The Signer Experience: Consent, Signing, and Declining

When you send an envelope, each recipient gets their own secure signing session. Understanding what they experience helps you set expectations, answer their questions, and troubleshoot if they get stuck. This article walks the signer's journey and explains the consent and security steps that make the signature legally sound.

Opening the signing link

Each recipient receives a unique, secure link to their personal signing session. When they open it:

1. StretchContracts validates their signing token. If the link is invalid or has expired, they're told so and can't proceed — you'd need to resend or re-create the envelope.
2. If you protected them with an access code, they're prompted to enter it. After 5 wrong attempts in 15 minutes they're locked out for 15 minutes.
3. The session opens, and the first view is recorded in the audit trail (their status becomes viewed).

The recipient sees the envelope subject, your message, the document, and the fields assigned specifically to them.

Giving electronic-signature consent

Before anyone can sign, they must consent to sign electronically. This is the step that makes the electronic signature enforceable under electronic-signature law (aligned with UETA/ESIGN). The signer:

1. Reads the electronic-signature consent disclosure.
2. Affirmatively consents.

StretchContracts records the consent — including a consent-text version, the time, and the signer's IP address and browser — into the audit trail. If a signer declines to consent, they cannot sign; consent is mandatory.

Completing fields and signing

Once consent is given, the signer completes their assigned fields:

1. They fill in each field — signature, initials, date, any text or checkbox fields.
2. All required fields must be completed before they can submit. If any are missing, StretchContracts blocks submission and tells them what's outstanding.
3. If ordered signing is on and it isn't their turn yet, they're told earlier recipients must sign first.
4. They submit. Their status becomes signed, and the signature — with time, IP, and browser — is sealed into the audit trail.

When the last required signer submits, the envelope becomes completed and a completion certificate is generated automatically.

Declining to sign

A recipient who doesn't want to sign can decline, optionally giving a reason. Declining:

1. Records the decline and reason in the audit trail.
2. Moves the whole envelope to a terminal declined state.

Once declined, the envelope can't be signed. If the situation is resolved, you create a new envelope.

A realistic example

Marcus receives a link to sign a consulting agreement. He opens it, enters the access code his contact texted him, and the session opens (recorded as viewed). He reads the electronic-signature consent and agrees (recorded, with the consent version and his IP). He signs the signature field and fills the date field, but forgets a required "Company name" text field — StretchContracts won't let him submit until he completes it. He fills it in, submits, and his status becomes signed. He was the only required signer, so the envelope completes and a certificate is sealed. His contact sees the envelope flip to completed moments later.

Tips (for senders)

• Tell signers to expect a consent step. It's quick, but it's mandatory — reassure them it's the standard electronic-signature disclosure.
• Share access codes out of band. If you set a code, deliver it by phone or a separate message so a single intercepted email can't both open and sign.
• Make only truly necessary fields required. Every required field is a gate the signer must clear to submit.
• *Watch for viewed without signed.* A recipient who opened but didn't sign may be stuck on a field or waiting on consent — reach out.

FAQ

Does the signer need a StretchSuite account? No. They sign in their browser via the secure link; no account required.

Is the electronic signature legally binding? The flow is built around explicit, recorded electronic-signature consent aligned with UETA/ESIGN, and every step is sealed into a tamper-evident audit trail. For jurisdiction-specific questions, consult your counsel.

A signer's link expired — what now? Expired or invalid links can't be used. Void the old envelope if needed and send a fresh one.

Can a signer change their mind after signing? No. A submitted signature is final and sealed. If circumstances change, void or supersede the agreement with a new one.