Consigne
Who signs first
When an order helps, when it gets in the way, and what happens if someone drops out.
When several people sign there are two ways to do it, and choosing wrong adds days for no gain.
| Mode | When to use it | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| All at once | Nobody depends on anybody: an agreement between equals | None. It is the fastest |
| In order | One must see the previous signature, or an authorised signatory validates last | Each signer waits for the previous one |
Important
In order, if one person stalls everything stalls. The rest do not even know the document exists, because it never reached them. If there is no real reason for an order, do not set one.
If someone drops out
A signer can be replaced without redoing the send: the new one takes their position and the circuit continues. What was already signed stays signed.
›Can I mix? Two at once, then a third.
Yes: signers are grouped by position, and within each position they go in parallel.
›Does the last one see the earlier signatures?
Yes, and that is usually the reason for an order.
›Can someone be skipped?
Yes, by removing them from the circuit. Who removed them and when is recorded.
A real case
The situation
A contract is signed by two partners and then validated by an authorised signatory.
What you do
- Puts both partners in position one, in parallel
- The signatory in position two
What you get
The partners sign the same day and the signatory closes the next, already seeing both signatures.
The situation
An order is enforced and the first signer is on holiday.
What you do
- Removes the ordering if it is not needed
What you get
The others sign meanwhile.
The situation
One signature must follow another for good reason.
What you do
- Defines the order only at that point
What you get
The circuit reflects the real procedure.
The situation
A signer drops out of the circuit.
What you do
- Replaces them and continues from where it was
What you get
There is no need to start over.
The situation
Everyone signs at once and there is version confusion.
What you do
- Confirms everyone signs the same document
What you get
There is a single final copy.
The situation
Nobody knows whose turn it is.
What you do
- Checks the status per signer
What you get
The right person is chased.
This article answers
- set a signing order
- everyone signs at once
- the second signer receives nothing
- sequential signing multiple people