Esignature In PDF Documents
Creating an esignature document from a PDF upload is simple in Lawmatics. This features allows you to easily automate things like court forms and other standardized PDF documents.
1. Navigate to the Documents section under the Assets tab at the top of the screen.
2. Click on Create New Document
3. Select PDF Upload and fill out the fields required. You will need to chose, under recipient type, whether this document will be sent to Matters or Contacts. This will dictate what custom fields are available to merge into the document. Use Matter for any intake/case-related documents.
4. Once you click create, you will be presented with a PDF builder view, allowing you to add merge fields and other useful user inputs. In order to add signature to the document, simply click on Settings from the top right side of the builder view.
5. This will open a window to add signers to the document. First, toggle Document has eSignatures? to yes. You can then add firm signers (which will be users within your Lawmatics account) and signers (which are any matter or contact signer).
Each time you add a signer you will be presented with a text input in order to create the label/role of the signer. Your roles might be something along the lines of "Client" or "Authorized Contact" for regular signers, and "Managing Attorney" or "Partner" for firm signers. These role names are just used to distinguish between the different signers in the document.
6. Once you have added signers and clicked Apply Settings, you will see a new option on the left side of the screen under Draggable Field Types. That new option will be Signatures. Simply drag the Signature item over and onto the document wherever you want it.
When you drop it and then click on it again within the document, you will see an Edit Properties window in the bottom left. From here you can indicate who needs to sign in this space (selecting from a list of the roles you created in the previous steps) and also add a label to the signature field to make it clear for the signer.
7. Click Done form the Edit Properties window and your document will be auto saved as you go along.
PLEASE NOTE: It is required to have at least one signature field for each signer role that you have added to the document. The system will warn you if you have created more signature roles than are currently merged onto the document. For example, if you add roles for 1 firm signer and 1 client signer, but then only add a signature for the client signer on the document, the system will warn you and you will not be able to send this document for signature until all signer roles are merged onto the document in at least one place.
Also note that these document auto-save your work as you are building them, so no need to click any save button as you are working.
FAQ's
How will the document look once it has been e-signed?
The document will look exactly like your base PDF file, and any signature fields that you have added in the Lawmatics template will be overlayed on the document. Any signatures or other fields used will look as if they have been printed directly on the document.
Does someone from my firm need to sign each document?
No, it is completely up to you to if someone from your firm needs to sign each particular document. There may be some documents that do require a firm signature and others that do not.