How to Use DocuSign

DocuSign lets you get a document legally signed without printing, scanning, or mailing anything. You upload a file, mark where each signer needs to sign or initial, and DocuSign emails them a link. The whole exchange, from sending to a signed, dated copy landing back in your inbox, usually takes minutes instead of days.

Step 1: Start a new envelope

Log into DocuSign and click Start, then choose Send an Envelope. An "envelope" is DocuSign's term for one signing request, which can contain multiple documents and multiple signers.

Step 2: Upload your document

Drag and drop the file, or upload it from your computer or a connected cloud drive (Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive). Most common formats work, including PDF, Word, and even scanned images.

Step 3: Add your signers

Enter each signer's name and email address. If more than one person needs to sign, you can set a specific signing order, useful when an approval has to happen before the final signature (a manager signs off before the client does, for example).

Step 4: Place the signature fields

Drag fields onto the document: Signature, Initial, Date Signed, and plain text fields for anything else you need filled in. Each field gets assigned to a specific signer, so multi-signer documents don't get mixed up.

Step 5: Send it

Add an optional message explaining what you need signed, then click Send. Each signer gets an email with a secure link; once everyone has signed, you and every signer receive a completed, timestamped copy automatically.

What trips people up the first time

The most common early mistake is placing a field on the wrong page or assigning it to the wrong signer in a multi-party document. Always use the preview step before sending; fixing a field after the envelope has gone out means voiding it and starting over, which is more friction than just checking once up front.

Frequently asked questions

Is an electronic signature from DocuSign legally binding?

Yes, in most countries including the US and EU, under laws like the US ESIGN Act and eIDAS in Europe. DocuSign also keeps a full audit trail of who signed what and when.

Do the people I send documents to need a DocuSign account?

No. Signers just need the emailed link; only the sender needs an account.

Can I send the same document to multiple people to sign separately?

Yes, either as one envelope with multiple named signers, or as separate envelopes if you want each person's copy tracked independently.