[Account Owner] How Emails Work with eSign Documents: Invoices and Signing Order (Dropbox Sign/DocuSign/Adobe Acrobat Sign)

Curious about what emails are sent when you issue eSign documents, either directly or attached to a payment request? Several different conditions influence how emails are sent, what kind of emails go out, and who receives what email + when. Use the handy guide below to find information on your specific scenario!

If your firm is set up for approvals, note that all invoices, subscriptions, and engagements won't go out until they are first approved; this also includes documents. To learn more about approvals, check out the engagements or check out this article.

Email Behavior When a Document is Attached to an Invoice and the Signing Order is not Enabled

When your AdvicePay client is sent a document and an invoice together, we won't send the invoice notification email until the client has signed the document and can pay the invoice. Instead, we'll only send the email notifying them they have a document to sign. Then we'll send the invoice email when they can pay  (with one exception -- see 2b below)!

Here's how it works when you request a payment with a document attached, signing order is not enabled, and...

Send via email through AdvicePay is selected:

1. If the client is the only signee, they will receive a document notification email -- along with a PDF copy of the invoice. By following the included link, the client will be directed to sign first, then proceed to make a payment.
2. If there are 2+ signees, all signees will receive a document notification email at the same time. By following the included link, signees will be directed to sign the document.
   1. If the client signs before other signees, they will not be able to proceed to payment. Once the final signee signs, the client will receive another email stating that an invoice is ready for payment, along with a PDF copy of the invoice.
   2. If the client is the last to sign, they will be redirected to the invoice's payment page immediately after completing their signature. (They will not receive a separate invoice email in this case.)

Publish without sending an email is selected:

1. No emails will go out to the client or other signees.
   1. If Send Reminder is later manually selected on the invoice, all the rules under no. 2 above apply.
   2. If Send Reminder is later manually selected on the document, only the document notification email will go out (to all signees who haven't signed).

Email Behavior When a Document is Attached to an Invoice and the Signing Order is Enabled

When your AdvicePay client is sent a document and an invoice together, we won't send the invoice notification email until the client has signed the document and can pay the invoice. Instead, we'll only send the email notifying them they have a document to sign. Then we'll send the invoice email when they can pay  (with one exception -- see 2b below)!

Here's how it works when you request a payment with a document attached, signing order is enabled, and..

Send via email through AdvicePay is selected:

1. If the client is the only signee, they will receive a document notification email -- along with a PDF copy of the invoice. By following the included link, the client will be directed to sign first, then proceed to make a payment right after. 
2. If there are 2+ signees, the first designated signee will receive a document notification email. By following the included link, the signer will be directed to sign the document.
   1. If the client is set to sign before other signees, they will not be able to proceed to payment after signature. Once the final signee signs, the client will receive another email that there's an invoice is ready for payment, along with a PDF copy of the invoice.
   2. If the client is the last signer in order, they will be redirected to the invoice's payment page immediately after completing their signature. They will not receive a separate invoice email in this case. A copy of their PDF invoice will appear in the document notification email.

Publish without sending an email is selected:

1. No emails will go out to the client or other signees.
   1. If Send Reminder is later manually selected on the invoice, all the rules under no. 2 above apply.
   2. If Send Reminder is later manually selected on the document, only the contract notification email will go out (to the first/next signee in order who hasn't signed).

Email Behavior When a Document is Sent Without an Invoice and the Signing Order is not Enabled

Here's how it works when you send a document directly (without attaching it to an invoice) and the signing order is not enabled:

1. If the client is the only signee, they will receive a document notification email. By following the included link, the client will be directed to sign.
2. If there are 2+ signees, all signees will receive a document notification email at the same time. By following the included link, signees will be directed to sign the document at anytime.

Email Behavior When a Document is Sent Without an Invoice and the Signing Order is Enabled

Here's how it works when you send a document directly (without attaching it to an invoice) and the signing order is enabled:

1. If the client is the only signee, they will receive a document notification email that includes a note about the document. By following the included link, the client will be directed to sign. (The client does not need a registered AdvicePay account in order to sign!)
2. If there are 2+ signees, the first designated signee will receive a document notification email. By following the included link, the signee will be directed to sign the document.Each signee will receive an email in the order of the document; each email will be sent to the next signer after the priro signature is captured.

Receiving a Copy of Completed Documents

After all signatures have been obtained, each signee, including BCC and CC recipients, will automatically receive an email with a link to view and download the completed document. 

This email will be sent under all conditions, to every signee. Signees do not need to have an AdvicePay account or log in in order to access this document. The link to access the document is valid for 30 days. If past this time frame, send a reminder on the document to refresh the link.

Email Behavior when a Document + payment request is sent via a URL link

Documents alone won't have a URL link; however, if you decide to send a URL link from an invoice or subscription bundled with a document, it will only allow the first signer to sign. Multiple signers are unable to sign from the single URL at this time.

All signers thereafter will need to sign from the email sent from AdvicePay from info@app.advicepay.com. A reminder can be sent on the document by going to the Document Vault> Documents>Actions Drop-Down arrow> Send a Reminder to send the next email after the first signer has signed. This can be done for all signers once they sign, or if there is a signing order, an email will be sent as long as the first reminder has been sent and triggered this action.