This article will show you how to upload a PDF document to sign on your own, or with others.

It contains the following topics:

• Signing PDF with a hand-drawn signature:
  • Adding signees
  • Adding signature blocks
  • Adding text boxes
  • Allowing others to fill in text boxes
  • Sending the PDF with signature blocks for signatures
  • Sending the PDF with text boxes for signatures
  • Enabling multiple hand-drawn signatures on a PDF
  • Adding metadata fields to the document
  • Making suggestions on the document
  • Editing a pending contract using the "draw to sign" option

• Uploading a PDF as an attachment and signing it with various signing methods:
  • Creating a data-rich document from an attachment
  • Editing the document in Contractbook
    • Adding recipient's contact details
    • Attaching the file
    • Sending the document for signature

You can sign an uploaded PDF in Contractbook in two different ways:

1. Place signature blocks on a PDF and sign with a hand-drawn signature
2. Upload a PDF as an attachment and choose from a variety of signature methods

"Draw to sign" a PDF document in Contractbook

This new option lets you place signature blocks and text boxes directly on the PDF and sign it with a hand-drawn signature. 

• Go to the Documents main menu
• Click on New document and select "Sign a PDF"
• Now choose "Draw to sign" from the options in the dialog box
• Confirm by clicking on Continue
• A new blank draft will be created and named after the file name you have chosen 
  • You can always rename the draft by editing the default title
• In create mode, you can drag and drop your PDF document from your computer

• Use the preview mode to view how the document will appear for any recipient or collaborator
• The PDF will be automatically scanned by our OCR technology, and any available dates will be used to suggest automated tasks
• Your Contractbook account will be used to create a signee, which you can see in the signees sidebar of the document: 

How can I add the signees to the uploaded PDF?

Adding signees from the sidebar

After the upload is complete, you can add signature blocks for the signees.

• In create mode, add all signees from the sidebar by clicking on the Add signee button
• From there, you can search for existing signees or create new signees
• You can create two types of new signees: business or private
  • You must fill out the required fields for each type
  • You can choose to expand the additional fields and fill them out optionally:

• If you have several business signees representing the same company, they will be listed as follows:

• All private signees will be displayed at the bottom of the signee list:

• Once the signee is added, you can edit their details, move them up and down in the signing order or delete them:

• • If you delete a signee from the sidebar, this only applies to the signee list for the document. You will still be able to add them again from the list of signees under Add signee:

• • Deleting signees from a document means that all signature blocks assigned to this signee will be removed from the document. 

Adding signature blocks to the PDF

After you add a new signee to the document (see above), you can add a new signature block for them.

• To add a signee's signature block to the PDF, click Add signature and select their name from the drop-down list
• This will automatically add a signature block for their hand-drawn signature
• You can duplicate signature blocks, delete them, or edit their signee
• Place the signature field on the PDF at the location you want the signee's signature to appear: 

• You can modify the size of the signature block by dragging the lower right-hand corner of the box:

You can also set a signing order for all signees. To do so:

• Enable signing order
• Set your order by moving each signee up or down in the signee list
• Once sent for signature, signees will be notified to sign the document in the sequence order:

How can I add other text boxes to the uploaded file?

In addition to the signature fields, you can add a text box on top of the PDF for you or other collaborators to fill out.

• Click Add text to create a new text box
• Move the text box to the location you want it to appear
• Fill out the text box yourself, add a placeholder text (to indicate what informationshould be added to it) or leave it blank for collaborators to fill it out
• You can define the font style and size in pixels, duplicate or delete the box
• You can modify the size of the text box by dragging the lower right-hand corner of its borders
• Change to preview mode and check the final design of your PDF file with text boxes placed on top:

Can I enable others to fill in the text boxes in a PDF?

Yes! Add text boxes to the PDF, and share it with others, enabling fill, edit document, or full access permissions. 

Sending the PDF with signature blocks for signatures

After you have added signature blocks to the PDF, you can start the signature process.

• To start the signing process, click send and sign (in case you are one of the signees).
• Draw your signature and long press to confirm.
  • If you are unsatisfied with your hand-drawn signature, you can draw it again and as many times as you wish.
• The draft will become a pending contract and sent for signature to the remaining signees:

• The completed and pending signatures will be highlighted in the signees sidebar:

• You can also keep track of activity in the document history section at the bottom:

• Once you send the draft for signatures, the recipients will be able to draw their signatures on the PDF within the signature blocks you have added
• All recipients will be notified via email that their signature is pending. They can open the contract and sign it directly from the email notification.
• The message they will receive is added by default and cannot be altered:

Sending the PDF with text boxes for signatures

• Signees will only be able to fill in text boxes if you share the document while it is in draft mode
• Once the draft becomes a pending contract (by sending the document for signatures), recipients will not be able to fill in text boxes as they will become static.
• Recipients can read the message from the sender, draw their signature to sign, suggest changes to the contract, or reject it.
• Once the recipients sign, they can view the signed contract in Contractbook.
• The contract sender will receive an email notification about the completed signatures.
• As with all other signed agreements, the document can be enriched with tasks or shared with others with a view or full access rights.

Can recipients sign the PDF in multiple places?

Yes! You can add more than one signature block for the same signee.

If a recipient has multiple signature blocks, they will draw their signature only once to complete them simultaneously.

Note: You can add text boxes indicating each drawn signature's purpose.

Can I add metadata fields to documents created with "draw to sign"?

You can add metadata fields in the data fields sidebar if you are the owner or a teammate with permission to view them.

As the document is static, data fields cannot be used, dragged, and dropped into its body.

Can I add suggestions to documents created with the "draw to sign" PDF option?

Only recipients can suggest changes to a document created with the "draw to sign" PDF option after receiving it for signature:  

Can I edit a pending contract created with "draw to sign" PDF option?

Once the document is in pending mode, you can no longer edit it.

You can only resend a pending document created with the "draw to sign" feature, share it as pending document or use it to create a new identical draft:

• If you share the pending contract with others, they will not be allowed to make edits either. The document and all of its text boxes will be static.
  • Read more about the permissions enabled in a shared pending contract here.

How to add PDF as an attachment and sign it digitally with others?

You can use the default Contractbook draft's structure to upload a PDF as an attachment and choose from a variety of signing methods by following these steps:

• Go to the Documents tab of the main menu and click on the New document button in the upper right-hand corner.
• Choose the option to Sign a PDF from the drop-down list.
• Now choose "Use other methods" from the options in the dialog box.
• Confirm by clicking on Continue.
• A new blank draft with the auto-generated title "Sign attached document(s)" will be created. 
  • You can always rename the draft by editing the default title.
• In create mode, you can drag and drop any files with the following formats directly from your computer: .pdf, .doc, .docx, .jpg, .png, .jpeg.

How to create a data-rich contract from an attachment?

The data-rich format of all Contactbook drafts allows you to customize the contents and eventually sign and send a contract with any of your pre-existing files as an attachment.

• It is not possible to add data fields when signing a PDF. We, therefore, recommend that you create your documents from smart templates and enrich them with data fields.
• They are the foundation for creating automated contract workflows and allow an instant overview of your contract data.
  • Using smart templates during integrations with your tech stack lets you extract any contract data to your tools anytime.

What document edits can I make when signing a PDF as an attachment?

• In create mode, you can start by changing the draft's generic name to the one that best fits your contract.
• You can also upload a new one or use your team logo:

Chose who will sign the contract‍

Add your and the recipient's contact information

• In the Parties section, you can add your own and the contact information of any additional recipients (if you will be signing the contract with others).
• You can choose between a Company profile and a Private person regarding the representatives who will be signing the contract.
• Remember to update your Contractbook contact list to auto-generate the details in this section with a single click.

Attach the file you want to sign

Now to the most significant step. You can attach the file you want to be signed by clicking on the blue button choose a file that can be found below the parties section:

• The maximum file size is 45 MB, and the file types we support are .pdf, .jpg, .png, .doc, and .docx.
• After the first file has been attached, you can add additional attachments by clicking on the available under it button called upload a document:

• All attachments in Contractbook are scanned with an OCR technology, which allows you to set automated tasks based on extracted dates available in these attachments.
• You can decide to remove any attached file, if needed, by clicking on Remove in its upper right-hand corner or Download it at any later point in time:

Initiate the signature process

• The last steps are to fill in the signatures field, customize the email message to the recipient, choose the signature method you want all signees to use and send for signatures.
• By pressing Sign and send or Send for signatures (depending on who will be signing the contract), you will turn the draft into a contract, and the signature process will be initiated. 

• You will now be able to monitor the status of your contract and save it as a new draft or a template that will allow you to use and sign it as a new contract unlimited times in the future. 

If you still need additional information or assistance, reach out to us anytime by contacting our Support Team.