---
title: "Adding a Signature Group"
slug: "adding-a-signature-group-2"
updated: 2026-10-29T17:01:15Z
published: 2026-10-29T17:01:15Z
canonical: "wiki.cobblestonesoftware.com/adding-a-signature-group-2"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://wiki.cobblestonesoftware.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Adding a Signature Group

**COBBLESTONE SOFTWARE**

Contract Insight — User Guide

**Adding a Signature Group**

*Document Templates Management › E-Signature Flow/Groups › Adding a Signature Group*

**Note:** Each procedure in this guide begins at the Contract Insight homepage, so any section can be followed on its own. Custom fields are configurable, so the exact field list on a contract category record may vary between environments.

# 1. Overview

A signature group is the signature-process equivalent of an approval group: one step in a document template's signature flow, with its own named signer(s), defining who needs to sign at that stage before the process moves to the next step. In Contract Insight, signature groups are set up on a template's **Approvals & signing** step, on the **E-Signatures** tab, where they're called **signature steps**. The tab explains: "Signers are invited step by step - within a step they sign in parallel, across steps sequentially."

When a document is generated from the template, these steps become the groups shown in the running process's console (see *Approval Groups Grid*).

# 2. Key Elements

- A signature group (signature step) is one stage in a template's signature flow. Steps run in **Sequence** order.
- **Add step** opens the **Add signature step** form: **Step name**, **Description**, **Sequence**, **Set status on complete**, and **Reminders**.
- Each step names its signer(s). **Signer** on a step opens **Add a signer**, with **Signer source** (Employees, Roles & Groups, or Vendor/Customer Contacts), **Signer**, **Title**, **Reason**, and **Locked**.
- Each step row also offers **Edit**, **Rules**, **Copy**, and **Delete**.
- **Use E-Signatures** must be **Enabled** for generated documents to be routed for signature.

# 3. Navigating to a Template's E-Signatures Tab

1. From the Contract Insight homepage, click the **Administration** icon (sliders) at the bottom of the left navigation bar.
2. Under **Templates & Presentation**, click **Document Templates**.

![Administration page with Document Templates highlighted](https://cdn.document360.io/e3626857-1fb5-4e27-b278-2d3fc5508be4/Images/Documentation/01-admin-document-templates.png)

1. Locate the template (use the **Search** box if needed) and click **Open** on its row.

![Document Templates list with Search and Open highlighted](https://cdn.document360.io/e3626857-1fb5-4e27-b278-2d3fc5508be4/Images/Documentation/02-document-templates-list.png)

1. Click step **3 Approvals & signing**, then click the **E-Signatures** tab.
2. Confirm **Use E-Signatures** is checked (**Enabled**). Optionally check **Allow direct signing** or choose a shared **Signature process**, then click **Save signature settings**.

![E-Signatures tab with Approvals and signing step, E-Signatures tab, Enabled, Allow direct signing, Signature process, Save signature settings, Add step and step actions highlighted](https://cdn.document360.io/e3626857-1fb5-4e27-b278-2d3fc5508be4/Images/Documentation/sg-01-esignatures-tab.png)

**Note:** If E-Signatures is on but no signature process is selected, the tab notes that "generated documents will carry no signature flow."

# 4. Adding a Signature Group

1. On the **E-Signatures** tab, under **Who signs, and in what order**, click **Add step**. The **Add signature step** form opens below the existing steps.
2. Enter a **Step name** (for example, "Vendor Signature").
3. Enter a **Description** of who signs at this stage.
4. Confirm the **Sequence**. It defaults to the next number; steps with a lower sequence sign first.
5. Optionally choose a **Set status on complete** value to update the record's status when this step finishes (for example, "Out for Signature"), or leave **- No status change -**.
6. Optionally set **Reminders**: how many **days** after the invite to remind, and up to how many **times**. Leave blank for none.
7. Click **Save step**, or click **Cancel** to discard.

![Add signature step form with Step name, Description, Sequence, Set status on complete, Reminders, Cancel and Save step highlighted](https://cdn.document360.io/e3626857-1fb5-4e27-b278-2d3fc5508be4/Images/Documentation/sg-02-add-signature-step.png)

# 5. Adding Signers to the Group

1. On the step's row, click **Signer**. The **Add a signer to** form opens.
2. Choose the **Signer source**: **Employees**, **Roles & Groups**, or **Vendor/Customer Contacts**.
3. Select the **Signer** (for example, **Assigned Employee/User**).
4. Enter a **Title**. It must be unique per template, because the signature field binds to it.
5. Optionally enter a **Reason**.
6. Leave **Locked** checked so the signer can't be removed from a generated document, or clear it to allow removal.
7. Click **Add signer**, or click **Cancel** to discard. Repeat for each signer in the group. Signers in the same step sign in parallel.

![Add a signer form with Signer source, Signer, Title, Reason, Locked, Cancel and Add signer highlighted](https://cdn.document360.io/e3626857-1fb5-4e27-b278-2d3fc5508be4/Images/Documentation/sg-03-add-signer.png)

# 6. Managing an Existing Signature Group

- **Edit** — change the step's name, description, sequence, status on complete, or reminders, then click **Save step**.
- **Signer** — add another signer to the step.
- **Rules** — open the step's rules.
- **Copy** — duplicate the step.
- **Delete** — remove the step from the template's signature flow.

# 7. Quick Reference Summary

| Task | How to Complete It |
| --- | --- |
| Open a template's signature flow | Administration → Document Templates → Open → 3 Approvals & signing → E-Signatures tab. |
| Turn on E-Signatures | E-Signatures tab → Use E-Signatures: Enabled → Save signature settings. |
| Add a signature group | Add step → Step name, Description, Sequence → Save step. |
| Add a signer to a group | Step row → Signer → Signer source, Signer, Title → Add signer. |
| Change a group | Step row → Edit → Save step. |
| Duplicate or remove a group | Step row → Copy or Delete. |