How to Use DocuSign: A Step-By-Step Guide for 2024

DocuSign has revolutionized the way businesses handle contracts and agreements. With its user-friendly interface and robust features, DocuSign enables you to efficiently manage the entire document signing process digitally. In this comprehensive guide, we'll walk you through the steps to set up your account, prepare and send documents for signature, and track their progress. Whether you're a small business owner or part of a large enterprise, mastering DocuSign will save you time, reduce paperwork, and streamline your workflow. Let's dive in and discover how DocuSign can transform the way you handle important documents!

Setting Up Your DocuSign Account

Getting started with DocuSign is quick and easy. Here's how to set up your account in just a few steps:

Create Your DocuSign Account

Visit the DocuSign website and click the "Sign Up" button. Enter your email, name, and create a password. DocuSign offers several plan options to fit your needs, from a Personal plan for individuals to Standard and Business Pro plans for teams and organizations.

Add Your Personal Information

Once you've created your account, you'll be prompted to add some personal details like your job title, company name, and phone number. This helps DocuSign tailor your experience and recommend relevant features.

Choose Your Preferences

Next, customize your account preferences, such as your default signature, initials, and signing order. You can also specify your preferred units of measurement and date format. These preferences can be changed anytime in your account settings.

Connect Your Apps and Services

To streamline your workflow, connect DocuSign with the other tools you use every day. DocuSign integrates with popular apps like Google Drive, Dropbox, Salesforce, and hundreds more. Find your favorite apps in the DocuSign App Directory and follow the prompts to connect your accounts.

With your DocuSign account set up, you're ready to start sending and signing agreements electronically. You can upload documents, create templates for frequently used agreements, and manage your documents with ease.

In the next section, you'll learn the basics of preparing and sending documents for signature with DocuSign, so you can get up and running quickly.

Preparing and Sending Documents for Signature

With DocuSign, it's easy to upload documents, add recipients, and specify where signatures and other information are needed. Here's a step-by-step guide to preparing and sending a document for signature:

Upload Your Document to DocuSign

Start by logging into your DocuSign account and clicking "New." Select "Send an Envelope" and then choose the document you need signed from your computer. You can upload Word, PDF, and many other common file types.

Alternatively, you can create a new document directly in DocuSign using the "Use a Template" option if you have a saved template, or the "Build from Scratch" option to create a simple new document.

Specify Your Recipients and Routing Order

Next, add the email addresses of the people who need to sign. If you have multiple signers, you can set the routing order to control the sequence in which they receive and sign the document.

For example, if you're sending an NDA to a freelancer, you might add yourself as the first signer and then the freelancer as the second signer. Or if you're sending a contract that needs a manager's approval, add the manager as the first signer, yourself as the second, and then the client as the final signer.

Tag Your Document for Signatures and Data

Now it's time to specify where signatures, initials, and other information are required in the document. DocuSign provides various tags you can drag and drop onto the document, such as Signature, Initial, Date Signed, Name, and Title.

Place these tags in the appropriate spots on the document. You can assign specific tags to each signer. DocuSign will automatically prompt signers to complete the required tags as they sign.

Set a Signing Deadline and Reminders

By default, documents sent through DocuSign never expire, but you can choose to set an expiration date after which the document can no longer be signed. This is useful for time-sensitive agreements.

You can also schedule automatic reminder emails to be sent to signers who have not yet completed the document. Automated reminders are a great way to give signers a gentle nudge and keep your document moving along.

Bardeen can help integrate Dropbox with other apps, making it easier to manage and share documents.

With your document prepared and ready to go, you're ready to send it out for signature. Your signers will receive an email with a link to review and sign the document electronically.

Next up, we'll walk through how to manage documents after you've sent them, track their status, and work with completed documents. Learning lead enrichment can help you master DocuSign!

Managing and Tracking Agreements

After you've sent a document for signature, DocuSign makes it easy to track the status, send reminders, and manage the completed agreement. Here's how to stay on top of your DocuSign documents from start to finish.

1. Checking Document Status

The Manage page in your DocuSign account is command central for tracking documents. You'll see a list of all documents you've sent, along with their current status.

Common statuses include "Out for Signature," meaning the document is awaiting signatures, "Completed," indicating all parties have signed, and "Declined" if a signer has refused to sign. Click into any document for more detailed information on who has signed and who you're still waiting on.

2. Sending Reminders and Voiding Documents

If a signer is taking too long to complete a document, you can give them a nudge by sending a reminder. From the Manage page, click the document you want to remind someone about, then select "Resend" to shoot them another email notification with a link to sign.

In some cases, you may need to void a document entirely, such as if you sent it to the wrong person or used the wrong version of an agreement. You can void a document by opening it from the Manage page and selecting "Void."

3. Downloading and Sharing Completed Documents

Once everyone has signed your document, it's automatically stored in your DocuSign account. You can download a PDF copy or share a link to the document directly from DocuSign.

To download the PDF, open the document and click "Download." To share a link, click "Share" and then "Get Signing Link." You can paste this link in an email to your counterparty or save it for your records.

4. Organizing Documents in Folders

As you use DocuSign more, your Manage page can start to get cluttered. Stay organized by creating folders for different types of agreements or different clients.

To create a folder, click "New Folder" from the Manage page. You can then drag and drop documents into the appropriate folders. Use the search bar to quickly find a specific document by name, signer, or content.

Effectively managing and tracking documents is key to a smooth signing process. With these tips, you'll always know the status of your agreements and be able to keep things moving. For additional benefits, you can also connect Google Docs to streamline your document workflows.

Thanks for sticking with us this far! Who knew there was so much to learn about electronic signatures? Just wait until you're the office DocuSign expert - they'll be calling you "The DocuSign Wizard"!

Conclusions

Knowing how to use DocuSign is crucial for efficiently managing contracts and agreements in the digital age. For more on improving your contract processes, check out our guide on building a robust sales prospect list. In this guide, you discovered:

• Setting up your account, customizing settings, and integrating with other tools
• Creating documents, adding signers, placing tags, and sending for signature
• Tracking document status, sending reminders, downloading signed agreements, and organizing your files

Don't let manual paperwork slow you down - master DocuSign and become the contract hero your office needs!

For even more efficiency, try integrating Google Sheets with Bardeen to automate data tasks and save time.