How to Send a PDF for Electronic Signature

Sending a PDF is not the same as completing an agreement. The sender should settle the terms, identify all required signers and ensure each person reviews the same record. Begin with a final, readable document rather than a draft containing comments or empty placeholders.

Check party names, amounts, currency, dates, referenced schedules and page order. Include every attachment that forms part of the agreement. If a price or scope is still undecided, resolve it before sending; signature fields should not conceal incomplete terms.

Save a clearly identifiable version. A meaningful filename and date help, but they do not replace checking the contents. If you revise the agreement after a request has been sent, explain that the earlier version is superseded and use a controlled replacement process.

List who signs personally, who signs for a business and who may need to witness or perform another role. Confirm business signing authority instead of treating a familiar email address as proof. Avoid putting every contact person into a signature role merely because they participated in discussions.

Confirm that the recipient is willing and able to use the proposed electronic process. BC’s Electronic Transactions Act provides a provincial example of consent principles. In the US, E-SIGN does not generally force people to accept electronic records simply because a sender prefers them.

Consider the risk of the transaction and the evidence needed if it is disputed. Evaluate the chosen method’s actual identity, retention and completion features. Do not assume that sending an attachment confirms receipt, identity or acceptance.

Place signature, name, date and other necessary fields where they belong. Match fields to the correct party and keep them clear of substantive text. If the process uses a signing order, explain it accurately; otherwise do not imply that another party has already accepted.

Illustrative request email: “Please review the attached final service agreement dated November 12, including Schedule A. If the terms are correct, sign in the Client section and return the completed record by November 15. If anything needs changing, reply before signing. We will provide the fully completed copy after all required parties have signed.” This is an example message, not a statutory disclosure.

Give recipients a contact for questions and corrections. If a recipient declines or cannot access the format, address that issue rather than presenting silence as consent. Never sign on their behalf without lawful authority.

United States

Where law requires information to be provided to a consumer in writing, E-SIGN section 7001(c) may govern electronic delivery. Its requirements include affirmative consent, specified disclosures and an electronic access demonstration for the relevant format. This is not a universal checklist for every signature request, but a sender should not ignore it when covered consumer disclosures are involved.

Ontario example

Ontario’s online-shopping guidance describes requirements for qualifying internet consumer agreements, including pre-contract information, an opportunity to accept or decline and correct errors, and delivery of a written copy. These are local consumer rules, not a Canada-wide B2B signing procedure.

Signature recognition, consumer delivery, privacy, witnessing and notarization are different issues. A convenient upload process does not establish compliance with every applicable rule. For regulated or high-risk documents, obtain jurisdiction-specific advice before sending.

Check that every required party signed the correct version and completed their required fields. Look for inconsistent dates, missing schedules and signatures in the wrong capacity. If the sender also needs to sign, make sure that step is complete before describing the document as fully executed.

Provide the complete agreed copy to the parties and retain supporting evidence. Depending on the method, this may include delivery messages, confirmation records, timestamps or identity information. Evaluate those records rather than assuming all platforms supply a particular audit trail.

Retention should preserve an accurate record that can be accessed and reproduced when needed. A file lost in a departed employee’s inbox is a practical problem even if it once existed. Decide who keeps the organizational record and how attachments stay associated with it.

If a request goes to the wrong person, stop and correct the process before relying on any returned signature. If terms change, explain the revision and obtain acceptance of the correct replacement or amendment. Do not merge signature pages from different versions without legal advice.

If a deadline passes, follow up neutrally and ask whether the recipient has questions. Silence is not a general substitute for acceptance. A signed copy returned by one person does not necessarily complete an agreement requiring several parties.

SnapPact provides an entry point for your uploaded PDF; you can edit an uploaded document before signing in. See our PDF signing guide for preparation. This resource hub does not provide its own editor or signing service.