Best Practices: How to Pre-Fill Custom Information on an eSignature Document (Dropbox Sign)
In this article:
- Enter information during the signature process
- Enter the information during template creation
There are two workflows we recommend to help with pre-entering custom information in eSignature documents! We've outlined each of these below.
With all templates created in Dropbox Sign, please ensure you add all roles needed ( e.g Client, co-client, spouse, Admin, etc.) added when creating the template, as this cannot be added later, but can be removed when not needed on documents in the sending process.
Enter information during the signature process (recommended)
With this approach, you will send the template to yourself (or someone in your firm) as the first signature recipient. This person can be the advisor and/or admin. This person will fill in data during the signature process, before the document is sent to the client.
For a template to work best for this scenario, the setup below is a good recommended starting point:
For this to work, the key is to make sure that your template:
1. Has Enable Signing Order set to "on", and
- Role #1 is used for the purpose of entering custom information as an admin or advisor to complete first.
If you, as the Advisor, want to enter information first AND complete your signature on the document first, you don't need an extra role as shown above; you can instead place the Advisor role in Role #1.
Next, when setting up fields on the template for each role, be sure to select the fields for the administrator first that will receive and complete those fields before it goes out to the client. Each role must have, at minimum, an initial to send the document.
For context, each one in the top left drop-down is for that specific person/role on the document to complete when added. In the image, the Administrative person is selected; they will complete the blue fields added to the document. Once added, those fields will be sent to them when sending it out to the client as a document since they are the first person.
For reference to the roles:
Me(Now) allows you to add premnent text to the document where needed.
Sender will be filled in with certain data automatically by AdvicePay for select items when adding the text will display an option to select what you want to be completed at right in that dropdown.
Others you name will be assigned their portions to complete for example for client, spouse, co client, or any name you desire to have as a role.
Learn more in depth about the automatic info that can be added on this article for Dropbpx sign.
Lastly, if needed, the Placeholder text for a text box can be customized to tell that person what is expected to be entered in that field. This will be on the right-hand side for standard fields text box; then at right, the box for placeholder info can be added.
Enter the information during template creation
As mentioned above any field can be inserted in the template with the Signer assisnged in the drop-down set to Me (now).
As the creator of the document, you'll be able to pre-fill custom information right then and there before saving and sending the document out for signatures! This is limited but is an option below in Auto-filled fields or Standard fields needs to be added, that is possible to use this method.
Please note that if the custom information must be changed on a per-client basis, the template will need to be updated each time before it is sent out.
To do this, click the drop-down Actions arrow next to the template and choose Edit Fields. That is a great option if you don’t mind editing the template each time, however you can also create separate templates for your clients as needed and as many as needed.
Want to learn more in depth about using Dropbox Sign in AdvicePay, check out Getting Started with eSignatures.