Prevent fillable fields from being flattened

I have a test script that I need route for pre-approval.  This is a word document with multiple check boxes at each test step.  These boxes are to be completed by the tester during execution of the test script.  However, when we rout the document for pre-approval, the fields are flattened and no longer editable.  Is there a way to prevent this? Thanks in advance.

I have a test script that I need route for pre-approval.  This is a word document with multiple check boxes at each test step.  These boxes are to be completed by the tester during execution of the test script.  However, when we rout the document for pre-approval, the fields are flattened and no longer editable.  Is there a way to prevent this? Thanks in advance.

Hello @Millem04 ,

Welcome to the Docusign Community and thank you for posting your concerns!

I’m sorry to hear that your fields are being flattened, I understand you have a document with several check boxes that need to be pre-approved, can you clarify some information?

• How are you routing the document for pre-approval?
• Is the approver part of the signing order?
• If yes, are they set as a carbon copy or a needs to view?
• Do they need to have the ability to select the checkboxes as well as the signer or do they just have to view them??
• Are you looking for a way to allow them to edit the document before going to the signer?

Let us know if you need further assistance with this.

Best regards,

Nathaly | Docusign Community Moderator
"Select as Best" below if you find the answer a valid solution to your issue!

Nathaly, 

Thank you for helping!  To answer your questions.  

• I am routing this as an envelope (it is the only way I know how)
• The approvers are part of the signing order
• The are set as needs to sign (we do have CFR Part 11 authentication enabled)
• The approvers do not need to select the checkboxes, just to see them as part of the review and approval of the document.  Once the test script is approved, it will be executed by another user outside of docusign.  It is the user that executes that will need to select the various checkboxes.
• No.  We need a user to be able to edit after the signature workflow is complete.  

I tested a .dox version and when the docusign flow was complete, I downloaded the PDF, converted it back to Word, but the boxes were not usable.  I also tried using a fillable PDF version but docusign wanted the signer to complete the checkboxes.  

If it helps, I can provide a sample of a document.  Just let me know where to send it.

Michelle

could you take some screenshot for example?

attached are some screen shots

Hello @Millem04 ,

Thank you for clarifying.

It is recommended to have both the reviewer and the signer as recipients within the same envelope, this is due to the fact that if the document is sent to the reviewer and they are the only ones in the document you can not send it to someone else as the PDF becomes locked and no alterations can be made and if you send it for signature it can corrupt the document.

I suggest you use the following flow using signing order: Set a Signing Order

1. Reviewer - Needs to view
2. Signer - Needs to Sign

Please note that the reviewer will not see the checkboxes unless they were filled out by the sender prior to them getting the document and if the setting “When an envelope is sent, write the initial value of the fields for all recipients” is enabled by the admin under Settings > Sending Settings: Fields and Properties

Let us know if you need further assistance with this.

Best regards,

Nathaly | Docusign Community Moderator
"Select as Best" below if you find the answer a valid solution to your issue!

Hello @Millem04 ,

If you found my response to be a useful solution to your question, please mark it as the best answer by clicking “Select as Best” to make it easier for other users to find.

Best regards,

Nathaly | Docusign Community Moderator
"Select as Best" below if you find the answer a valid solution to your issue!