Forms functionality

Coming in June 2025!

Contact us to plan together how to utilise forms in your business.

With forms, the initiator of a signature request can complete the necessary information in a standardized contract before sending it for signing. Forms can also be used so that the signatory is asked to fill in the desired fields before signing the contract.

When a contract created in an external system according to a form template is attached to the signing process via the SignSpace Easy integration, its content is automatically read based on the fields defined in the form, and the information is pre-filled into the signature request. The signatories are assigned the necessary details from the form, such as email address, name, personal identification number, and phone number.

The contract's metadata can be automatically read from the document, and this information can be utilized, for example, in automatic archiving integrated into an external system or to facilitate the discovery of contracts in the SignSpace service.

Thanks to its flexibility, forms can be utilized in various business processes that require seamless integration between different systems and data collection from contracting parties at different stages of the process. Here are a few examples:

• Integrations: Together with the SignSpace Easy extension, forms enable the integration of signing processes into third-party tools without technical integration.

• Applications: Applicants can fill in the necessary information and attachments for the contract before signing.

• Internal approvals: Collecting information into standardized expense reimbursement, procurement, and project applications before signing.

• Test drive permits: With forms, test drive permits can be easily and reliably sent from the source system for signing without technical integration, which speeds up and streamlines the processing of driving permits.

How to create a new form

Open the Forms section from the top menu's form icon

Create a new form by selecting "+ New Form".

Start by uploading the PDF form template you want to use as the basis for the contract.

It is important to ensure that the form template file is standardized – meaning that the field information is entered and read from the same locations in the document each time.

Building the form

Building the form is done in the preview area by dragging fields from the right sidebar onto the form. Fields can be moved and edited as needed.

An example of building a form can be found in the section: Reading and automatically filling in signatory information.

Actors

Next, add an actor to the form. Actors are parties who perform actions in the signing process. The options are:

• Creator

• Signatory

• Robot

You can add actors by clicking the "Add Actor" button and selecting the actor type from the dropdown menu.

The table below presents the actors and their actions.

Actor	Action	Description	Requirements
Robot	Read metadata	The robot reads values from the specified fields in the PDF file and saves them to the metadata of the signature request	Used together with the SignSpace Easy extension
Robot	Read signatory information	The robot reads the signatories' information from the PDF file and fills them into the signature request	Used together with the SignSpace Easy extension
Signatory	Data entry	The signatory fills in the field information before signing	Information can only be collected from the first signatory
Creator	Data entry	The creator fills in the field information before sending the signature request	The creator adds the form to the signature request and fills it in before sending for signing

Robot as an actor

The robot is set as an actor when you are using the SignSpace Easy extension and need to read signatory information and/or metadata from a PDF document filled out in an external system according to a form template.

Reading and automatically filling in signatory information

When the action type is selected as "Read signatory information," the robot reads the signatory's information from the specified locations in the PDF file and automatically brings them into the signature request's signatory information.

First, select what information you want to bring into the signature request:

• Email

• Personal identification number

• Name

• Phone

Then, drag the fields that appear over the form template to the locations from which the robot reads the information.

In the example, the signatory's name, personal identification number, and email address are read and automatically filled into the signature request.

You can change the field size by dragging the edge of the box, and this is often necessary to ensure that the information is read from the entire area of the field. Exclude header texts from the field to prevent them from interfering with data reading.

Other definitions are made in the settings of the SignSpace Easy extension.

Automatic reading and saving of metadata

When the action type is selected as "Read metadata," the robot reads the texts of the fields from the specified locations in the PDF file and automatically saves them to the metadata of the signature request.

Select from the dropdown list the metadata fields into which you want to save information and place the fields on the form in the locations from which the information is read.

In the example, the driving permit number is read from the form and saved into the metadata field "Driving permission ID".

Signatory as an actor

When the signatory is set as an actor, the signatory is asked to fill in the information defined in the form before signing. Information can only be collected from the first signatory, as no changes can be made to the contract once signing has begun.

In the example form, the signatory is asked to enter the passport number and personal identification number before signing.

Fields can be added and removed through the edit menu.

The current version only supports text field entries. If you need, for example, radio buttons, checkboxes, lists, or date fields, please contact us.

Creator as an actor

The creator is set as an actor when you want to collect information from the initiator of the signature request before sending the contract for signing. The necessary fields are added to the form and placed in the locations where the information is to be presented in the document.

The form is available on the signature request creation form for those users to whom it has been shared.

Adding a form to a signature request

You can add forms to a new signature request like a file.

Click "Add Form" on the new signature request and select the desired form from the list:

If data entry into the fields is required, the form opens in the data entry view.

The user has added the form to the signature request and fills it in before sending it for signing.

All mandatory (*) fields must be filled in before sending is allowed.

Updating the form file

When changes are made to the content of the form's template file, it can be updated to a new version by selecting "Update File".

Form in a template

Forms can be added to templates like other files.

Font definition

The text type and size can be defined in the form settings (once the first actor is added). The setting applies to all fields in the form.