[Advisors] How Emails Work with eSign Documents: Invoices and Signing Order (Dropbox Sign/DocuSign)

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Curious about what emails are sent when you issue eSign documents, either directly or attached to a payment request? Need to understand what happens when you designate a specific signing order, or who is sent what type of email when you manually send reminders through AdvicePay?

Please note: All signature request email links do expire after 30 days. To refresh the link, please send a reminder on the document or share the URL link from inside AdvicePay.The URL will only show if there is a payment request attached.

Important: Dropbox Sign no longer supports using Safari 11 or below and will no longer work in Internet Explorer 11. We suggest using Chrome or Firefox.

There are several different conditions that 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!

All document and invoice emails sent are recorded in your Email Log! 😊AdvicePay uses UTC time (Coordinated Universal Time) as its time basis, so anything signed after 6 p.m. MDT will show as the next day UTC in the Audit Trail of signed documents.

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

As a general rule of thumb, when your AdvicePay client is sent a document and an invoice together, we won't send the the invoice notification email until the client has signed the document + can in fact 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)!

Heads up! If your Enterprise firm is using Engagements and the workflow requires both the document signature email notice  and the invoice notice to be sent immediately, two emails  will be sent together at the same time. However, the client won't be able to pay until all document signatures have been obtained.

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 making 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 that there is an invoice 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 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).

If you have automatic invoice reminders enabled on your account at Account Settings > Emails & Notifications, an invoice notification email will not be sent to your client if the attached document is waiting on any signatures. Instead, the document reminder email will be sent to all parties who still need to sign.

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

As a general rule of thumb, when your AdvicePay client is sent a document and an invoice together, we won't send the the invoice notification email until the client has signed the document + can in fact 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)!

Heads up! If your Enterprise firm is using Engagements and the workflow requires both the document signature email notice  and the invoice notice to be sent immediately, two emails  will be sent together at the same time. However, the client won't be able to pay until all document signatures have been obtained.

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 making payment. 
  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.
    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 is an invoice ready for payment, along with a PDF copy of the invoice.
    2. If the client is the last signee 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 on the document notification email.)

Publish without sending 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 the first/next signee in order who hasn't signed).

If you have automatic invoice reminders enabled on your account at Account Settings > Emails & Notifications, an invoice notification email will not be sent to your client if the attached document is waiting on any signatures. Instead, the document reminder email will be sent to the next person who needs to sign.

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

Here's how it works when you send a document directly (without attaching it to an invoice) and 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. (The client does not need a registered AdvicePay account in order 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.

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

Here's how it works when you send a document directly (without attaching it to an invoice) and 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.

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 login in order to access this document!

The link to access the document is valid for 30 days.


How to Send a Document + Payment request via the URL

If there is a payment request+document, you can find the URL link by locating the invoice using the dropdown arrow at the right of it, and clicking View Details. If it is a subscriptions+document, click the drop-down arrow and click on View Subscription.

The URL will show there on the page, with the ability to click copy URL at the right of it. When you want to paste it into an email, right-click and select paste.


See the image below:

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