Adding signer fields and preparing a contract

Signer fields show each person where to sign and what information to provide. Add them to a prepared contract template, assign them to the right signer, and check their positions before making the template Ready.

Open the template you want to prepare

Open Grow → Contracts. Under Contract types, select the template's name to open Edit template, then go to Signers and fields.

Start with the final wording and a readable PDF. If the agreement was written in Cedros, select Save and generate PDF after finishing the wording. If you need a template first, follow Creating a reusable contract template.

If the template is already Ready and has not been sent, select Return to draft while you change its signing setup. After a request has been sent, the original document and fields are locked. Use a separate template version as explained in the template guide.

Define who needs to sign

Under Signer roles, name each role in the agreement. For example, use Client and Business representative. These describe who signs; you enter the actual names and email addresses when sending a request.

1. Rename the existing Role to match your agreement.
2. Select Add role for each additional signer.
3. Give every role a different, recognizable name.
4. Set Order to the intended sequence, such as 1 for the client and 2 for the business representative.

The Order numbers are used when Signing order is set to Sequential under Delivery defaults. With All at once, signers can complete their parts without waiting for that sequence. Save changes there with Save delivery settings.

Removing a role also removes its fields from the template. Check which fields belong to it before using its remove button.

Add the fields each signer needs

In Signer fields, choose the role under Add fields for, then select a field button:

• Signature: a place for that person's signature.
• Initials: a place for their initials.
• Date: a date the signer supplies.
• Text: information such as a printed name, company name, or job title.

The new field is selected automatically. Under Field placement, check its settings:

1. Give Label a clear description, such as “Client signature” or “Business representative title.”
2. Check Signer. Change it here if the field belongs to another role.
3. Check Type. This menu also offers Checkbox, Number, Phone, and File. To add one of those, create a field with a button above, then change its Type.
4. Check Required. New fields are required by default; clear it only when the signer may leave the field empty.

Field key is filled in automatically. You can normally leave it unchanged; changing the visible Label does not require changing the key.

A required Checkbox must be checked to finish signing. Use File when you want the signer to upload a supporting attachment. Choose only the fields you need, and give every signer role at least one field.

For example, a two-person agreement might have a required Signature and Date for the Client, plus a required Signature and printed-name Text field for the Business representative.

Place each field on the PDF

1. Select the field in Signer fields.
2. Under Field placement, choose the correct PDF if the template contains more than one document.
3. Set Page to the page where the field belongs.
4. Click the intended position on the PDF. The field moves so its center is near the point you clicked.
5. Adjust Width % and Height % to leave enough room for the expected answer. Use Left % and Top % for precise positioning.
6. Repeat for every field and every signer.

You can use Bottom left, Bottom right, Center, or Top right as starting positions. These presets also reset the field's size, so check its dimensions afterward.

The percentage controls measure the field's position and size relative to the page. Keep the whole box inside the page and away from agreement text that must remain readable.

The placement preview shows only the selected field. Select the other fields in turn to check their positions. Newly added fields start in the same area near the bottom left of the first PDF's first page, so move them to separate spaces instead of leaving them stacked together.

For initials or signatures on several pages, add a separate field for each position and give each one a useful label. Confirm the page number each time.

Save the signing setup

Select Save template setup after changing roles, fields, or placements. Wait for the save to finish and check any error shown beside the action or at the top of the editor.

If you remove the wrong field with Remove selected, add it again and restore its settings and placement before saving. Removing a field from the list does not undo itself when you select another field.

The document wording, template name, signing setup, and delivery settings have separate save actions. Mark ready does not save unfinished edits for you. Save each part you changed before moving on.

If you regenerate the PDF after changing the wording, inspect every field again. A field can still fit within the page while sitting over the wrong text or signature line.

Check the template before marking it Ready

Use this final check:

• The PDF contains the final agreement and all intended pages.
• Every signer role has the fields that person should complete.
• Labels, field types, and Required settings match what you want to collect.
• Each field uses the right PDF and page, fits inside the page, and has enough space.
• Fields do not cover important wording or overlap another person's fields.
• All changes are saved, including any signing-order or delivery changes.

Under Readiness, use Fix beside any remaining item, then save the correction. When the template is complete, select Mark ready and confirm that it shows Ready in Contract types.

Ready means the template is available for sending. It does not send a request or confirm that someone has signed. Complete your sender details before your first send; see Setting up contracts for your business.

If a field or save is not working

• The field buttons are disabled: check that the template has a PDF and a signer role, that you can manage contracts, and that the template is not locked after a send.
• The PDF does not load: check the document and storage connection before trying to position fields. Do not guess positions against an empty preview.
• A field appears on the wrong page: select it and check both PDF and Page.
• A save says the field is outside the page: reduce its size or move it inward using the placement controls.
• A save reports a missing name or label: complete the role name, field Label, or Field key identified by the message. Role names must be distinct.
• Ready is blocked: save the latest signing setup, then follow the Readiness checklist. Every signer needs a field, and every signer field needs a position on a readable PDF.

If the error persists, include the template name, field label, PDF page, and exact message when asking for help.