Multi-Party Signing and Sequential Recipient Order

Collect signatures from multiple recipients on the same document with flexible signing workflows. This guide covers adding multiple recipients, sequential vs parallel signing, party management, tracking multi-party completion, and troubleshooting common issues.

Prerequisites

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

What is Multi-Party Signing?

Multi-party signing allows you to collect signatures from multiple people on the same document. This is essential for contracts requiring approval from multiple stakeholders, joint agreements, or documents with multiple signatories. Key features:

Unlimited Recipients – Add as many recipients as needed (all plans)
Sequential or Parallel – Choose whether recipients sign in order or simultaneously
Party Assignment – Each recipient is assigned to a party (Party 1, Party 2, etc.)
Field Assignment – Assign specific fields to specific recipients
Progress Tracking – Monitor who has signed and who is pending
Automatic Notifications – Recipients receive emails when it's their turn to sign
Universal Availability – Multi-recipient support on all BreezeDoc plans

Signing Modes: Sequential vs Parallel

Parallel Signing (Default)

All recipients receive the document simultaneously and can sign in any order:

How It Works: All recipients get email notification immediately when document is sent
Flexibility: Recipients can sign in any order without waiting
Speed: Faster completion since everyone can sign simultaneously
Best For: Independent parties who don't need to review in order
Example Use Case: Multi-party lease agreements, partnership agreements, team acknowledgments

Sequential Signing (Send in Order)

Recipients sign one at a time in a specific order. The next recipient only receives the document after the previous one completes:

How It Works: Party 1 receives email first ➜ after signing, Party 2 receives email ➜ then Party 3, etc.
Control: Enforce specific signing order and approval hierarchy
Review Process: Each recipient can review what previous signers entered
Best For: Approval workflows, hierarchical sign-offs, contracts requiring sequential review
Example Use Case: Employment agreements (candidate signs first, then HR), vendor contracts (vendor signs, then company officer), purchase orders (requester, manager, finance)

Choosing the Right Mode

Use Parallel When:
- Speed is priority
- No dependencies between signers
- All parties are equal stakeholders
- No approval hierarchy required
Use Sequential When:
- Specific order is legally required
- Each party needs to see previous signatures
- Approval workflow with hierarchy (employee → manager → executive)
- One party makes offer, other accepts (vendor → customer)

Adding Multiple Recipients

Step-by-Step: Add Recipients to Document

Log in to your BreezeDoc account.
Go to Documents and open the document (or create a new one).
In the document editor, find the Recipients section.
Click Add Recipient or + Add Party.
Enter recipient details:
- Name: Full name of the recipient
- Email: Email address where they'll receive the document
- Party: Automatically assigned (Party 1, Party 2, Party 3, etc.)
Repeat for each additional recipient.
Recipients are added in sequential party order (first recipient = Party 1, second = Party 2, etc.).

Understanding the Party System

BreezeDoc assigns each recipient to a "party" number:

Party 1: First recipient added
Party 2: Second recipient added
Party 3: Third recipient added, and so on...
Purpose: Party numbers determine signing order (in sequential mode) and field assignment
Field Association: Each field is assigned to a specific party (Party 1's signature, Party 2's signature, etc.)

Reordering Parties

If you need to change the signing order:

In the Recipients section, look for drag handles or up/down arrows next to recipients.
Drag recipients to reorder them, OR click arrows to move recipients up/down.
Party numbers automatically update based on new order.
Fields assigned to parties remain associated with the same recipient (even if party number changes).

Important: Reorder recipients BEFORE assigning fields to avoid confusion.

Assigning Fields to Recipients

How Field Assignment Works

Each field on the document must be assigned to a specific recipient (party):

Signature Fields: Each recipient gets their own signature field(s)
Text Fields: Assign text fields to specific recipients who should fill them
Date Fields: Typically auto-filled with signing date for each recipient
Checkboxes: Assign to recipient who should check/uncheck
Initials: Each recipient can have their own initial fields
Dropdown Fields: Assign to recipient who makes the selection

Step-by-Step: Assign Fields to Recipients

In the document editor, add fields (Signature, Text, Date, etc.) to the document.
For each field, select which Party it belongs to:
- Click the field to open field properties
- Select Recipient or Party dropdown
- Choose Party 1, Party 2, Party 3, etc.
Each recipient will only see and fill fields assigned to their party.
Ensure every recipient has at least one field to complete (typically a signature).

Visual Field Assignment (Color Coding)

BreezeDoc uses color coding to distinguish fields for different recipients:

Party 1: Blue fields
Party 2: Green fields
Party 3: Orange fields
Party 4+: Additional colors (purple, red, etc.)
Purpose: Helps you visually identify which fields belong to which recipient

Enabling Sequential Signing Order

Step-by-Step: Enable Send in Order

Open the document in the document editor.
Look for Document Settings or Signing Options.
Find the Send in Order or Sequential Signing toggle.
Enable the toggle (set to ON).
Save the document settings.
When you send the document:
- Only Party 1 receives the initial email
- After Party 1 signs, Party 2 automatically receives email
- After Party 2 signs, Party 3 receives email, and so on

Note: Enable sequential signing BEFORE sending the document. You cannot change this setting after the document is sent.

Sequential Signing Behavior

First Recipient: Receives email immediately when document is sent
Subsequent Recipients: Receive email automatically after previous party completes
Waiting Recipients: Cannot access document until it's their turn (link shows "waiting" message)
No Skipping: Recipients must sign in order – no jumping ahead
Automatic Progression: System automatically notifies next recipient (no manual action needed)

Tracking Multi-Party Completion

Document Status Indicators

Draft: Document created but not sent to any recipients
Sent: Document sent, awaiting signatures
Partially Signed: Some recipients have signed, others pending
Completed: All recipients have signed

Recipient-Level Status Tracking

View status for each recipient individually:

Not Sent: Recipient hasn't received email yet (sequential mode, not their turn)
Sent: Email delivered, recipient hasn't opened document
Viewed: Recipient opened document but hasn't signed
Completed: Recipient finished signing

Step-by-Step: View Signing Progress

Go to Documents and select the document.
Look at the Recipients section or tab.
View list of all recipients with their status.
Check timestamps for when each recipient was sent, opened, and completed.
Click Activity to see detailed chronological log of all events.

Activity Log for Multi-Party Documents

The activity log shows complete timeline:

📧 Document sent to Party 1 (timestamp)
👁️ Party 1 opened document (timestamp)
✅ Party 1 completed signing (timestamp)
📧 Document sent to Party 2 (timestamp)
👁️ Party 2 opened document (timestamp)
✅ Party 2 completed signing (timestamp)
🎉 Document fully completed (all parties signed)

Document Completion and Final PDF

When is a Document Complete?

A multi-party document is considered complete when:

✅ All recipients have signed (completed their fields)
✅ All required fields are filled
✅ No pending recipients remain

Completion Notifications

When the last recipient completes their signature:

All Recipients: Receive completion notification email
Document Owner: Receives notification that document is fully executed
Email Includes: Link to download completed PDF with all signatures
Status Update: Document status changes to "Completed"

Completed Document PDF

The final PDF includes:

All signatures from all recipients
All filled text fields, checkboxes, dates, etc.
Completion timestamps for each recipient
Professional formatting suitable for legal/business use

Common Multi-Party Scenarios

Employment Agreement (Sequential)

Party 1: Candidate – Signs offer acceptance, fills personal details
Party 2: HR Manager – Counter-signs after candidate accepts
Party 3: Department Head – Final approval signature
Mode: Sequential (Send in Order enabled)
Benefit: HR only signs after candidate accepts; Department Head approves after HR review

Partnership Agreement (Parallel)

Party 1: Partner A – Signature and initial agreement terms
Party 2: Partner B – Signature and acceptance
Party 3: Partner C – Signature and acceptance
Mode: Parallel (default)
Benefit: All partners receive document simultaneously and can sign as soon as ready

Vendor Contract (Sequential)

Party 1: Vendor – Signs and acknowledges terms
Party 2: Procurement Manager – Reviews and approves
Party 3: Finance Officer – Final approval for payment
Mode: Sequential
Benefit: Vendor commits first, then internal approval chain proceeds

Real Estate Purchase Agreement (Parallel)

Party 1: Buyer 1 – Signature
Party 2: Buyer 2 – Signature (joint buyers)
Party 3: Seller 1 – Signature
Party 4: Seller 2 – Signature (joint sellers)
Mode: Parallel
Benefit: All parties sign independently without dependency

Multi-Party Best Practices

Planning Your Signing Workflow

Identify All Signers: List everyone who needs to sign before starting
Determine Order: Decide if order matters for your agreement
Map Fields: Plan which fields each party needs to complete
Test Flow: Send test document to yourself with multiple recipients to verify

Field Assignment Tips

Clear Labeling: Label fields clearly ("Employee Signature", "Manager Signature")
Required Fields: Mark all critical fields as required to prevent incomplete signing
Minimal Fields: Only include fields each recipient MUST complete (reduces friction)
Date Fields: Add date fields near each signature for timestamp clarity
Initial Fields: Use initials for multi-page agreements (each party initials each page)

Communication Strategy

Set Expectations: Tell recipients upfront if they're part of multi-party document
Explain Order: In sequential mode, inform recipients they may wait for previous signers
Provide Context: Explain who else is signing and why
Follow Up: Monitor progress and follow up with delayed recipients
Deadline: Set expiration dates to ensure timely completion from all parties

Sequential Mode Tips

Order Matters: Put the fastest/most responsive signers first if possible
Remind Early Signers: Delays from Party 1 block everyone else
Longer Deadlines: Sequential takes longer – set realistic expiration dates
Communication Chain: Each recipient should know who signs after them

Parallel Mode Tips

All at Once: Everyone receives document immediately – ensure all recipients are ready
Independent Signing: Remind recipients they don't need to wait for others
Track Stragglers: Identify and follow up with recipients who haven't signed
Faster Completion: Typically completes faster than sequential if recipients are responsive

Troubleshooting

Issue: Party 2 didn't receive email after Party 1 signed (sequential mode)

Fix: Verify sequential signing (Send in Order) is enabled in document settings. Check Party 1 completed ALL their required fields (incomplete signing doesn't trigger next recipient). Review activity log to confirm Party 1's completion timestamp. Verify Party 2's email address is correct. Check Party 2's spam folder. If everything is correct but email not received, you can manually resend to Party 2 from the document page.

Issue: Recipient can't see their fields on the document

Fix: Verify fields are assigned to the correct party. Check field color coding – ensure the recipient's party color matches their fields. If a recipient is assigned to Party 2, they won't see Party 1's blue fields (only their own green fields). In sequential mode, ensure it's the recipient's turn (waiting recipients can't see document yet). Review field placement – fields may be on different pages.

Issue: Need to change signing order after document is sent

Fix: You cannot change signing order after sending the document. If in sequential mode and order is wrong, you must clone the document, reorder recipients, and resend. For future documents, double-check recipient order before sending. Test with a draft document to verify order is correct.

Issue: One recipient is delaying the entire signing process (sequential mode)

Fix: Contact the delaying recipient directly (phone, direct email) to understand the issue. Send manual reminders from the document page. If recipient is unresponsive and blocking progress, consider: 1) Removing that recipient and reordering others, 2) Creating new document with different order, 3) Switching to parallel mode if order doesn't legally matter. For future documents, set realistic expiration dates and follow up proactively.

Issue: Recipient accidentally skipped or didn't complete all their fields

Fix: BreezeDoc should prevent submission until all required fields are completed. If a recipient marked fields as complete but missed some, check if those fields were marked as "optional" (not required). Contact the recipient and ask them to return to the document link and complete missing fields. If document is already progressed to next recipients, you may need to clone and resend to ensure all fields are filled.

Issue: Want to add another recipient after document is already sent

Fix: You can add recipients to documents that haven't been fully completed yet. Open the document ➜ Recipients section ➜ Add Recipient ➜ enter details. The new recipient will be added as the last party. Assign fields to the new recipient in the document editor. Note: Adding recipients after some have signed may create confusion – communicate with existing signers about the addition.

FAQ

Q: How many recipients can I add to a document?

A: There is no hard limit on the number of recipients. You can add as many parties as needed on all BreezeDoc plans. However, documents with 10+ recipients may become complex to manage.

Q: Can I use both sequential and parallel signing in the same document?

A: No, you must choose one mode per document. All recipients either sign in order (sequential) or all at once (parallel). For complex workflows, create multiple documents.

Q: What happens if a recipient in the middle of sequential order refuses to sign?

A: All subsequent recipients are blocked from receiving the document. You must either: 1) Convince the blocking recipient to sign, 2) Remove them and reorder remaining recipients, 3) Create a new document without that recipient.

Q: Can recipients see each other's signatures before signing?

A: In parallel mode, no – recipients sign independently. In sequential mode, yes – later recipients can see what earlier recipients filled and signed.

Q: Can I assign the same field to multiple recipients?

A: No, each field can only be assigned to one recipient. If multiple recipients need to sign, create separate signature fields for each party.

Q: What if two people need to sign as "Party 1" (e.g., joint buyers)?

A: Add two separate recipients and assign them both to Party 1 equivalent fields. Technically they become Party 1 and Party 2 in BreezeDoc, but you can label fields appropriately ("Buyer 1 Signature", "Buyer 2 Signature") and use parallel mode so both sign simultaneously.

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