Best Practices
7 PDF signing mistakes that slow down your deals
Seven common process mistakes that delay signatures and how to fix them quickly to improve completion rates.
1) Forcing account creation before signing
The fastest way to lose momentum is asking recipients to register before they can act. Choose a flow that supports PDF signing with no account so signers can complete the job immediately.
2) Sending documents without required-field checks
If recipients can submit incomplete forms, your team ends up chasing corrections. Mark required fields clearly before sending and test the signing path once yourself.
3) Using unclear file names and versions
Confusing names like final-v2-latest.pdf create rework and legal ambiguity. Use consistent naming and ensure everyone signs the same locked version.
4) Ignoring mobile signing experience
A large share of recipients open links on mobile. If fields are hard to tap or read, completion drops. Always preview your document on a phone before sending at scale.
5) Not scheduling follow-ups
Most unsigned deals are not rejections; they are delays. Set timed reminders so your team is not manually chasing every signer.
6) Sending one generic link to multiple people
Signer-specific links improve security and audit clarity. Unique links also reduce confusion around who has completed what.
7) Failing to keep an audit-ready record
A signature alone is weak evidence without timeline context. Keep timestamps, delivery records, and completion logs attached to each signed document.
Most of these issues are process design problems, not legal problems. A simple, consistent workflow often outperforms a complex stack that teams avoid using properly.