WPLearningLab tutorials usually deal with tips and tricks on how to make your WordPress site better. However, this tutorial isn’t directly about WordPress. Instead, you’ll learn how you can manage and automate your contracts using Docusign templates.
This is what I use to run my WordPress service business like a well-oiled paperless machine.
You can either watch the detailed video tutorial below or scroll below that to read the image/text version of the tutorial.
Create an Free Trial Docusign Account
First off, you’ll need to head over to the Docusign website (www.docusign.com) and take them up on their free trial offer.
Even though you might want to buy the product, there’s no reason not to get a free trial first.
The process is pretty straightforward, you just fill in the blanks and create your account. They don’t ask for your credit card information for the free trial, so that’s a plus.
Confirm your e-mail address by finding the email Docusign sent you and clicking on Activate.
After you click on activate, Docusign will ask you to set your password.
You can generate one with a password generator or you can think of one yourself. Whatever works for you.
Quick Tour Around Docusign
When you create your account, you’ll get a guided tour on how to use the site. If you’re not familiar with services like Docusign then the tour can be very useful.
Creating a Docusign Template
The first step is creating a template. This template becomes the contract that you’ll send someone to sign before you engage in business activities.
To create one, click on Docusign Templates and then click on New and the Create Template.
Name the template and fill out the rest of the details then move on to the next part.
To create a template, you’ll need to have a document prepared. You can either upload it from your computer or get it from a cloud service like Dropbox. You can add as many documents to Docusign templates as you want.
After you’ve added the document you want signed, you need to add the recipients.
Recipients are the people who need to sign the document you’ve created and type in their information.
Again, the process is pretty straightforward, you just need to make sure that you check the Needs To Sign option. Also, make sure you don’t make a typo while filling in the data. A simple typo might make a contract invalid.
If you need to receive two or more signatures, make sure you set a signing order like seen in the video. That will ensure that the document is sent to everyone in the correct order.
Adding Signatures
After you’ve added the recipients and set a signing order, click on Next.
On the next page, you’ll add placeholders for the signatures.
Select the client from the dropdown in the upper left corner of the screen. Then click and drag the Signature option to the desired field like on the screenshot below.
Do the same with the Date Signed field and drag it to the appropriate field.
There’s a bunch of additional options on the left side, but for the purpose of this tutorial we just need the signature and the date signed option.
After you’ve added the signature and date for the first recipient, do the same for the other one (or as many as you recipients you have) by choosing them from the dropdown.
The process is the same as for the first recipient. WHen you’re done, click on Save And Close.
Finishing the Process
After you’ve created a template, you can use it as many times you want and you can change the names and the information provided very simple right before you send out the document.
You just need to click on Use beside Docusign templates and fill in the recipient info.
Signing Docusign Templates
This is where the magic happens.
When someone is sent a Docusign document to sign they get an email with the document needing to be signed, you click on Review Document in the email and follow the instructions.
*Important note: Your recipients don’t need a Docusign account to sign a Docusign document.
Before signing a document read the disclosure or check the box that you agree and click on Continue and then on Start.
Now, you’ll need to sign the document.
You can draw your own signature or have Docusign do that for you. The date will be input automatically.
When completed, Docusign will show a pop-up saying your done and asking if you want to signup for Docusign.
If you don’t want to sign up, click on No, Thanks and the signing process is finished as far as you’re concerned.
Finalizing and Checking the Document
Once the other party or parties have signed the document you can check the status inside your Docusign account by clicking on the Documents tab.
This page will list the status of all documents and you can go in and sign the ones that need your signature.
Once you’ve signed the process is completed and each party will be notified right away with a copy of the fully signed document.
That’s about it.
In Conclusion
These simple Docusign templates will allow you to automate your business and if you have a lot of paperwork in your office this can save a lot of your precious time.
Furthermore, there will be other tutorials in which there will be additional further automatization of this process so make sure you subscribe and follow the WPLL channel on YouTube. For more tips and tricks like this one or if you have any questions, comment below.