By default, when you send a document to multiple signers, all of them receive their invitation email at the same time and can sign in any order. This is the right mode for most contracts — fastest end-to-end time, no blocking.
For documents that need a specific order — e.g., an employment offer where the candidate signs first and HR countersigns second, or an approval chain where Manager → Director → CFO each sign in sequence — enable sequential signing.
Turning it on
- On the document detail page, open the signer panel
- Each signer has a small number badge next to their name (1, 2, 3...) — drag to reorder
- Toggle "Sign in order" at the top of the signer list
- Send the document normally
Only signer 1 gets the invitation immediately. When they complete, signer 2 gets theirs automatically. And so on.
What signers see
Earlier signers see no difference from a parallel send. Later signers don't even know the document exists until their turn — they get an email out of the blue, often weeks after the document was originally created.
The dashboard shows current status per signer: "Pending → Pending → Signed → Awaiting → Awaiting".
Edge case: a signer declines mid-chain
If signer 2 declines (whether through "I don't agree to sign this" on the disclosure page, or simply by ignoring the email until the link expires), the whole document moves to Declined status. Later signers in the chain never get their invitation. The originating sender receives a notification with the decline reason (when provided).
You can resend the document from scratch with a different signer in the position, or void it entirely.