The Document Signing stage sends documents such as offer letters, agreements and policies to applicants for electronic signature. You build each document as a template, add templates to the stage, and a user reviews and sends each document to the applicant.
Working With an Older Template?
Templates created before the template editor keep working and use the previous editor. To set them up, see Document Signing Stage Setup.
Understand Document Signing Templates
Templates are built in the template editor from a .docx or .pdf file. Before you add a template to a stage, it's helpful to know what a template can do:
Variables, such as [PAY_RATE], fill in applicant and Opening data. You map each variable to a Fountain field.
Conditional blocks, such as {{#BlockName}}…{{/}}, show content only when a condition you set is true.
Signers are placed by keys in the document, such as [SIGNATURE] for the applicant.
A document title and applicant message are shown to the applicant in their portal.
Use All Caps for Variables
Fountain only recognizes variables written in all caps, such as [CURRENT_DATE]. A lowercase variable like [current_date] isn't detected and won't be filled in.
To create and edit templates, see Build Document Signing Templates.
Add a Template to a Document Signing Stage
Follow the steps below to add a Document Signing stage to a workflow.
In the Workflow Editor, click Add Stage > Create New Stage.
In the Create New Stage window, enter a Title, select Document Signing Stage (Fountain) as the Stage Type, and choose the Stage Placement.
Click Add Stage.
In the stage's Documents section, under Default Documents, click Add Document.
In the Add Document window, select the template from the Document Template list.
Click Save Changes. If Fountain asks you to confirm, click Save.
A Document Signing stage needs at least one document to work!
Send Alternate Documents
Under Alternate Documents, click Add Document Set to send different documents to applicants based on conditions. Documents in a set are sent in place of the Default Documents.
Choose Stage Settings
The stage's Settings section includes the following options.
Move applicant to next stage after signing (recommended): moves the applicant on when the applicant completes all of the selected documents. It only moves applicants who sign after you turn it on. Applicants who already signed must be moved manually.
Show stage in applicant portal progress tracker: shows the stage in the applicant's progress tracker.
Email completed documents to opening owner: emails signed documents to the Opening owner.
Send the document to the applicant as soon as it is approved: when this is off, an approved document is not sent to the applicant until Send to applicant is clicked.
Send a Document for Signing
When an applicant reaches a Document Signing stage, their status label shows the document with Details needed, for example Workplace Policy - Details needed.
Follow the steps below to send it.
On the applicant table, click the Details needed status label.
In the Document details panel, check or fill in each value, then click Preview document.
In the Document preview panel, review the document as the applicant will see it.
Optionally, click Download document to save a copy, or click Upload custom document to replace the generated document.
Click Send for signing.
When an approval rule applies, the Document preview panel lists the Approvers for each matching rule, and the button reads Send for approval instead. To learn more, see Set Up Offer Approvals.
Check the Applicant's Email Address
Documents are sent to the applicant's email address. If the address is invalid, for example a missing ".com", the documents can't be created and the signing page keeps loading. Fix the email on the applicant profile, then move the applicant back into the stage to send the documents again.
Track the Document Status
The applicant's status label shows where the document is.
Details needed: the document is waiting for a Hire user to send it.
Awaiting approval: the document is waiting for approvers.
Awaiting signature: the document has been sent to the applicant.
Complete: the applicant has signed the document.
Review the Applicant Experience
Until a user sends the document, the applicant portal shows We're preparing your document and lets the applicant know they'll be told when it's ready to sign.
Once the document is sent, the applicant sees the template's document title and applicant message with a Review and sign button. The document opens in a Dropbox Sign window, where the applicant signs and clicks I Agree to finish.
Once every signer, including any countersigner, has signed, the applicant receives a PDF copy of each signed document by email. This email can't be turned off.