The Document Signing stage lets applicants review and sign documents such as offer letters, agreements, and policies during your hiring workflow.
First, create a reusable template from a Word document or PDF. Then add the template to a Document Signing stage and configure how documents are sent.
The template’s source format determines its capabilities. Word-based templates support dynamic content; PDF-based templates use a fixed layout with fields placed on the document.
Choose and Prepare Your Templates
Create your templates before adding them to a workflow.
Dynamic templates from Word
Start with a Word document (.docx) containing variable placeholders, conditional blocks, and signature placeholders. Configure them in Fountain to generate a personalized document for each applicant.
Fixed-layout templates from PDFs
Upload a PDF and place signature fields, applicant fields, and merge keys on the document. PDF templates do not support variables or conditional blocks.
Both options let you set up signers and applicant-facing instructions. Follow the appropriate template guide, then return here to add the saved template to your workflow.
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.
Assign Internal Signers
If your template includes an internal signer role, such as Hiring manager, assign a Fountain user to that role when adding the template to the stage.
Adding a role to the template defines who needs to sign; assigning a user determines who receives that signing request.
Understand Sending Behavior
The Send .docx documents automatically when the applicant lands on this stage setting applies specifically to Word-based templates.
When enabled, Fountain sends the stage’s Word-based documents together only when every value can be filled from applicant and Opening data and no approval rule applies. If any Word-based document needs more details or approval, all Word-based documents wait for a user to send them.
Using Word and PDF templates in the same stage?
Until every Word-based document on the stage is sent, applicants cannot access any of the stage’s documents—including PDFs—and do not receive the stage’s landing message.
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 .docx documents automatically when the applicant lands on this stage: sends the stage's .docx documents together when every value can be filled from applicant and Opening data and no approval rule applies. If one .docx document needs more details or approval, they all wait for a user to send them. When this is off, a user previews and sends every .docx document.
Send a Document for Signing
When a Word-based document needs manual review or approval, or automatic sending is turned off, the applicant’s status label shows 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.
Until every .docx document on the stage is sent, the applicant sees none of the stage's documents, PDF documents included, and doesn't receive the stage's landing message. If applicants wait in the stage, send the document from their status label. To let documents send on their own, give each variable a value for every applicant: a variable mapped to a formula or choice-list field, or a value missing for the applicant, holds the document for a user.
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
While documents are waiting for details, review, or approval, 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.