Introduction
The signature approval feature allows HR professionals and managers to request electronic signatures from employees on important company documents. This feature ensures that employees have read and acknowledged critical documents like policies, handbooks, contracts, and compliance materials.
When you request signature approval for a document, employees who have access to that document will be notified and can sign it directly within the platform. The system creates a signed PDF version of the document with their signature placed exactly where you specify, providing a complete audit trail.
Key benefits:
Ensures employees have read and acknowledged important documents
Creates legally compliant signed PDFs automatically
Tracks who has signed and when
Works seamlessly on desktop and mobile devices
Provides a complete audit trail with timestamps and IP addresses
Step-by-step setup instructions
Prerequisites
Before you can request signature approval for a document, ensure:
The document is uploaded as a PDF file (signature approval is only available for PDF documents)
You have admin permissions to manage company documents
The document is assigned to the appropriate categories, locations, or departments
Requesting signature approval
Navigate to documents
Go to the Documents section in your admin dashboard
Find the document you want to request signatures for
Open document options
Click the three-dot menu (ellipsis) next to the document name
Select "Request signature" from the dropdown menu
Position the signature box
A modal window will open showing a preview of your PDF document
You'll see a red box labeled "Signature" that you can drag to position where employees will sign
Use the page navigation buttons at the bottom to switch between pages if your document has multiple pages
Drag the red box to the exact location where you want signatures to appear
Confirm placement
Once you've positioned the signature box where you want it, click "Request approval"
The system will save your signature placement settings
Notification sent
All employees who have access to this document will receive a notification
The document will appear in their "Documents to approve" section
Important notes:You can only request signature approval for PDF documents
If you request a new signature approval for a document that already has approvals, all existing approvals will be removed and employees will need to sign again
The signature box position is saved and will be used for all employee signatures on this document
How employees interact with the feature
Signing a document
When an employee receives a notification about a document requiring their signature, here's how they complete the process:
Access the document
Employees will see the document in their "Documents to approve" section in the sidebar
They can also access it through notifications or by navigating to the Documents section from the main navigation
Documents requiring signature approval will be clearly marked
Review the document
Employees should read through the entire document before signing
The document is displayed in a PDF viewer for easy reading
Sign and approve
At the bottom of the document, employees will see a banner with the text: "I confirm that I have read and approved its content."
Click the "Sign and approve" button
Draw signature
A signature pad will appear
Employees can draw their signature using their mouse (on desktop) or finger/stylus (on mobile/tablet)
If they make a mistake, they can click "Clear" to start over
Confirm consent
Employees must check the consent checkbox that states: "I confirm that I have read and approved its content."
The "Sign and approve" button will only become active after:
A signature has been drawn
The consent checkbox has been checked
Submit
Once both conditions are met, click "Sign and approve"
The system will process the signature and create a signed PDF version
Employees will see a confirmation that their signature has been recorded
Download signed PDF (Optional)
After signing, employees can download a copy of the signed PDF document
The download button appears in the document header
Mobile experience
The signature approval feature works seamlessly on mobile devices:
Touch-friendly signature pad
Responsive design that adapts to smaller screens
Same functionality as desktop version
Tracking and managing approvals
Viewing approval status
As an admin, you can track who has signed documents:
From the documents list
Documents with signature approval requests show an approval icon
The icon displays the number of approved signatures (e.g., "5 of 10")
Click the icon to see more details
Approvals page
Navigate to the "Approvals" tab in the Documents section
View all pending and completed approvals
Filter by document, status, or date range
Requesting new approvals
If you need to request signatures again (for example, after updating a document):
Click the approval status icon next to the document
Select "Request signature" from the dropdown
Confirm that you want to request new approvals
Important: This will remove all existing approvals, and employees will need to sign again
Disabling signature approval
To stop requesting signatures for a document:
Click the approval status icon
Select "Disable" from the dropdown
Confirm the action
Employees will no longer be prompted to sign this document
Best practices and tips
Document preparation
Use PDF format: Only PDF documents support signature approval
Choose signature placement carefully: Position the signature box in a clear, professional location
Consider page placement: For multi-page documents, place signatures on the first or last page for easy reference
Test placement: Review the signature box position before requesting approvals to ensure it looks professional
Communication
Notify employees: Let your team know when signature approval is required for important documents
Set deadlines: Communicate any deadlines for completing signatures
Follow up: Use the Approvals page to identify employees who haven't signed yet
Signature placement tips
Standard locations: Common placement areas include:
Bottom of the first page
Bottom of the last page
Next to printed name fields
Size considerations: The default signature box size (200x60 pixels) works well for most documents
Multiple signatures: If you need multiple signatures on one document, you'll need to request approval separately for each signature location
Workflow optimization
Batch requests: Request approvals for related documents at the same time
Use categories: Organize documents by category to make it easier for employees to find them
Preboarding documents: Enable signature approval for preboarding documents so new hires can sign during onboarding
Common troubleshooting and FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Q: Can I request signature approval for non-PDF documents?
A: No, signature approval is only available for PDF documents. If you have a Word document or other format, convert it to PDF first.
Q: What happens if an employee tries to sign without drawing a signature?
A: The system will display an error message: "Please add a signature before submitting." The employee must draw a signature before they can proceed.
Q: Can employees edit their signature after submitting?
A: No, once a signature is submitted, it cannot be edited. If an employee needs to re-sign, you'll need to request a new approval, which will remove all existing approvals.
Q: How do I know if an employee has signed?
A: Check the Approvals page or click the approval status icon next to the document. You'll see a count of how many employees have signed.
Q: Can I change the signature placement after requesting approval?
A: Yes, but you'll need to request a new approval. This will remove all existing signatures, and employees will need to sign again with the new placement.
Q: What information is stored with each signature?
A: The system stores:
The signature image
The signed PDF document
Timestamp of when the signature was submitted
IP address and browser information
Consent text confirmation
Q: Can employees download their signed document?
A: Yes, after signing, employees can download a copy of the signed PDF from the document page.
Q: What if an employee can't see the signature pad?
A: Ensure they're using a modern web browser. The signature pad requires JavaScript to be enabled. On mobile devices, they should use a touch-enabled browser.
Q: How do I export approval records?
A: Go to the Approvals page and click the export button (download icon) to generate a CSV file with all approval records.
Common issues and solutions
Issue: Signature pad doesn't appear when clicking "Sign and Approve"
Solution: Refresh the page and try again. Ensure JavaScript is enabled in the browser.
Issue: Signature looks blurry or pixelated
Solution: This is normal for digital signatures. The signature is stored at high resolution and will appear clear in the final PDF.
Issue: Can't drag the signature box to position it
Solution: Make sure you're clicking and dragging from within the red box. Try refreshing the page if it's not responding.
Issue: Employees aren't receiving notifications
Solution: Check that:
The document is assigned to the correct categories/locations/departments
Employees have access to those categories
Notification settings are enabled
Issue: "Please add a signature before submitting" error appears even after drawing
Solution: Make sure you've drawn a visible signature (not just a dot). Try clearing and drawing again.
Issue: Signature placement looks wrong on the final PDF
Solution: The signature placement is based on PDF coordinates. If it looks off, try adjusting the position slightly and request a new approval.
Technical details (for reference)
Signature requirements
Format: PNG image (base64 encoded)
Storage: Signature images and signed PDFs are stored securely
Validation: Signatures require both the image and consent confirmation
Audit trail: Each signature includes timestamp, IP address, and user agent information
Permissions
Requesting approvals: Requires admin permissions
Signing documents: Available to all employees with document access
Viewing approvals: Admin-only access
Document types
Supported: PDF documents only
Not supported: Word documents, images, links, or other file types
Summary
The signature approval feature provides a streamlined way to ensure employees acknowledge important company documents. By following the setup instructions, positioning signatures appropriately, and communicating clearly with your team, you can efficiently manage document approvals while maintaining a complete audit trail.
Remember:
Only PDF documents support signature approval
Position the signature box carefully before requesting approvals
Employees need to both draw a signature and check the consent box
You can track all approvals from the Approvals page
Signed PDFs are automatically generated and can be downloaded
For additional support or questions, please contact your system administrator or refer to the main documentation.