Introduction
Ledgy has partnered with DocuSign to make it easier to manage document signing directly from your account. If you have an active DocuSign subscription, you can take advantage of integrated features, including:
*To use eWitness, please enable this on your DocuSign account. Click here to learn more about witness signing on Ledgy.
How it works:
1. Connect DocuSign account
On Documents, go to Signatures > Signature settings to enable your DocuSign account.
Below Integrations, click Connect to be directed to the DocuSign portal.
Log in using your existing DocuSign account > grant access > return back to Ledgy app
Select DocuSign as signature provider
Which DocuSign user should you connect?
Your company has one DocuSign connection in Ledgy. Ledgy uses the DocuSign user who connected to send your signature requests and to download the signed PDFs. This means Ledgy can only reach the envelopes that this user can open in DocuSign.
Who to connect
Connect the DocuSign user who sends your signature requests.
Being in the same DocuSign account isn't enough. In DocuSign, a user can't open another user's envelopes unless they have been given access.
If several people in your company send envelopes, give the connected user Shared Access to their envelopes. The permissions you can grant depend on your DocuSign plan. Learn more in DocuSign's guide to Shared Access.
Tip: to avoid problems when someone leaves or changes roles, consider using a dedicated DocuSign user that isn't tied to one person and is kept active. This user still needs access to the envelopes above.
What happens if you connect a different user
Connecting a different user replaces the existing connection. New signature requests are sent as the new user.
Signed PDFs already saved in Ledgy stay available.
If the new user can't open an envelope, DocuSign blocks the download ("This user is not the sender or a recipient of the envelope") and Ledgy can't save that signed PDF. Reconnect as a user who can open it.
After every reconnect, Ledgy automatically tries again to save signed PDFs that are still missing.
What happens if you disconnect DocuSign
Ledgy deletes the DocuSign login details it stores, stops sending signature requests through DocuSign, and stops downloading signed PDFs.
Signed PDFs already saved in Ledgy stay available. Your envelopes stay in DocuSign.
Signed PDFs that Ledgy never saved will only be saved after you reconnect as a user who can open them.
Disconnecting in Ledgy doesn't remove Ledgy's access in your DocuSign settings. If you want to remove it there too, revoke it in DocuSign.
2. Define signature settings on the template before generating new signature requests
On Documents > Templates, either (i) add a new template or (ii) click on a template in the table and hit ‘edit’ to open the edit modal.
Choose who should sign the template (and if stakeholder involved should be a signatory). Choose whether a witness is required per signer, as well as the signing order. Edits made to the Signature settings will apply as the default for new requests. This is the best way to prepare for bulk signature requests. (For more info on witnessing, see FAQ)
In the above example, Alan Foster will receive an email from DocuSign asking him to sign. Upon completion, the stakeholder for whom the document is generated for will receive an email from DocuSign, asking them to sign — as well as a requirement to specify a witness. Once the witness requirement is fulfilled, only then the document is considered fully signed/executed.
Note: once the invitation has been sent out, it is impossible to edit the signers and the signature type on Ledgy. You can prepare a new request with the automated signature workflow and delete the original signature request and document where necessary.
3. Prepare signature requests
There are multiple ways to prepare signature requests:
Single request
Click on an eligible transaction (grant, exercise, share issuance, transfer) where a document is already attached on the Ownership > Transactions > Three-dot menu > Prepare signature request
If the document is not linked to a transaction, e.g. plan documents or holding confirmations that need signature, you can prepare the document for signature from the Data Room.
Multiple requests
Enable the full document templating and signature request toggles at the plan preset level. Then use the bulk import button to upload an excel template with your new transaction data. As the transactions are imported, the plan presets will apply, generating documents and signature requests for each transaction.
Existing signature draft
Suppose your signature request has already been drafted and is available in Documents > Signatures. In that case, you can edit the signature settings at an individual level by hovering over the document and clicking on the three-dot icon next to it to Edit.
4. Invite Signer(s) to sign
In Documents > Signatures, any document with 'Ready to invite' status is ready to be sent out for signature. You can click ‘Invite to sign' from the three-dot icon to send out one individual document for signature OR tick multiple documents and click ‘Invite’ from the options bar on the bottom of the page to send the signature requests.
Single signature
Multiple signatures
This invites the stakeholders to view this document and sign it
This does not publish any transactions in draft mode. Only those that are already published will be available on their dashboard.
What happens after the signers are invited?
The first signer will receive an email from DocuSign with a link to direct them to DocuSign.
If witness signing has been requested, the signer who needs to be witnessed will be prompted within DocuSign to invite a witness of their choice to sign.
They can click on the signature placeholder to add their signature.
You can track the signature status
In Ledgy: As company collaborators, you can track the signature status in the Signatures page. You can customise the columns with the Cog button to the top right corner of the table.
In DocuSign: If you have access to the DocuSign account connected to Ledgy, you can also view the status of the envelopes in the DocuSign inbox. As an admin, you can also re-send and correct the envelope when needed.
5. View signed document in the Data Room
Once all signatories have signed, the fully signed document will be saved back in Ledgy’s Data Room for the company collaborators.
For involved stakeholders, the document will be available within their Ledgy dashboard on the Signatures page.
It can take up to 24 hours after the last signature for the signed PDF to appear. If you can't open it, see this FAQ.
Visibility of signed documents for company signatories
Important: Documents signed by a company signatory remain visible in that signatory's personal Ledgy account, even after they are offboarded from the company.
Company signatories are linked to a stakeholder profile, and every document they sign is stored against their own Ledgy account. These documents appear on their Documents page.
Removing a signatory's admin permissions or offboarding them as an employee does not remove the documents they have already signed from their account.
If you'd like to avoid this, create a separate account for company signatories (e.g. a dedicated stakeholder with a role-based email address such as [email protected]) instead of using a person's personal account.
FAQs:
How do I add the final signature date to the signed document?
DocuSign users can now populate a fully signed PDF document with the final signed date. Steps:
Update the template file and add the text anchor: **Final Signatory Date:
The final signatory date (the date when the last recipient signs) will be rendered next to the text anchor on the completed document. For example: **Final Signatory Date: 10.19.23
The date format depends on your settings in your DocuSign account.
Tip: use a light colour for the variable text as this will also appear on the document. To prevent the text from showing on the document, use the same colour as the document background.
Learn more here
Can I set default reminders and expirations?
Yes, you can customise these via your DocuSign settings > Reminders and Expiration
How can I ask the stakeholder to sign in a certain place on the document?
When preparing the document template in Word format, you can add a text anchor.
Stakeholder: **Please Sign Here - {stakeholder.name}**. Tip: use a light colour for the anchor text as this will also appear on the document. To prevent the text from showing on the document, use the same colour as the document background.
Witness: **Please Sign Here - Witness of {stakeholder.name}**
Company Signatory: **Please Sign Here - Company Signatory 1**
If there is more than one Company Signatory, you can define each of their anchors through the order in which they are added.
Company Signatory Witness: **Please Sign Here - Witness of Company Signatory 1**
When the document has no text anchor, the signer can drag and drop their signature anywhere on the document.
For best formatting, we recommend inputting the anchors within a table in the Word document.
How do I create signature requests in bulk?
We offer a document templating and signature request workflow for various transactions. E.g. when accepting an exercise request, you can automatically create an exercise form with the transaction details and prepare the document to be signed. Visit this article for more information.
What is the best way to sign multiple documents e.g. if you are the company signatory?
If you have received the invitation to sign multiple documents, after signing your first document via the email link, you can either log in or create a DocuSign account using the email address with which you received the signature invitations. You will then be able to see the multiple envelopes in your DocuSign inbox.
Does the DocuSign account holder have to be a company collaborator on Ledgy?
Not necessarily, however, to make most of the DocuSign features available, we would recommend a company collaborator to be able to easily access their DocuSign’s dashboard.
Connect the DocuSign user who sends your signature requests. See Which DocuSign user should you connect? for details.
Can I edit the signature settings once the request has been sent?
Once the signature request has been sent, it’s no longer possible to edit the signature settings (Company Signatory, Legal quality, Provider and Witness) on Ledgy. Should you need to change the details, please delete the old signature request and create a new one.
If you would like to correct the document itself, you would need to log into the DocuSign account connected to Ledgy.
How are the signature requests sent via DocuSign billed?
All documents signed via DocuSign will be billed as part of your own DocuSign subscription. To use this feature, you will need to have an existing DocuSign account.
Can we define where the signers or witnesses add text fields?
Indeed, we allow placing free text anchors for signers and witnesses!
The respective anchor text for this is e.g. **Free Text for - Company Signatory 1** (sticking with the example above). Please note that signers or witnesses can place any text into free text anchors, but they are required to enter some text to complete the signing flow.
One free text anchor per signer and witness
The stakeholder themselves will still have access to the other DocuSign fields such as unlimited text, checkboxes and date stamp.
Signing with DocuSign doesn't work? Check your default account!
If you merged multiple DocuSign accounts into one DocuSign account, check the default account. Please check that your main DocuSign account is the default account.
Why can't I open a document that was signed via DocuSign?
After everyone signs, Ledgy downloads the signed PDF from DocuSign and saves it in the Data Room. Until that PDF is saved, the document still shows as Signed, but you can't open or download it. When you open it, Ledgy shows one of these messages:
The signed PDF is not stored yet: Ledgy is still retrieving the file. Check again in a few hours. It can take up to 24 hours.
DocuSign is disconnected: Ledgy can't reach your DocuSign account. Reconnect DocuSign in Documents > Signatures > Signature settings, or use the Reconnect DocuSign task in Home > Open tasks. After you reconnect, Ledgy automatically tries again to save all signed PDFs that are still missing, including older ones.
We cannot get this signed PDF from DocuSign: DocuSign won't let Ledgy download this file. Reconnecting won't help, so please contact support. This often happens when the connected DocuSign user can't open the envelope. See Which DocuSign user should you connect?
The Download button stays disabled until the file is available.
Stakeholders: if your company's DocuSign connection needs to be reconnected, you'll see "The signed PDF is not available yet – Contact a company admin". Please contact an admin of your company.
Show me all the anchors I can implement in my document template.
Signature anchors
Signatory | Anchor |
Stakeholder | **Please Sign Here - {stakeholder.name}** |
Stakeholder witness | **Please Sign Here - Witness of {stakeholder.name}** |
Company signatory 1 | **Please Sign Here - Company Signatory 1** |
Company signatory’s witness 1 | **Please Sign Here - Witness of Company Signatory 1** |
Company signatory 2 | **Please Sign Here - Company Signatory 2** |
Company signatory’s witness 2 | **Please Sign Here - Witness of Company Signatory 2** |
Company signatory 3, 4, 5, etc. | **Please Sign Here - Company Signatory [replace with a number]** |
Company signatory’s witness 3, 4, 5, etc. | **Please Sign Here - Witness of Company Signatory [replace with a number]** |
Free text anchors
Signatory | Anchor |
Stakeholder | **Free Text for - {stakeholder.name}** |
Stakeholder witness | **Free Text for - Witness of {stakeholder.name}** |
Company signatory 1 | **Free Text for - Company Signatory 1** |
Company signatory’s witness 1 | **Free Text for - Witness of Company Signatory 1** |
Company signatory 2 | **Free Text for - Company Signatory 2** |
Company signatory’s witness 2 | **Free Text for - Witness of Company Signatory 2** |
Company signatory 3, 4, 5, etc. | **Free Text for - Company Signatory [replace with a number]** |
Company signatory’s witness 3, 4, 5, etc. | **Free Text for - Witness of Company Signatory [replace with a number]** |
Final signatory date
Anchor | Result in document |
**Final Signatory Date: | **Final Signatory Date: 10.19.23 |