Last modified: 2024-04-19

Managing Recipients

A transaction is an e-signature process within OneSpan Sign. A transaction usually contains: (1) up to ten documents; (2) one or more recipients. The sender of a transaction therefore generally performs the following procedures: Creates a Transaction > Adds Documents > Adds Recipients > Prepares the Documents for Signing.

Each document transaction and each transaction template contains one or more recipients.

This section discusses the following aspects of managing recipients for transactions and templates:

Adding recipients to a Transaction

You can add up to 30 recipients to a transaction.

To add recipients to a transaction:

  1. Locate the appropriate transaction on the Dashboard or using the Quick Find search field.
    • In the Lightning Experience, click the drop-down arrow beside the transaction and click Edit.
    • In the Classic UI, click Edit beside the transaction name.
  2. Click Add Recipient in the Recipients section of the Transaction Edit page.

    The Transaction Owner is always added to the list of recipients as a default recipient. Each additional recipient is also assigned a role by default.

  3. Select one of the following from the drop-down menu in the Type column:

    Manually changing the email address does not change the email address in the contact itself. Instead, manually changing an email will automatically cause the Lookup field to change to External Email.

    • Contact: Specify a name, email address, and phone number for the recipient.
    • Phone numbers must contain 10 digits plus an extension number.

    • External Email: Specify a first name, last name, email address, and phone number for the recipient.
    • User: Specify a name, email address, and phone number for the recipient.
    • Lead: Specify a name, email address, and phone number for the recipient.
    • Group: Select a name and email address for the group from the drop-down menu.
    • Groups must be created using OneSpan Sign. For more information, see Managing Groups.

  4. Repeat the above steps for each additional recipient you want to add.

Recipient Authentication

Before OneSpan Sign provides access to a document transaction, each recipient must be authenticated as an intended recipient. The Transaction Owner chooses the Authentication Method for each recipient when they add the recipient to the transaction. Different methods can be chosen for different recipients.

The rest of this section discusses:

Authentication Methods

The authentication methods that are available for you to choose are dependent on the authentication methods that have been granted to you, as a user, by your administrator. Not all of these authentication methods may be available to you. If you do not see one of them, contact our Support Team. The following basic Authentication Methods may be available for all recipients:

  • None: This is the default Authentication Method. The identity of a recipient is verified by their ability to access the invitation email sent by OneSpan Sign. This method depends on the security of the email system. The Q&A and SMS methods provide more security.
  • Q&A: This method requires the Transaction Owner to define one or two questions and answers that the recipient must answer. If the recipient can provide the correct answers, they are verified as the intended recipient. Senders can choose to mask the answers provided by the recipient, so that each character in the answer will appear on the recipient's screen as an asterisk (*).
  • For a recipient who is a Salesforce User, Contact, or Lead, the Transaction Owner can select information stored in Salesforce about the recipient, and use that information as an answer.

  • SMS: When the Transaction Owner selects this method, they must provide the number of the recipient's mobile phone. OneSpan Sign will send a code to that number when the transaction is sent. The identity of the recipient is then verified by their ability to provide that code when they try to access the transaction.
    • Phone numbers can contain the extension number. The characters +, -, and ( ) are accepted as well.
    • International phone numbers are also supported. To dial internationally, dial [+][Country Code] [Area Code] [Phone Number].

    Signing With a Personal Certificate

    If Personal Certificate Signing has been enabled and configured on your OneSpan Sign account users can sign transactions using a digital certificate that resides on a Smart Card or hardware token. To enable this, select Personal Certificate in the in the Signing Method drop-down of the Recipients section.

Unlocking Recipients

If a recipient fails to authenticate themselves too many times (three), they may be locked out of the system.

When a recipient becomes locked out:

  • They are notified that they will not be able to authenticate themselves and can not subsequently sign documents until they have been unlocked.
  • The Transaction Owner is notified that a recipient has been locked out (on the Transaction Detail page in the Recipients section, under Action).

To unlock a recipient who has become locked out:

  1. Click Unlock Recipient next to the recipient's name. A message asks you to confirm that you want to unlock the recipient.
  2. Click Confirm. The recipient becomes unlocked, so they can once again try to authenticate themselves.

Another event that unlocks locked recipients is the resending of a transaction by the Transaction Owner.

Defining a recipient Workflow

By default, recipients can sign in any order. If you want them to sign in a specific order, you must define a recipient workflow.

To define a recipient workflow:

  1. In the Recipient section, select the box Enforce Signing Order.
  2. Under the Action column, click the crossed arrows one at a time and drag each recipient up or down the list until they occupy the desired place in the recipient order. You can also enter a signing order in the appropriate field.

To create Recipient Groups, enter the same number for every recipient that you would like to include in the group. For example, if you enter "1" beside three different recipients those three recipients will be required to sign before the transaction continues to those recipients marked as "2".

In-Person Signing

Documents in a transaction can be signed on the same device by the Transaction Owner and by all other recipients. This is called "in-person signing".

For example, suppose a life-insurance agent visits a couple in their home, using a mobile device such as a tablet. The agent can prepare an insurance transaction during his meeting with the couple. Both the agent and the couple can e-sign all relevant documents during their one meeting.

By default, the first recipient is the Transaction Owner. After that person has signed, each subsequent recipient must in turn:

  1. Accept an affidavit that confirms their identity.
  2. Read and accept the Electronic Disclosure and Signature Consent Agreement.
  3. Sign.

Tracking Signing Status

For a given transaction, this feature enables a user to see the Signing Status of each user: (1) from the Transaction page; (2) from the Related List on an object that is related to the transaction.

Possible values for the Signing Status include:

  • Not Signed: For transactions where the Transaction Status is Draft
  • Waiting for signature: For transactions where the Transaction Status is Prepared, Declined, Opted-out, or Expired
  • This recipient is locked: For a recipient who has been locked out, due to too many failed authentication attempts
  • No signature is required: For a transaction with no required Signature Blocks (e.g., a Reviewer)
  • All documents are signed: For a transaction in which all Signature Blocks have been signed

Deleting recipients from a Transaction

To delete a recipient from a transaction:

  • Under the Action column, click X next to the name of the recipient .

Changing Recipients

The Change Recipient feature enables a recipient to delegate their signature to another recipient. The delegating recipient must provide the email address and full name of the delegate. Optionally, the delegating recipient can also provide an email message for the delegate. Both recipients are notified of the recipient change, and are copied on the email message. If a recipient has delegated their signature, the transaction creator is also informed.

The rest of this section discusses:

Permitting Signature Delegation

A transaction's creator can specify which recipient will be permitted to delegate their signatures on the transaction.

To permit a recipient to delegate their signature:

  • In the Recipients section of a transaction or a template, select the Change Recipient check box next to the recipient's name. The recipient will be able to delegate their signature multiple times.

Although the Change Recipient check box is always visible, it is not applicable to Transaction Owners, Template Owners, or Recipient Placeholders.

Delegating Your Signature

This section is relevant only for recipients who are permitted to delegate their signature (see Permitting Signature Delegation).

To delegate your signature to another recipient:

  1. Open your invitation email, and click its Go To Documents link. The Consent Agreement page appears.
  2. Click Change Recipient at the top of the page. The Change Recipient dialog box appears.
  3. Type the new recipient's First Name, Last Name, and Email address. Optionally, type a Message to be emailed to the new recipient.
  4. Click OK. A Thank you message confirms that you have successfully delegated your signature to the new recipient.
  5. Click OK.
  6. The new recipient receives an invitation email, with a link to the documents to be signed. The email also contains the name and email address of the delegating recipient.

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