eSign Overview
The eSign module lets you send documents for digital signature and receive a sealed, signed copy when all parties have completed their fields. The full chain — from choosing a document to receiving a signed copy — is covered in this section.
How eSign works
A signing request moves through the following stages:
- Prepare — Choose a PDF or Word document, add signers, and place signature fields and form fields where signers should sign or fill in information.
- Send — Choose Send for signature, set the signing options, and send a signing invitation to each signer by email.
- Sign — The signer opens a secure link in the invitation email, reviews the document, fills in their fields, and signs.
- Seal — When the last signer has signed, the document is sealed. A final signed copy is available to download.
Each stage is covered in a dedicated article:
- Preparing a Document for Signing
- Sending for Signature and Tracking Status
- Signing a Document — written for signers; useful to share with recipients
eSign in the portal
Go to Business, then Documents in the sidebar. (This appears when eSign is turned on for your workspace.) The main view is a table of your documents with the columns Document, Signer, Status, Sent, Expires, and Actions. The Status column shows:
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Draft | The document is being prepared and has not been sent |
| Pending signature | Sent to signers; waiting for signing to finish |
| Signed — awaiting countersign | The signer has signed and the document is waiting for you to countersign (see Sending for Signature and Tracking Status) |
| Countersigned | Signing is complete and the document is sealed |
| Voided | The request was voided before signing was complete |
| Expired | The signing link expired before signing was complete |
What signers need
Signers do not need a Serene Studio account. They receive an email with a unique signing link that opens the document in a browser without requiring a login.
Signing links can be used once and expire after a period you choose when you send (7, 14, 30, or 60 days; the default is 30).
Next steps
- Preparing a Document for Signing — start a new signing request.
- Sending for Signature and Tracking Status — send and monitor progress.