Counter-signing and completing a contract
After your client signs, add your counter-signature to move the contract from Signed to Completed. Your client can then download the completed PDF. If your saved signature was applied automatically, this step is already done.
Counter-sign a contract
- Open the contract. A banner reads Awaiting your signature with the date your client signed.
- Choose Counter-sign.
- Draw or type your signature, then choose Counter-sign and complete.
The contract becomes Completed. Your client gets an email titled "Contract fully signed" with a link to the completed contract, and the Download PDF button appears on their page.
Find contracts waiting on you
Your Home screen shows them under Needs attention as "N contracts waiting on you". You can also filter Documents → Contracts by Signed.
They're worth clearing promptly, because until you counter-sign:
- Your client can't download their PDF. Signed isn't enough for them.
- Only your client has committed on paper.
- The PDF has no certificate of completion yet. That page is added once the contract is Completed. See Downloading contract PDFs.
When contracts complete without you
Not every contract waits for a counter-signature. It depends on where the contract came from.
| Contract | What happens when your client signs |
|---|---|
| One you send yourself | Stops at Signed and waits for you |
| One you pre-signed | Goes straight to Completed |
| Inside a proposal, set to Sign manually | Stops at Signed and waits for you |
| Inside a proposal, set to Use saved signature | Your saved signature is added and it's Completed |
| On a booking service | Your saved signature is added and it's Completed |
Contracts on booking services always use your saved signature, because someone booking at midnight shouldn't have to wait for you to wake up. That's why a service won't take a contract until you've saved your signature.
When your saved signature completes a contract automatically, no "fully signed" email goes out. Your client sees the confirmation on screen as they sign.
Pre-signing a contract
If you'd rather sign first, open a sent contract and choose Pre-sign from its menu. Your signature appears on the contract when your client opens it, with a note that you've already signed. When they sign, it completes straight away.
Your signature doesn't hold up a booking
When a proposal creates a booking, the booking is created once your client has finished signing and paying. Your counter-signature isn't part of that. A contract sitting at Signed is paperwork to finish, not a blocked job. See What happens when a client accepts.
What your client sees
While the contract waits for you, your client's page shows a Signed badge and a line saying your business will counter-sign to complete it. Once you counter-sign, the badge changes to Completed, the band reads Fully executed, and the Download PDF button appears.
Frequently asked questions
Can I undo a counter-signature?
No. A counter-signature can't be undone. A completed contract is final, and neither side can change it. If the terms need to change, write a new contract and send it.
Why didn't my client get a "fully signed" email?
The "Contract fully signed" email only goes out when you counter-sign by hand. Contracts completed by your saved signature or a pre-signature don't send one, because your client sees the completed contract on screen as they sign.
What if the contract expires before I counter-sign?
If a contract expires before you counter-sign, it reads Expired, and your client's page explains that they signed but it lapsed before you counter-signed. Choose Reissue contract to send a fresh version.
Does counter-signing change my saved signature?
No. Counter-signing uses the signature you draw or type at that moment. Your saved signature only changes when you edit it under Settings → Business → Contract signature.