---
title: "Approval and Signature Process Templates"
slug: "approval-and-signature-process-templates-3"
updated: 2026-10-29T17:01:15Z
published: 2026-10-29T17:01:15Z
canonical: "wiki.cobblestonesoftware.com/approval-and-signature-process-templates-3"
---

> ## 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.

# Approval and Signature Process Templates

**COBBLESTONE SOFTWARE**

Contract Insight — User Guide

**Approval and Signature Process Templates**

*Document Templates Management › E-Approval Flow/Groups › Approval and Signature Process Templates*

**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

Approval and signature flows are attached to document templates in two ways. A template can carry its own approval or signing steps, or it can follow a shared **process template** managed under **Administration → Approval & Signing Processes** ("Routing that many document templates can share, instead of each carrying its own"). Changes to a shared process apply to every template that follows it.

The **Administration → Document Templates** grid shows **Approvals** and **Signatures** columns for each template, reporting Off or On with a step count (for example, "On · 3 steps"), so a template's process configuration is visible without opening it. Clicking **Open** on a template row edits its full configuration, including these flows.

# 2. Key Elements

- **Document Templates grid:** **Approvals** and **Signatures** columns show Off/On and the number of steps for each template.
- **Approval & Signing Processes page:** lists every shared process with its **Process** name, **For** (record type), **Kind** (Approval or Signing), **Steps**, **Templates** (how many templates follow it), and **Status**. Use the **All**, **Approval**, and **Signing** buttons to filter the list.
- **New process:** creates a shared process with a **Name**, **Description**, **For**, **Kind**, and **Available to attach to templates**.
- **Manage:** opens a process to **Rename** or **Delete** it, and to add and edit its steps (**Add step**, then **Edit**, **Signer**/**Participant**, **Rules**, **Copy**, **Delete** on each step).
- **Template's Approvals & signing step:** where a template is switched to follow a shared process, from the **Approval process** or **Signature process** list.

# 3. Checking a Template's Approval and Signature Status

1. From the Contract Insight homepage, click the **Administration** icon at the bottom of the left navigation bar.
2. Search for or click **Document Templates**.
3. Scroll the grid to the right to see the **Approvals** and **Signatures** columns. Each shows **Off**, or **On** with the number of steps in that template's flow.
4. Use the **Search** box or column filters to find a template, then click **Open** on its row to change its flows (see Section 7).

![Document Templates grid with Approvals and Signatures columns highlighted](https://cdn.document360.io/e3626857-1fb5-4e27-b278-2d3fc5508be4/Images/Documentation/01-doc-templates-approvals-signatures.jpg)

# 4. Navigating to Approval & Signing Processes

1. From the Contract Insight homepage, click the **Administration** icon at the bottom of the left navigation bar.
2. In the **Search administration** box, type **Approval** (or scroll to the **Templates & Presentation** category).
3. Click the **Approval & Signing Processes** card.

![Administration page with Approval and Signing Processes card highlighted](https://cdn.document360.io/e3626857-1fb5-4e27-b278-2d3fc5508be4/Images/Documentation/02-admin-approval-signing-processes.jpg)

The **Approval & Signing Processes** page lists every shared process. Use **All**, **Approval**, or **Signing** to filter by kind, or the **Search** box to find a process by name.

![Approval and Signing Processes list](https://cdn.document360.io/e3626857-1fb5-4e27-b278-2d3fc5508be4/Images/Documentation/03-processes-list.jpg)

# 5. Creating a Process Template

1. On the **Approval & Signing Processes** page, click **+ New process**.
2. In the **New process** window, enter a **Name** (for example, Standard Legal Approval).
3. Optionally enter a **Description**.
4. Select the record type the process is **For**: Contracts, Counterparty, E-Procurement, Employees, Purchase Orders, or Requests.
5. Select the **Kind**: **Approval** or **Signing**.
6. Leave **Available to attach to templates** selected so templates can follow this process.
7. Click **Save** to create the process, or **Cancel** to close the window without saving.

![New process window](https://cdn.document360.io/e3626857-1fb5-4e27-b278-2d3fc5508be4/Images/Documentation/04-new-process-dialog.jpg)

# 6. Managing a Process Template's Steps

1. On the **Approval & Signing Processes** page, click **Manage** on the process's row.
2. Review the banner at the top: it lists every template that follows this process. Changes here apply to all of them.
3. Click **Add step** to add another step to the flow. Steps run in order; people within a step act in parallel.
4. Use the buttons on each step to **Edit** it, add a **Signer** (or **Participant** on an approval process), set **Rules**, **Copy** it, or **Delete** it. See 2. Adding An Approval Group for the step and participant fields.
5. Use **Rename** or **Delete** at the top of the page to rename or remove the whole process.

![Managing a process template and its steps](https://cdn.document360.io/e3626857-1fb5-4e27-b278-2d3fc5508be4/Images/Documentation/05-manage-process-steps.jpg)

**Note:** A process's steps cannot be changed from a template that follows it; they are read-only there. Open the process from this page (or with the **Open the process to change them** link on the template) to make changes.

# 7. Attaching a Process Template to a Document Template

1. Navigate to **Administration → Document Templates** and click **Open** on the template.
2. Click step **3 Approvals & signing**.
3. Select the **E-Approvals** or **E-Signatures** tab, depending on the kind of process.
4. Make sure **Use E-Approvals** or **Use E-Signatures** is **Enabled**. On the E-Signatures tab, select **Allow direct signing** if needed.
5. Choose the shared process from the **Approval process** or **Signature process** list. Choose **- none -** to stop following a process.
6. Click **Save approval settings** or **Save signature settings**.

![Template E-Signatures tab with Signature process selected](https://cdn.document360.io/e3626857-1fb5-4e27-b278-2d3fc5508be4/Images/Documentation/06-template-attach-process.jpg)

Once saved, the process's steps appear under **Who signs, and in what order** (or **Who approves, and in what order**) as read-only, with a link to open the process.

# 8. Quick Reference Summary

| Task | Where / How |
| --- | --- |
| See which templates use approvals or signatures | Administration → Document Templates → **Approvals** and **Signatures** columns |
| Open the shared process list | Administration → search **Approval** → **Approval & Signing Processes** |
| Create a process template | **+ New process** → Name, For, Kind → **Save** |
| Change a process's steps | **Manage** → **Add step** / step buttons |
| Rename or delete a process | **Manage** → **Rename** or **Delete** |
| Make a template follow a process | Template → step **3 Approvals & signing** → E-Approvals or E-Signatures → choose the process → **Save** |