How to Get a Document Signed by Multiple People

Multi-Signer Documents Are Everywhere

Most business documents require more than one signature. Employment contracts need both the employee and HR manager. Lease agreements need the tenant and landlord. Partnership agreements need all partners. NDAs need both parties.

Managing this process with paper — printing multiple copies, mailing them around, tracking who has signed — is a logistical nightmare. E-signature platforms make it simple.

Two Signing Approaches

Parallel Signing (Everyone at Once)

All recipients receive the document simultaneously and can sign in any order. Best for:

• Documents where signing order doesn't matter
• Time-sensitive agreements where you want the fastest completion
• Group acknowledgments or policy sign-offs

Sequential Signing (One After Another)

Recipients sign in a specific order. The next person only receives the document after the previous person has signed. Best for:

• Contracts requiring hierarchical approval (employee → manager → VP)
• Documents where later signers need to see earlier signatures
• Workflows with dependencies (client signs → countersigned by company)

Step-by-Step: Setting Up Multi-Signer Documents

1. Upload your PDF — Start with the document that needs multiple signatures
2. Add recipients — Enter the name and email for each signer. Assign roles (Signer or Viewer)
3. Choose signing order — Select Parallel or Sequential. For sequential, drag recipients into the desired order
4. Place and assign fields — Add signature, date, and text fields. Assign each field to a specific recipient using the dropdown
5. Review and send — Verify the field assignments and send

Common Multi-Signer Scenarios

Employment Contract

Employee signs first (name, signature, date), then HR countersigns. Use sequential signing with the employee as signer #1.

Lease Agreement

Tenant signs all required fields, then landlord reviews and countersigns. Sequential signing ensures the landlord sees the tenant's completed information.

Team Policy Acknowledgment

Send to all team members simultaneously. Each person has their own signature field. Use parallel signing for fastest completion.

Tracking Progress

With DottiSign, you can monitor signing progress from your dashboard. See who has opened the document, who has signed, and who is still pending. Send reminders to anyone who hasn't signed yet with one click.