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Need recipients to sign in a specific sequence without slowing things down? Without clear routing, signers can stall the process. Use signing order in Docusign eSignature to control who signs when—sequentially, in parallel, or a mix—and preview the flow with the Signing Order Diagram before you send.
- Control recipient flow: send to everyone at once (parallel by default) or in a defined sequence
- Mix sequential and parallel steps to match real-world approvals
- Arrange recipients by dragging or typing numbers; numbering doesn’t have to be consecutive
- Catch issues early with the Signing Order Diagram and track status in the Signing Order tab
- Fix routing after send with Correct, including enabling signing order on a sent envelope
Example Use Case
Manager signs first (1), Legal and Finance sign in parallel (2), and the COO signs last (3). Legal and Finance can move as soon as the manager finishes, and the COO only sees the envelope when all required approvals are complete—keeping work moving while preserving control.
How to configure signing order
- In Prepare Envelope, add recipients in the order you expect to route.
- Turn on Set signing order.
- Arrange recipients: drag them into position or type routing numbers next to each recipient. Numbers don’t need to be consecutive.
- Mix sequential and parallel steps as needed: use unique numbers for sequential steps and the same number for parallel signers.
- Select View next to Set signing order to open the Signing Order Diagram and confirm the flow looks correct.
- Send the envelope. To monitor progress, open the sent envelope and select the Signing Order tab. If you need to adjust after sending, select Correct to update the order or enable signing order.
Video: Watch a walk-through of the topic
Follow along in a short demo to see setup, adjustments, and the diagram in action.
Best practices
- For urgent documents, prefer parallel signing where possible to avoid bottlenecks.
- Add recipients before you turn on Set signing order to minimize rearranging.
- Use non-consecutive numbers to insert additional recipients without renumbering the whole flow.
- Review the Signing Order Diagram before sending to catch routing gaps or unintended parallels.
- Document common routing patterns for your team to ensure consistency across envelopes.
- If you forget to enable signing order or need to change it after sending, select Correct to update the routing or turn on Set signing order.
Additional resources
Join the Conversation
How are you using signing order—sequential, parallel, or a mix? Share your routing strategies, numbering tips (e.g., 1, 2, 2, 3), and how you use the Signing Order Diagram to review flows. Post your questions and lessons learned in the comments—your insights help the community.