Overview
FullFabric's DocuSign integration allows you to collect electronic signatures on letters and contracts. You can now define multiple signatories beyond just the applicant, enabling complex approval workflows where program directors, guarantors, co-signers, or other parties need to sign documents in sequence.
Staff and candidate process for signing letters
Single signatory process:
1. Staff go to a candidate profile and manually create a letter with electronic signature merge fields
2. Staff copy the link to the letter in Docusign and paste it into an email and send it to candidates
3. Candidates click on the link and sign the letter in Docusign
4. Staff can see whether letters have been signed or not from the candidate's profile
New! Multi-party signatures:
1. Staff create a letter and define multiple signatories (name and email for each person)
2. Staff click "Request Signatures"
3. DocuSign automatically sends emails to each signatory in sequence
4. Each person receives their signing request after the previous person signs
5. Staff can track signature status for all parties from the candidate's profile
Please read the rest of the article to learn more on each step of the process!
Select specific letters for signature in application forms
You can now allow candidates to sign any specific letter directly through their application form. Select exactly which letter needs to be signed during the application process. This provides greater flexibility in your document workflows and allows for more customized applicant experiences based on their specific circumstances.
Set up an integration with Docusign
Please read the following article on how to set up an integration with Docusign - https://help.fullfabric.com/en/articles/9582658-esignature-with-docusign.
How to place digital signatures in your letter template
How to place digital signatures in your letter template
You can define where candidates need to sign a letter by adding merge fields for the digital signatures to the letter.
There are the following options for collecting digital signatures in Docusign:
Docusign signature option | Full Fabric letter merge field |
Candidates sign their full name | signature.full |
Candidates mark their initials | signature.initials |
Candidates add signing date | signature.date |
Candidates add signing location | signature.location |
About date and location fields:
signature.date - Automatically populated with the date when the candidate signs the document
signature.location - Creates a field for candidates to manually enter their signing location
Both fields are optional, giving you flexibility to choose which documents require this additional information
Please note that according to the nature of DocuSign integration, in order for the merge fields to not overlap with the signatures, the font colour of the merge fields should be the same as the background colour of the Microsoft Word document.
Please see example letter templates below with the merge fields. If using font size 12, please make sure to add 2 lines to give sufficient space for the Docusign signatures.
Letter template with signature merge fields in black font colour (for illustration purposes)
Letter template with signature merge fields in white font colour
How to create a letter with a digital signature for a candidate to sign
For staff to create a letter with a digital signature, they simply need to follow the normal process for creating a letter and go to the letters tab of the profile and create a letter.
Adding multiple signatories (NEW)
When creating a letter, you can now add multiple people who need to sign the document:
Step 1: Create the letter as normal from the candidate's profile
Step 2: Define who needs to sign by adding:
- Signatory name
- Signatory email address
You can add multiple signatories as needed (e.g., applicant, program director, guarantor).
Step 3: Click "Request Signatures"
DocuSign will automatically send email notifications to the first signatory (typically the applicant). After they sign, DocuSign routes the request to the next signatory in sequence, and so on until all parties have signed.
Single signatory process (existing workflow)
For letters with only one signatory (the applicant), you can continue using the existing process:
1. Create the letter from the candidate's profile
2. Copy the Docusign link
3. Paste it into an email and send it to the candidate
How do candidates and other parties digitally sign their letter in Docusign?
Each signatory receives an email from DocuSign with a link to sign the letter. When they click on the link, they are redirected to Docusign where they can sign the letter in the specified locations.
For multi-party signatures:
The first signatory (typically the candidate) receives the initial email from DocuSign
After the first party signs, DocuSign automatically sends an email notification to the next signatory in sequence
Each person receives their signing request only after the previous person has completed their signature
This continues until all parties have signed
How do candidates digitally sign their letter in Docusign?
When candidates click on the Docusign link to the letter, then they are redirected to Docusign where they can sign the letter in the specified locations.
After candidates finish the process in Docusign they are redirected to your Full Fabric portal homepage.
How do I know if candidates have signed their letter in Docusign?
You can configure Docusign so that when candidates sign a letter, you will receive an automated email notification.
In Full Fabric:
The signature status column in the letters tab shows the current signing status
For multi-party signatures, you can track which parties have signed and who is pending
Use Cases
Scenario 1: Enrollment contracts requiring program director approval
When an applicant accepts an offer, they sign an enrollment contract first. After their signature, DocuSign automatically notifies the program director to add their signature, completing the enrollment process without manual coordination.
Scenario 2: Financial agreements with guarantors
For tuition agreements requiring a guarantor or co-signer, the applicant signs first, then DocuSign routes the request to the guarantor automatically, ensuring proper sequence and documentation.
Scenario 3: Consortium agreements with multiple institutions
When letters involve multiple institutional representatives, define all signatories upfront and let DocuSign manage the sequential routing without staff intervention.