Sign in order or all at once: which should you use?
When you send a document to more than one person, you choose how the signing links go out. Closign gives you two ways, plus groups for when any one of several people may sign.
Sign in order
Each person gets their link only after the previous one has signed. Use it when the order means something: a new hire accepts an offer letter before a director countersigns it, or a client accepts a quotation before you confirm it.
- Nobody is asked to sign until everyone before them has.
- You can put yourself first and sign before anything is sent, or last, to countersign.
- Reminders go only to the person whose turn it is.
The trade-off is speed. One slow signer holds up everyone after them, so set reminders and an expiry date when you send.
Anyone can sign (all at once)
Everyone gets their link at the same time and signs in any order. Use it when the signers are independent and the order doesn't matter: a mutual NDA between two companies, a policy acknowledgement, a photo release.
It's usually faster, because nobody waits for anyone else. The document is complete when the last person signs.
Groups: any one person signs for the team
Sometimes it only matters that someone from a team signs: any partner, any director, anyone from accounts. Add a group and list its members. The first member to sign completes that step for the whole group, and the others are told they no longer need to.
Which to choose
- Order matters, or one signature depends on another: sign in order.
- Independent signers, and you want it done quickly: anyone can sign.
- Any one of several people may sign: add a group.
Whichever you choose, every view and signature is recorded in the audit trail, and everyone gets the signed PDF when the last signature is in.