How To Create a Template in DocuSign in 2020 Quick & Easy [VIDEO TUTORIAL]

Do you need to send the same type of envelope over and over again? If yes, learning how to create a template in DocuSign is a skill that can save you a ton of time and if you’ve sent a document via DocuSign before, the process is very similar.

 

Dynamic VS Static Documents

Before learning how to create a template in DocuSign, you need to understand the difference between a Static and a Dynamic document.

• A document is Dynamic if it contains information specific to your recipient (e.g. Employment Contract or NDA)
• A document is Static if the data DOES NOT contain information specific to your recipient (e.g. Subscription Agreement, loan application form)

The difference is very simple but important to understand because this is going to determine how you set up and use your template moving forward.

 

Example time!

Let’s say that you want to send agreements to a new client who wants to subscribe to your fund. You guessed it, it’s a static document.

 

How to Create a Template in DocuSign

Step 1: From the Templates page, Click New and select Create Template

Note: If you can’t see the Templates tab, contact your DocuSign administrator and ask them to update your user permissions. You will need Administrator or delegated template creation rights to create a template in DocuSign.

Step 2: Name your template and upload your document(s)

 

Step 3: Add Recipient(s), a placeholder(s), and signing the order

• ‘Placeholders‘ are one of the biggest differences between send an envelope and learning how to create a template in DocuSign. When sending an envelope with DocuSign (without a template), you only need to enter their name and email address.
• With templates, you will also find a placeholder field called ‘Role‘. The Role field, which is optional, can be used to represent a recipient who won’t be the same every time you will be using the template to send your document.
• For example, since you’ll be using the template to send agreements to different people, you can just enter ‘Subscriber‘ and ‘Co-Subscriber‘ in the ‘Role‘ field of the first and second recipients as you will send the template to different people every time you use it. When you later start an envelope using your template, you will fill in the actual person’s information for that role.
• Typically, you use placeholder roles for the recipients rather than named persons, as you will send the template to different people every time you use it. However, you should add the persons ‘name‘ and ‘email‘ if this person should always be included in the workflow of the template.
• For example, yourself, as the Fund Manager need to countersign the Subscription Agreement, you add your own details instead of just adding a placeholder so that you won’t have to do enter to do it every time you use your template. Set a signing order so that you ‘the manager‘ only receive the envelope when all other recipients have signed.

 

Step 4: Add an ’email subject’ and ‘message’ (Optional)

Here, you can specify a different email subject and message for each recipient. There’s also an ‘insert merge field’ feature that allows you to merge your recipients’ names and emails in the email subject. Unfortunately, this doesn’t work in the email message – which is a shame – but you can still use it to your advantage. As the Fund Manager, you might want to know who has signed the agreement without having to open the envelope. By adding the Subscriber’s name to the email subject, you will know who you’re about to countersign the agreement by looking at the subject line of your email inbox. Our clients think that’s really cool!

Step 5: Edit Advanced Options (Optional)

Although not required, it is highly recommended to customize the way the template is going to behave with senders and signers so that everybody gets the same experience. It might be a good option to prevent changes made to the template using a password too.

Step 6: Click Next

Step 7: Add fields

Just add the field(s) to your document(s) as you would when creating an envelope, then click Save and Close.

You’ve just Learned How to Create a Template in DocuSign!

The template is now available for you to use in the ‘TEMPLATES’ tab of your DocuSign account. Unless you share the template with others, it is only visible to you at this point. If you need help with this, contact us here or send an email to [email protected]