Document Expiration and Deadlines: Setting Time Limits

Create urgency and ensure timely completion by setting expiration dates on documents. This guide covers how expiration works, setting deadlines, automatic warnings, what happens when documents expire, and managing expired documents.

Prerequisites

• Account: Active BreezeDoc account
• Plan: Available on all plans (Free, Pro, Agency)
• Document: Created document with recipients
• Access: Document owner or editor role

What is Document Expiration?

Document expiration allows you to set a deadline after which recipients can no longer access or sign the document. This feature creates urgency, ensures compliance with time-sensitive agreements, and prevents signatures on outdated contracts. Key features:

• Universal Availability – Available on all BreezeDoc plans (Free, Pro, Agency)
• Automatic Access Blocking – Document links become inaccessible after expiration date
• Expiration Warnings – Automatic email alerts sent 3 days before deadline
• Flexible Deadlines – Set any future date as expiration date
• Optional Feature – Documents without expiration dates remain accessible indefinitely
• No Impact on Completed Documents – Expiration only affects unsigned documents

Why Use Document Expiration?

Create Urgency and Drive Action

• Prompt Response – Recipients prioritize documents with deadlines
• Psychological Motivation – Time limits encourage immediate action
• Prevent Procrastination – Clear deadlines reduce indefinite delays
• Business Velocity – Faster contract execution improves business operations

Compliance and Legal Requirements

• Offer Validity Periods – Ensure quotes and proposals have limited acceptance windows
• Regulatory Deadlines – Comply with legal time requirements for certain agreements
• Negotiation Limits – Enforce time limits during contract negotiations
• Audit Requirements – Demonstrate proper document lifecycle management

Prevent Execution of Outdated Documents

• Price Protection – Prevent acceptance of old pricing after rate changes
• Term Updates – Block signatures on contracts with obsolete terms
• Version Control – Ensure only current document versions are signable
• Policy Changes – Invalidate documents after policy updates

Operational Efficiency

• Resource Management – Know when to follow up or move on from stalled deals
• Pipeline Hygiene – Automatically expire old opportunities
• Reminder Automation – Expiration warnings serve as automatic final reminders
• Clear Communication – Set expectations with recipients about deadlines

Setting Document Expiration Dates

Step-by-Step: Set an Expiration Date

1. Log in to your BreezeDoc account.
2. Go to Documents and select the document you want to expire.
3. If creating a new document, proceed to the document editor or settings.
4. Look for Expiration Date, Deadline, or Document Settings section.
5. Click the Expiration Date field or calendar icon.
6. Select a future date when the document should expire (e.g., 7 days, 30 days, 90 days from now).
7. Click Save to apply the expiration date.
8. Send the document to recipients.
9. BreezeDoc automatically sends expiration warnings 3 days before the deadline.
10. On the expiration date, the document becomes inaccessible to recipients who haven't signed.

Best Practice: Set expiration dates BEFORE sending documents. While you can add expiration dates to already-sent documents, recipients benefit from knowing the deadline upfront.

Recommended Expiration Timeframes

• 7 Days: Urgent contracts, time-sensitive offers, emergency agreements
• 14 Days: Standard business contracts, service agreements, standard quotes
• 30 Days: Complex agreements requiring review, multi-party contracts, employment agreements
• 60-90 Days: Long-term negotiations, enterprise contracts, major business deals
• No Expiration: Evergreen templates, internal documents, non-time-sensitive agreements

Changing Expiration Dates

1. Open the document in Documents.
2. Go to document settings or expiration section.
3. Update the Expiration Date field with a new date.
4. Click Save.
5. Changes take effect immediately – recipients get additional time if you extend the deadline.

Note: You can extend expiration dates even after the original deadline has passed (to give recipients a second chance) or shorten them (to create more urgency).

Removing Expiration Dates

1. Open the document.
2. Find the Expiration Date field.
3. Clear the date field or select "No Expiration".
4. Click Save.
5. The document remains accessible indefinitely until all recipients sign.

Automatic Expiration Warnings

How Expiration Warnings Work

BreezeDoc automatically sends expiration warning emails to incomplete recipients 3 days before the deadline:

• Timing: Sent exactly 72 hours (3 days) before expiration date
• Recipients: Only sent to recipients who haven't completed signing
• All Plans: Available on Free, Pro, and Agency plans
• Single Warning: One warning email per recipient (not repeated)
• Urgent Tone: Email emphasizes upcoming deadline and urgency
• Automatic: No manual action required – system sends automatically

Expiration Warning Email Content

The warning email typically includes:

• Subject line indicating expiring document
• Document title and sender name
• Expiration date and time remaining (e.g., "Expires in 3 days")
• Direct link to sign the document
• Urgency message encouraging immediate action

When Warnings Are NOT Sent

• Already Signed: Recipients who completed their fields don't receive warnings
• Short Deadlines: Documents expiring in less than 3 days (no time for warning)
• No Expiration Set: Documents without expiration dates never trigger warnings
• Past Deadline: Warnings aren't sent for already-expired documents

What Happens When Documents Expire

Recipient Experience After Expiration

1. Recipient clicks the document link in email (or saved link).
2. BreezeDoc displays "Document Expired" page.
3. Page shows message: "This document has expired and is no longer available for signing."
4. Recipient cannot access document contents or complete signing.
5. Recipient is prompted to contact the document sender for assistance.

Sender View of Expired Documents

• Document Status: Shows as "Expired" in documents list
• Activity Log: Records expiration event with timestamp
• Full Access: Document owner can still view document and all details
• Edit Capability: Owner can extend expiration date or remove expiration
• Download Available: Owner can download document even after expiration

Impact on Completed Documents

Expiration does NOT affect documents that are already fully signed:

• No Impact: Completed documents remain accessible regardless of expiration date
• Download Available: All parties can download completed PDFs forever
• Legal Validity: Expiration date doesn't invalidate completed signatures
• Archiving: Completed documents remain in your account indefinitely

Partially Completed Multi-Party Documents

For documents with multiple recipients where only some have signed:

• Signatures Preserved: Already-completed signatures remain valid
• Incomplete Recipients Blocked: Recipients who haven't signed lose access
• Not Fully Executed: Document is not considered complete
• Extension Required: Extend expiration date to allow remaining recipients to sign

Managing Expired Documents

Extending Expiration After Deadline

1. Go to Documents and find the expired document.
2. Open the document settings.
3. Update the Expiration Date to a new future date.
4. Click Save.
5. The document becomes accessible again to recipients.
6. Notify recipients manually that the deadline has been extended (BreezeDoc doesn't auto-notify).

Use Case: Recipient requested more time, negotiations extended, or you want to give a second chance.

Removing Expiration from Expired Documents

1. Open the expired document.
2. Clear the Expiration Date field.
3. Click Save.
4. Document becomes permanently accessible (no time limit).

Creating a New Version

If you can't or don't want to extend an expired document:

1. Clone the expired document (see Document Cloning article).
2. Update the cloned document with new expiration date.
3. Update any changed information (pricing, terms, etc.).
4. Send the new document to recipients.

Advantage: Maintains clean document history and allows you to update terms before re-sending.

Archiving Expired Documents

• Automatic Status: Expired documents are automatically marked with "Expired" status
• Filter View: Use filters to view only expired documents for cleanup
• Delete Option: Delete expired documents that are no longer needed
• Download First: Download document PDF before deleting for records

Expiration Best Practices

Setting Appropriate Deadlines

• Consider Complexity: More complex agreements need longer deadlines
• Recipient Context: Account for recipient's review time (legal, finance departments)
• Time Zones: Consider time zone differences for international recipients
• Business Days: Avoid deadlines over weekends/holidays when possible
• Buffer Time: Add 1-2 extra days buffer for delays

Communication Strategy

• Set Expectations: Mention the deadline in your initial email to recipients
• Explain Urgency: Communicate why the deadline matters
• Reminder Sequence: Use automatic reminders leading up to expiration (Pro/Agency)
• Manual Follow-Up: Personally reach out 1-2 days before expiration for important documents
• Extension Policy: Decide in advance if/when you'll grant extensions

Operational Guidelines

• Default Deadlines: Establish standard expiration periods for different document types
• Template Expiration: Set default expiration on templates (automatically applied to generated documents)
• Monitor Expirations: Review upcoming expirations regularly to follow up
• Document Reasons: Note why documents expired (no response, negotiation failed, etc.)
• Learn from Data: Track expiration rates to optimize your deadlines

Legal Considerations

• Clear Communication: Always inform recipients of deadlines
• Reasonable Timeframes: Ensure deadlines are fair and reasonable
• Document Extensions: Keep records of extended deadlines
• Expired = Void: Treat expired unsigned documents as void offers
• Legal Review: Consult legal counsel for high-stakes expiration policies

Common Expiration Scenarios

Sales Quote with 7-Day Validity

1. Create sales quote or proposal document.
2. Set expiration date to 7 days from today.
3. Send to prospective customer.
4. Customer receives expiration warning 3 days before deadline.
5. If customer doesn't sign by deadline, quote expires.
6. Update pricing if needed, then extend deadline or create new quote.

Employment Offer with 14-Day Acceptance

1. Create employment agreement document.
2. Set 14-day expiration from offer date.
3. Send to candidate.
4. Candidate reviews and signs within deadline.
5. If candidate requests more time, extend deadline by 3-7 days.

Service Agreement Negotiation (30 Days)

1. Send initial service agreement with 30-day expiration.
2. Use the 30-day window for negotiations and revisions.
3. If nearing expiration, extend deadline or send revised document.
4. Once terms are agreed, client signs before final deadline.

Troubleshooting

Issue: Document expired before recipient had time to review

Fix: Extend the expiration date to give recipient more time. Open the document ➜ update Expiration Date to a new future date ➜ Save. Contact the recipient to let them know the deadline has been extended. For future documents, set longer expiration periods that account for recipient review time (legal, finance, executive approval). Consider business realities – complex B2B contracts may need 30-60 days, not 7.

Issue: Recipient didn't receive the expiration warning email

Fix: Expiration warnings are only sent 3 days before the deadline – check if the document expires within 3 days of sending (no time for warning). Verify recipient email address is correct. Ask recipient to check spam/junk folder. The warning is a courtesy – always communicate deadlines in your initial message. For critical documents, manually follow up in addition to automatic warnings.

Issue: Document shows as expired but deadline hasn't passed yet

Fix: Check the exact expiration date and time in document settings. BreezeDoc uses UTC/server time which may differ from your local time zone. If expiration date is correct, the document may have expired at midnight UTC while it's still the previous day in your timezone. Adjust expiration dates accounting for time zone differences, especially for international recipients.

Issue: Need to re-send expired document with updated terms

Fix: Use the Clone feature to duplicate the expired document. Update the cloned document with new terms, pricing, or conditions. Set a new expiration date on the clone. Send the cloned document to recipients as a new version. This approach maintains clean document history and ensures recipients see the latest terms. Delete or archive the old expired document.

Issue: Multi-party document expired with some signatures completed

Fix: Already-completed signatures are preserved and remain valid. Extend the expiration date to allow remaining recipients to sign. Contact incomplete recipients to inform them of the extension. Alternatively, if terms have changed, create a new document and have all parties re-sign for consistency. Consider using longer expiration periods for multi-party documents to account for sequential signing delays.

Issue: Want to set different expiration dates for different recipients

Fix: BreezeDoc applies one expiration date per document, not per recipient. For different deadlines, create separate documents for each recipient or group. Alternatively, set the expiration to the latest deadline and manually follow up with recipients who have earlier deadlines. Use send_in_order feature if some recipients must sign before others (gives early signers more time).

FAQ

Q: Is document expiration available on the Free plan?

A: Yes! Document expiration is available on all BreezeDoc plans including Free, Pro, and Agency.

Q: Can I set different expiration dates for different recipients?

A: No, BreezeDoc applies one expiration date per document. All recipients share the same deadline. To enforce different deadlines, create separate documents for each recipient.

Q: What happens to signatures if a document expires after some recipients have signed?

A: Already-completed signatures are preserved and remain valid. However, the document is not considered fully executed. Extend the expiration date to allow remaining recipients to sign.

Q: Can recipients request an extension?

A: Recipients cannot extend deadlines themselves. They must contact you (the document owner) to request more time. You can then extend the expiration date manually.

Q: Do I get notified when a document expires?

A: BreezeDoc doesn't send automatic notifications to senders when documents expire. Check your documents list regularly and filter by "Expired" status to review expired documents. Consider setting calendar reminders for important document deadlines.

Q: Can I set expiration times (not just dates)?

A: Currently, BreezeDoc supports date-level expiration (expires at midnight on the specified date). You cannot set specific times (e.g., 5:00 PM). The expiration occurs at the end of the specified date.

Need more help? Contact our support team – we are here to help!