Signature workflow for a contract request

  • Release version: Yokohama
  • Updated January 30, 2025
  • 6 minutes to read
    • Summarize
    Summarized using AI
    This content was generated using new OpenAI-powered functionality. Results are provided on an as is basis and are not guaranteed to be accurate or complete.

    Summary of Signature workflow for a contract request

    Contract Management Pro supports both electronic and wet (manual) signature workflows for contract requests, allowing ServiceNow customers to efficiently manage contract approvals and signings within their organization. Customers can choose the signature type depending on their requirements, including generating certificates of completion for electronic signatures.

    Show full answer Show less

    Electronic Signature Workflow

    • The finalized contract document is sent to signatories electronically, updating the contract status to Awaiting Signature.
    • Signatories receive an email with a link to sign via integrated providers like DocuSign or Adobe Acrobat Sign.
    • Signatories’ fields (Name, Title, Email) are dynamically populated by the signature provider during signing.
    • Signatories can either sign or decline the document:
      • If all signatories sign electronically, the contract status updates to Contract Signed, and the signed document is attached to the contract repository. Multiple documents are split and attached by contract type.
      • If one or more signatories opt for wet signatures, the signed PDF is uploaded manually, the workflow continues with remaining signatories, and the signature type updates to Mixed signature. The process concludes with repository attachment and contract status update.
      • If the document is declined, the status changes to Signing Declined, and a notification is sent to the requester. The document can be resent for signature.
    • Change management for contract requests is supported, allowing contract users or fulfillers to submit change requests and resend updated documents for signature.
    • A system property can be enabled to generate and attach a certificate of completion upon contract execution.

    Wet Signature Workflow

    • The contract document is sent as a PDF attachment via email to signatories, with status updated to Awaiting Signature.
    • Signatories print, manually sign, and return the document to the contract fulfiller for upload.
    • The contract fulfiller manages the upload and sends the document to remaining signatories until all have signed.
    • Signatories can also decline, triggering collaboration to finalize the document before resubmitting.
    • Upon completion, the signed document is added to the repository and the contract status updates to Contract Signed or Closed complete for self-served contracts.

    Modify Signatories During Signature Workflow

    • Customers can add, remove, edit, or reorder signatories while the signature workflow is paused.
    • This feature applies to wet signatures and electronic workflows that integrate with DocuSign.
    • Modification pauses the workflow for a configurable duration; if not resumed within this time, changes are reverted.
    • Once modifications are complete, the workflow can be resumed, and signature request emails are sent accordingly.

    Contract Document Access and Management

    • Access is role-based:
      • Contract fulfillers can view and update documents.
      • Contract administrators can delete documents.
      • Requesters can view documents related to their requests.
      • Users on the watch list can view documents for contract requests they added.
    • During repository creation, field validations occur; errors trigger email notifications to contract fulfillers for correction.
    • Manual upload of wet-signed documents is supported when required.
    • Contract fulfillers can resend signature requests or cancel the signature process if necessary.

    Contract Management Pro supports electronic signature or wet (manual) signature for a contract request.

    Electronic signature workflow

    • Send the finalized document to the signatories for signing.
      • The state and contract status updates to Awaiting Signature and the electronic signature flow is triggered as configured in Configure an e-signature provider.
      • An email notification that the contract document is available for signature is sent to the first signatory. The email contains a link to the contract document that the signatory can open and sign the document through the Docusign or Adobe Acrobat Sign electronic signature provider.

        The signatories will receive signature request email according to the order set in the signatories tab.

      • The signatory fields—such as Name, Title, and Email—are not pre-filled in the contract document before it is sent for signature. These fields will be populated by the electronic signature provider when the signatory access the document to sign it.
    • Signatories can sign or decline the contract document.
      Table 1. Signatories action on the contract document
      Signatories action Workflow
      All the signatories choose to do an electronic signature
      • First signatory signs the contract document

        If there is more than one signatory,the contract document is sent to the next signatory in the order.

        The status of the current signatory in the request updates from Pending Signature to Signed. The status of the next signatory updates from Not Started to Pending Signature.

      • After the last signatory has signed the document, the contract repository record is created and the signed document is attached to it.

        For contract requests containing multiple contract documents, the signed contract document is split into individual documents and attached to the contract repository record for the respective contract type.

        The state of the requests updates to Contract Signed.
      One or more signatories decide to do a wet signature
      • One or more signatories decided to do a wet signature instead of electronic signature.
      • The wet signed contract document in PDF format is shared with the contract fulfiller.
      • The contract fulfiller uploads the signed document, selects the signatories who have shared the wet signed contract document and proceeds with the signature worklow by sending the document to the next signatories.

        The status of the signatory in the request updates from Pending Signature to Signed. The status of the next signatory updates from Not Started to Pending Signature. The signature type is updated to Mixed signature after all the signatories have signed the document.

      • After the last signatory has signed the document, the contract repository record is automatically created and the signed document is attached to it.

        For contract requests containing multiple contract documents, the signed contract document is split into individual documents and attached to the contract repository record for the respective contract type.

        The state of the requests updates to Contract Signed.

      The document is declined by the signatory.

      		 An email notification that the signer has declined to sign the document is sent to the requester.

      The Signatory status in the request updates to Declined.

      The State changes to Work in progress and the Contract status changes to Signing Declined.
      The contract document is resent for signature.

      For contract request fulfilled by the contract user: A contract user can submit a change request. The contract fulfiller works on the change request and sends the updated document back to the contract requester. The updated contract document is sent for signature by the contract user.

      For contract request fulfilled by contract fulfiller: The contract fulfiller creates a document revision manually or by using regenerate option and resends the document for signature.

      If the system property sn_cm_core.enable_executed_contract_audit_certificate is set to true, the certificate of completion is generated and attached to the contract repository record.

    Wet signature workflow

    • Send the finalized document to the signatories for signing.
      • The state and contract status are updated to Awaiting signature.
      • An email notification is sent to the first signatory in order and the contract documents are attached as PDFs in the email.

        The current signatory is placed in the To field of the email. The contract fulfiller, the person who opened the contract, the person for whom the contract was requested, and the initiator of send for signature action are placed in the CC field.

    • Signatories accept or decline the document.
      Table 2. Signatories action on the contract document
      Signatories action Workflow
      The current signatory accepts the document and there are pending signatories
      • The signatory prints the contract document,signs it, and then returns it to the signature requester.
      • On receiving the signed contract document, the contract fulfiller uploads the signed contract and sends the document to the pending signatories.

      The signatory declines the document

      		 The signatory sends the document back to the requester for necessary correction. The signatories and the contract fulfiller can collaborate and finalize the contract document.
      All the signatories have signed the document
      • On receiving the contract document signed by all the signatories, contract fulfiller uploads the signed contract document in PDF format.
      • The contract document is added to the repository after it is uploaded.

      For self-served contracts, the state of the request updates to Closed complete and the contract status updates to Contract signed.

      For non-self-served contracts, the state of the request and the contract status updates to Contract signed. To close the contract request, select Close complete.

      For more information, see Upload a manually signed contract document.

    Modify signatories when the signature workflow is in progress

    Modify Signatories options enables you to add, remove, edit, or reorder pending signatories  while a signature workflow is in progress. Initiating this action pauses the signature workflow  for a duration defined by the system property  maximum_signature_pause_duration. To continue the signature workflow after making changes, use the  Resume Signature  option to resume the workflow.

    The workflow might progress as follows:
    • Use Modify signatories option to modify the signatories.
    • Add, remove, modify, or reorder signatories.
      Note:
      • For signature block-based contract templates, you can add, modify, remove, and reorder actions, whereas for participant based templates, only modify and reorder actions are enabled.
      • Modify signatories option is available in wet signature workflow and Electronic signature workflow with Docusign electronic signature provider integration.
    • Select Resume signature to resume the signature workflow once modifications are complete.
      Note:
      If the signature workflow is not resumed within the configured time duration, any changes made to the signatories are reverted, and the signature workflow resumes from its previous state.
    • Signature request email notifications are sent to the signatories.
    • After the last signatory has signed the document, the contract repository record is created and the signed document is attached to it.
    For more information, see Modify signatories and Resend signature request.

    Contract document access

    Access to a contract document is based on the following user roles and conditions:
    • A contract fulfiller can view and update contract documents
    • Only a contract administrator can delete contract documents.
    • Requesters can view only the contract documents for which they submitted the contract request.
    • Users added to the watch list can view only contract documents for contract requests they have added.

    While generating the contract repository record, mapped fields and their values are validated for data type and correctness. If validation errors are found, an email notification is sent to the contract fulfiller. The email also displays the list of fields that haven’t been copied into the final contract document and the link to the contract repository record. The fulfiller then opens the record using the link and corrects the values to resolve the validation errors.