Collect Digital Signatures Online
Use UnblockPDF to send PDF documents for signature, assign fields to each signer, verify access by email, and track the full signing process from one place. This workflow is built for documents that need multiple recipients, progress visibility, and encrypted server-side coordination rather than one-time local editing.
Why use this tool
- Send one document to multiple signers in a controlled order
- Assign signature, name, date, checkbox, and text fields per recipient
- Email verification before signing to reduce unauthorized access
- Track pending, in-progress, completed, and declined requests
- Encrypted document handling for multi-party server-backed workflows
- Useful for contracts, onboarding, sales paperwork, and admin approvals
How it works
Upload your PDF
Drag in the document that needs signatures.
Add signers & place fields
Name your signers, then place signature, date, and text fields on the right pages.
Send & track live
Each signer gets a verification email and signs online — you see the status in real time.
Built for real business workflows
- End-to-end encrypted document storage
- Email verification before each signature
- Full audit trail for every action
- Works for contracts, NDAs, offers, and HR docs
About this tool
The UnblockPDF eSignature tool provides a complete workflow for collecting digital signatures from multiple parties on a single PDF document. Unlike the browser-only PDF tools in the UnblockPDF suite, the eSignature workflow uses encrypted server-side processing because it must coordinate a multi-party signing process across different people, devices, and sessions over time. The workflow begins when you upload a PDF document and define the signing request. You add signers by entering their names and email addresses, then use the visual field placement interface to drag signature fields, name fields, date fields, checkbox fields, and text fields onto the specific pages where each signer needs to provide their input. Each field is assigned to a specific signer, so every participant sees only the fields designated for them. Once the request is sent, each signer receives an email invitation with a secure link to access the document. Before signing, recipients verify their identity through an email verification code, which reduces the risk of unauthorized access. Signers can review the full document before completing their assigned fields. They can draw, type, or upload their signature, and fill in any additional fields assigned to them. The request owner can monitor the signing progress from a dashboard that shows the status of each signer: pending, in progress, completed, or declined. The workflow supports sequential signing where signers complete their fields in a defined order, ensuring that each party sees the document with all prior signatures already in place. An audit trail records key events throughout the process, including when the request was created, when each invitation was sent, when each signer accessed the document, and when each signature was completed. This trail provides a chronological record of the signing process for documentation and accountability purposes. Common use cases include collecting signatures on employment contracts, client agreements, vendor onboarding documents, non-disclosure agreements, lease agreements, purchase orders, and internal policy acknowledgments. The completed signed document can be downloaded by the request owner once all signers have finished. The tool is suitable for many business and internal signature scenarios. However, for use cases that require advanced or qualified electronic signatures under regulations such as eIDAS, a certificate-based signing service may still be necessary.
Common use cases
Tips for best results
- Assign fields carefully to the correct signer before sending to avoid confusion and the need to resend the request.
- Use sequential signing order when later signers need to see prior signatures before adding their own to the document.
- After all signatures are collected, use the Flatten tool to permanently embed the signatures into the document content.
- For documents needing post-signature protection, download the completed PDF and apply password encryption with the Protect tool.
Good to know
This workflow provides standard electronic signatures suitable for business use. For legally mandated qualified electronic signatures, a certificate-based service is required.