAIL" for when the delivery method is via Email. 
    • "SMS" for when the delivery method is via SMS.
    • "EMAIL_AND_SMS" for when the delivery method is via Email & SMS.
  1. Adding bulk recipients via CSV is supported with all the three delivery methods (Email, SMS, Email & SMS). 
  2. The CSV file should have a "Delivery Method" header, specifying which delivery method (Email, SMS, Email & SMS) is to be configured for each recipient. In case the "Delivery Method" header does not exist in the CSV, the system will only recognise the recipients against which an email. Thus to be able to use the "SMS" and "Email & SMS" delivery methods, the "Delivery Method" header is required in the CSV. 


  1. Click . A dialog will appear, click  to locate and select the required CSV from your system.

  2. All the recipients inside the CSV (with valid email addresses) will be listed in a dialog box for selection. Select your choice recipient(s) and click the "Add" button.

  3. The selected recipient(s) will be added in the template's recipients list. Now assign a role to each recipient from the immediate next drop down, i.e. Signer, Reviewer, Editor, Meeting Host, or Send a Copy. See the above "User Roles" table for details.


Add an Electronic Seal in the template
The option to add an electronic seal will only be available if an electronic seal has been configured in the enterprise settings, against your user role of the current user.

  1. Click the  button from the header. and from the "Select Electronic Seal" drop down 


  1. From the "Select Electronic Seal" drop down, select the electronic seal that you want to add. Only the electronic seals available for use based on your user role will be displayed in this drop down.
  2. Repeat the above two steps to add multiple electronic seals.
  1. The SMS will not be available as a delivery option in case of an electronic seal.


Delete a recipient/ electronic seal/ placeholder from the template

  1. Click  against the recipient/ electronic seal/ placeholder, which you want to delete from the list.


Change the recipients/ electronic seals/ placeholders sequence
By default all the recipients electronic seals and placeholders are added serially in a template. However, you can change their collaboration sequence after adding them, according to your document(s) approval flow. The set sequence is applicable to the serial workflows only. To change the sequence: 

  1. Simply drag and drop  adjacent to your desired recipient/ electronic seal/ placeholder and move it up/ down in the list, as required. 
    When a workflow related to this template is triggered, SigningHub will execute the signing process according to the set sequence.
  1. A recipient must be assigned the "Allow Changing of Recipients" permissions, in order to allow them to update the placeholder field with the actual recipient during workflow execution.
  2. A recipients group can be selected as a recipient, to configure group signing, group approving, and/ or group updating utilities in a workflow. 
  3. In case the specified recipient (signer) does not have a SigningHub account and a digital signature field is configured for him/her, s/he will be asked to register to SigningHub before applying digital signature on the document. However, the recipient does not require a SigningHub account, when an e-signature field is configured for him/her.
  4. The CSV file being used to add recipients must have the valid email addresses of the recipients. SigningHub supports three different types of email headers for use in a CSV file, i.e. Primary Email, E-mail Address, and Email Address. You can export your contacts (to a CSV file) from Outlook, Thunderbird, or any other email service provider that supports these email headers.
  5. After adding the recipients and placeholders in a template, proceed to the Configure workflow type phase.
  6. Electronic seals can be added in "Serial", "Parallel", and "Custom" workflow types.



See Also