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Have you ever needed to send the same document to multiple recipients at one time? Docusign’s Bulk Send feature is designed to create individual envelopes for up to 1,000 recipients in one send. 

Bulk sending has many applications and uses, including workflows for agreements that don’t require a signature but need to, for example, only collect data. 

  • An HR Department sends the benefits package to 700 associates.
  • A Board of Directors needs to send an updated HOA agreement for 50 residents to sign.
  • A credit union sends a waiver to 300 auto loan customers to opt into a new loan payment program. 

Though bulk-sending is easy and efficient, preparation and planning are crucial before you click “send,” and 500 recipients receive your agreement. Here are some of our top tips for bulk-sending, along with some supplementary resources to make bulk-sending a breeze. 

 

 

⚙️ Prepare the agreement

 

Create an eSignature template and consider the following workflow and envelope attributes for your envelope. 

  • Authentication  - do recipients need another level of user authentication before accessing the envelope? 
  • Reminder and expiration schedule - do you want to remind recipients to sign after so many days? Is there a date when it’s too late to sign the agreement, so you need the envelope to expire automatically? 
  • Consider adding custom fields and merge fields to your template to make envelope management and tracking easier. 
  • Messages—Do you want the same email message for all recipients, or will some recipients receive private messages? 

 

🏗️ Assemble the CSV 

 

If you aren’t manually adding recipients (<10) and not pre-populating field data, the customized comma-separated values (CSV) file is your new best friend. The CSV is downloadable directly from your eSignature account. We recommend you review the supplementary learning and support resources below for a complete picture of editing your CSV; the following suggestions are a few of the most popular tips collected from Docusign users:  

  • Download the sample CSV associated with the template you’re working from.
  • Ensure there are no leading or trailing spaces in your data labels and columns.
  • If changes are made to the data labels on the template after you download the CSV, manually edit the CSV to match. 
  • Practice makes perfect. Use your eSignature Demo account to upload your CSV and identify any errors. Conduct tests with a small group of recipients to ensure the recipient experience meets your expectations. 

 

📩 Plan the Envelope Management Process

 

Whether you’re sending 70 envelopes or 700, it’s essential to set yourself up for success after the initial send. Develop a schedule and designate one or multiple users to monitor the status of your envelopes. Did recipients fail authentication, and if so, what happens next? Where do you want all of the agreements to be stored once they are completed? 

 

🧰 Additional Resources

 

If you are a bulk send novice or if you want to improve your skills, the following learning and support content has you covered: 

 

Docusign University

Complimentary Customer Courses:

Send Using eSignature Bulk Send | Bulk Send with the eSignature API

Best-practice Guides:

Bulk Sending Best Practices | Bulk Send Checklist 

 

Docusign Support Center

Bulk Send for Multiple Recipients

 

🤝 Share Your Experience

 

Help other Community members by sharing your bulk-sending tips. How did you effectively manage your envelopes? What are the reasons you are bulk sending instead of manually creating multiple envelopes? 

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