This article explains Electronic Signatures and covers the following areas:

• Overview of Electronic Signatures
• Send Documents for Signature 
• Configure Envelopes
• Signature Tracking Console
• Envelope & Recipient Statuses

Overview of Electronic Signatures

Class integrates with DocuSign as its electronic signature solution partner to provide a seamless and efficient way to get financial statements and compliance documents signed electronically.

Class reports can be sent for signature at the entity level, both for Single Reports or Report Packages.

Once a document has been sent for signature it will open up a Docusign screen where you can configure an envelope before sending it off for signing.

To start using Electronic Signatures someone in your business will need to complete this form first.

This video explains how to generate an envelope and send it for signature.

 

Send Documents for Signature

Class has pre-tagged signature fields for a number of reports. To save time, ensure the required signatories, e.g. trustees, members, and Tax Agents, have a valid email address recorded in their profiles in Class before sending a document for signature.

Single report 

Navigate to Fund Level > Reports > Run Report

1. Search and select the report
2. Review the parameters and settings 
3. Click on Send for signature
4. Follow the prompts to be redirected to DocuSign

Report pack

Navigate to Fund Level > Reports > Run Report Package

1. Search and select the report pack
2. Review the parameters and settings 
3. Click on Send for signature
4. Follow the prompts to be redirected to the DocuSign 

It can take up to a minute to generate a report package depending on the number of reports. The DocuSign screen will automatically generate once the report package is ready.

Once you click Send for Signature you may choose to come back to the report at a later point in time.  To resume the process, select the report or report pack and click on the Refresh button on the History tab, then click Continue with Draft button next to the relevant report. The history of the generated report is visible only to the user who generated it. Drafts not completed within 30 days will be deleted automatically. 

Configure Envelope

Once redirected to the DocuSign landing page, the request can be reviewed and other customisation performed, before sending out the 'envelope'. In DocuSign, an envelope is a container for documents that are sent to recipients for signing. An envelope can have one or multiple documents.

Available customisation:

Add documents to the envelope

You can: 

• Upload additional documents
• Change the display order of the documents in the envelope by drag and placing the documents in the desired order
• Download the Class document and fuse it with other external documents as a combined PDF and upload the combined PDF back to DocuSign without losing the pre-filled tags. 

Add Recipients to the envelope

You can:

• Set appropriate action for the recipient with the following:
  • Needs to Sign - the recipient must complete the required fields assigned to them, e.g. signature and date
  • Receives a Copy - recipient receives a copy, with no further action required
  • Signs with Notary - This option is not enabled
• Add access code for recipients by clicking Customise and select Add access code
• Add private message for the recipients
• Set signing order.  You can control the order in which people sign the document by ticking the 'Set signing order' checkbox and adjust the routing order as needed.
• You can add other recipients to create a workflow to meet your business need. 

Configure Email Messages

• Update the email subject
• Enter an email message that you would like the recipients to see

Configure automatic reminder, Expiration settings

This can be done via the Advanced Options. You should review and set this for each envelope you are sending. 

• Set automatic reminder
• Set document expiration dates
• Set if the mobile-friendly viewing with responsive signing option is allowed for the recipients

Click on Next to review and configure the tags/fields. 

Review and Configure signing fields

You can add, modify or delete signing fields as required. 

• Add additional signing fields by dragging the relevant fields on the left panel and place them on the document
• Delete the signing fields by dragging and dropping to the left panel or right-click the mouse and select delete
• You can also format the fields by selecting the fields and change the settings from the right panel

If there are multiple recipients, you can change the recipient from the dropdown on the top left corner then place the required fields for the selected recipient.

Once you finish adding documents, recipients, messages and signing fields, you are ready to preview before sending the envelope. Use the options in the top navigation bar to preview, save, discard or send the envelope. 

To navigate other actions:

• Save a draft without sending, click ACTIONS and select SAVE AND CLOSE
• Cancel the envelope preparation and return to the Class signature tracking screen, click ACTIONS and select DISCARD
• Preview your recipients' experience, click RECIPIENT PREVIEW
• Send your envelope, click SEND

Once you send the envelope, your recipients receive an email notification, asking them to click the document link to review and sign.

Signature Tracking Console

After the envelope is created, you can track the status and manage the envelopes at the Business or Fund level Signature Tracking screen in the Class application. 

Navigation:

• Business level > Signature Tracking - You can see all the envelopes created across all entities
• Fund level > Fund > Electronic Signature > Tracking - You can see all the envelopes created for the selected entity

You can use the quick access filter on top of the Signature Tracking screen to make the search more effective. 

You can also drill down to each envelope by clicking the Report Name and view the status for each recipient of the envelope. 

Envelope and Recipient Statuses

The tables below define each status the action:

Envelope Status	Definition	Available actions under this status
Draft	For an envelope you created and then saved without sending. Draft envelopes are stored for 30 days from the date they were created. After 30 days, drafts are automatically deleted and removed from the Signature Tracking screens. You can track the expiry date for envelopes that are in the draft state.	Continue with Draft - You can retrieve and continue editing the information stored for the draft by clicking on the draft.   Delete Draft - You can delete the unwanted draft as needed. This will be done on the selected draft.  Delete all drafts - You can delete ALL the drafts on the Signature Tracking screen (either per fund or for the entire business) in one go.
Pending	The envelope has at least one recipient who has yet to complete their action.	Resend - to send a new email to all the outstanding recipients who haven't completed the required action. Recipients who have completed the required action e.g. viewed or signed the document will NOT receive the email.  Cancel request - to cancel all outstanding signing activities. Recipients who have not yet signed can no longer view or sign the document. Recipients who have either finished signing or whose turn it is to sign receive an email telling them the request is cancelled. You can record the reason for cancelling to be included in the email notification.
Rejected	One of the signatories declined to sign the document.
Signed	All the recipients have completed their required actions. The download option becomes available for the signed envelopes.	Download the signed documents in the following two format Combined PDF - The signing file and the Certificate of Completion will be downloaded as a single PDF.  Separate PDFs - The signing files and the Certificate of Completion will be downloaded as separate PDFs.
Cancelled	The envelope is cancelled by the Class user before it was completed. Recipients can no longer view or sign the document. Expired requests will also be cancelled automatically.
Authentication Failed	At least one signatory has failed the authentication check. You can resend the request to the recipients, which gives the signatories another chance to access and pass the authentication.	Resend - to send a new email to all the outstanding recipients who haven't completed the required action. It will also give the recipients another chance to pass the authentication. Recipients who have completed the required action e.g. viewed or signed the document will NOT receive the email.  Cancel request - to cancel all outstanding signing activities. Recipients who have not yet signed can no longer view or sign the document. Recipients who have either finished signing or whose turn it is to sign receive an email telling them the request is cancelled. You can record the reason for cancelling to be included in the email notification.

 

Recipients Status	Definition
Pending	The recipient has not completed their required action.
Viewed	The recipient has viewed the document.
Rejected	The recipient has declined to sign the document. This will void the entire request.
Signed	The recipient has signed the document.
Delivery Failed	The recipient's email system has sent back an auto-response (bounced-back). You may want to cancel the request and obtain and update the correct email address in Class for that recipient and regenerate the signature request.
Authentication Failed	The recipient has failed the authentication check by having too many failed attempts of the access code. You can resend the request to the recipients, which gives the signatories another chance to access and pass the authentication.

What's Next? 

Read the Electronic Signature FAQ

Configure White Labels for Electronic Signature

Set up Notifications for Electronic Signatures