Quick Tip: Docusign Signing Order: Set, Change and Troubleshoot

Key takeaways:

• Total routing flexibility: Control exactly when recipients receive documents, whether they sign one-by-one (Sequential), all at one (Parallel) or in a custom "Mixed" order

• Automated consistency: Use Docusign Templates to bake your signing sequence directly into your workflow, eliminating manual setup for every send.

• Real-time corrections: If you make a mistake, the "Correct" tool allows you to jump into a live envelope to reorder recipients or fix email addresses before the process stalls.

Need to control who signs your documents and when? Docusign eSignature lets you set a signing order so recipients receive your envelope in the sequence you choose.

In this guide, you'll learn how to set up sequential routing, edit signing orders after sending, and troubleshoot common issues.

With Set signing order enabled, you can specify a recipient routing order.

How to set the signing order in Docusign

When you need multiple signatures on your documents, Docusign eSignature lets you control exactly when each recipient receives your envelope. This is especially useful when approvals must happen in a specific sequence or when certain signers need to review the document simultaneously.

When you click Add Recipients, you'll see a visual representation of your routing order before sending.

Sequential signing (one-by-one)

With "Set signing order" enabled, you can route your document to recipients one after another. Each recipient automatically receives an email notification only after the previous signatory has completed their action.

For example, an employee signs first, then it routes to a manager for approval and finally to your finance team. You can even route a document to the same person multiple times at different stages.

Parallel or mixed routing

You're not limited to strict sequential order. Docusign allows you to combine parallel and sequential routing in the same envelope. For instance, one person can sign first, then the document routes to multiple recipients simultaneously.

If you disable "Set signing order" entirely, all recipients will receive the document in parallel. You can also enable responsive signing for mobile devices, and apply signing order when you use a template.

How to change or remove a signing order in Docusign

Change signing order before sending

You can adjust the routing order whilst preparing your envelope before you send it to recipients. Here's how:

• Open your draft envelope and navigate to the recipients list

• Click the number next to each recipient's name and enter a new value to reorder them

• Review the visual representation to confirm the updated sequence before sending

Remove or edit after sending (Correct tool)

After your envelope is sent, you can still modify the signing order using the "Correct" function, provided recipients haven't yet signed. Here's the process:

• From the Manage tab, locate your envelope and select "Correct" from the actions menu

• Edit routing order numbers, or add or remove recipients who haven't completed their action

• Disable "Set signing order" entirely to switch all remaining recipients to parallel routing

Using templates with Docusign signing orders

Apply signing order in templates

When you create a template in Docusign eSignature, you can save a predefined routing order for recipients. This means every time you use that template, the signing sequence is already configured, saving you time on repetitive workflows.

Conga integration tips

If you use Conga Composer to send documents for signature, you can map recipient order through Docusign integration parameters to ensure signers receive the envelope in the correct sequence.

Docusign signing order not working? Quick fixes

Common issues

When your signing order isn't working as expected, the most typical causes are missing email notifications (recipients may not have received the envelope due to spam filters or incorrect email addresses) and an incorrect routing order (recipients are numbered in the wrong sequence or parallel signers have different numbers).

Troubleshooting steps

If you encounter issues, follow these quick steps to resolve them:

• Check recipient status:

  Review the envelope details to confirm which recipients have received and opened the document.

• Resend notifications:

  Use the "Resend" option to push the email notification to recipients who haven't received it.

• Use the "Correct" tool:

  If the routing order is wrong, apply the Correct function to adjust recipient details or sequence before all signatures are complete.