Making an E-Signature Required or Optional

FAQ — Making an e-signature Required or Optional

What does it mean to mark an e-signature as "required" or "optional"?

Marking an e-signature as "required" means the assigned signer must complete that signature field before the signing process can be completed; marking it "optional" allows the signer to skip that specific field while still completing other required actions. For details on the signature content block settings in the Document Editor, see more information.

Where do I change a signature field from optional to required (or vice versa)?

In the Document Editor, select the e-signature content block you want to modify and update its required setting in the block properties. The signature block properties include the option to toggle whether the field is required for the assigned signer. See the e-signature content block documentation for interface details: more information.

Who can set a signature field as required or optional?

Users with permission to edit the document (for example, the document owner or users with Document Editor access) can change signature block settings, including whether a signature is required or optional. For role and permission context within the Document Editor, see more information.

How does a required signature affect the recipient’s signing experience?

A required signature enforces that the assigned recipient must complete that signature field before finishing the signing process. The recipient will be guided to the required fields during signing and will not be able to finalize the document until required signatures are completed. For more on the signing workflow, see more information.

Can I require signatures only for specific signers when multiple signers are involved?

Yes. Signature fields are assigned to specific signer roles or recipients; you can set each assigned signature field to required or optional individually so that some signers must sign while others may have optional fields. For details on assigning signature fields to recipients, see more information.

Will changing a signature field’s required setting affect an in-progress or already-sent envelope/document?

The user guide page focuses on configuring signature fields prior to sending. Changing signature requirements after sending may depend on the document workflow (for example, whether the document can be edited, recalled, or reissued). For guidance on managing sent documents and editing in-progress signatures, see the Document Editor and e-signature management topics: more information.

How can I verify required vs optional fields before sending a document?

Preview the document in the Document Editor and review each signature block’s properties to confirm which fields are set as required. The editor provides a properties panel for each content block that indicates whether the signature is required. For instructions on preview and block properties, see more information.

Are there visual indicators that show a signature field is required?

The Document Editor highlights field settings in the block properties so authors can identify required fields while preparing the document. Recipients are also prompted to complete required fields during signing. For specifics about editor visuals and signer prompts, see the e-signature content block documentation: more information.

Does setting a signature to optional affect audit logs or signature history?

Signed or skipped optional fields are recorded in the document’s audit trail according to the platform’s e-signature tracking. For details about the audit trail and signature history, review the Document Editor and e-signature documentation: more information.

Where can I find step-by-step help for configuring e-signature fields?

Step-by-step instructions for creating and editing e-signature content blocks, including setting required or optional status, are available in the e-signature content block user guide: more information.

Related user guides and references

Document Editor (interface, block properties and preview): more information

E-signature content block — creating and editing e-signatures (parent topic): more information

Main QuoteCloud User Guide index: more information