How to Set Reminders and Expirations in Docusign eSignature

We all need reminders, be it from our phones, emails, or coworkers. The same goes for anyone you send a contract to. Still, it can be challenging to manage contract reminders and stay on top of contract expiration. That’s where features like reminders, expirations, and notifications can have a big impact.

Using Docusign eSignature, you can get agreements signed faster, without having to manually send email reminders or notifications of contract expiration. Senders have the ability to send contract reminders and notifications and set when envelopes will expire. Docusign Admins can choose to enforce these settings for all envelopes, or allow users to modify the values for each envelope they send.

Reminders

Docusign reminders are a particularly useful eSignature feature–you’ve likely been in a situation when you needed to remind someone (maybe more than once) to review some paperwork or sign a document. By sending contract reminders through Docusign eSignature, that process can be automated, and we will do all the reminding for you.

To set up Docusign reminders for an envelope, check the box to the left of “Reminders Enabled.”

• First, the sender can choose how many days after sending the envelope the first contract reminder will be sent.  This first reminder serves as the starting point for all later reminders.  

• Next, the sender chooses how frequently Docusign reminders will be sent following the first contract reminder.

Once you have the contract reminder in place, you can rest assured the recipient will get pinged about the document. You can tailor all Docusign reminders, depending on when and to who you are sending the contract to.

Notifications

Docusign eSignature provides email notifications to senders and recipients for many different scenarios. By default, all Docusign notification options are turned on. Notification preferences give you control over the communications that you receive. Account administrators can define default Docusign notification preferences for all new users.

You can now also enhance email notifications with real-time SMS notifications sent directly to a signer’s mobile device so you can reach signers in more ways. Communicating with multiple channels ensures that the person you are sending the Docusign notification to sees it in a timely manner. Some benefits to using SMS notifications include closing your business faster and improving customer experience.

All the same, no matter how Docusign notifications are delivered, they are all customizable. You may not want to be notified every time an envelope that you sent was viewed, or when another recipient reassigns an envelope to you. After all, everything you need to know about an envelope, either as a sender or as a recipient, is visible from your Docusign account. Email notifications are about convenience, so you know about changes or activity on the envelopes you send and receive.

Expiration

A sender can also set a contract expiration date for an envelope. It’s often important to have an expiration date on envelopes for a few reasons. The first is security–it’s not a good idea to have a contract still out for signature long after its intended use. Another reason to have contract expirations is an old envelope could include outdated information, such as pricing or company stats. Finally, a Docusign expiration date creates a sense of urgency for the signer.

To set a contract expiration date, the sender decides how many days after sending the envelope it will expire. The sender can also set how many days prior to the expiration date the signer will receive a reminder.

Faster time to sign with Docusign reminders, notifications, and expirations

Docusign reminders, expiration dates, and notifications are helpful features of Docusign eSignature that simplify processes and make it easier to get your work done. Consider it one less thing you have to worry about in your busy day. And best of all, you can customize all Docusign reminders, notifications, and expirations for each contract.

Learn more about Reminders and Expirations and Notifications in our Support Center.