How to set the order people sign in
Most contracts have an order that makes sense: the customer signs, then you countersign; the employee signs, then the manager; the tenants sign, then the landlord. Getting that order right means nobody signs a version someone else hasn't agreed to, and nobody gets a request before it's their turn. Here's how to choose the order and set it up.
Updated November 5, 2026 · 3 min read
Choose the order
| Situation | A sensible order |
|---|---|
| You and a customer | Customer first, then you countersign |
| A new hire | Employee, then the manager or owner |
| Two tenants and a landlord | Both tenants together, then the landlord |
| A deal needing internal approval | Your manager approves, then the customer signs, then you |
| Independent sign-offs | Everyone at once, in any order |
The usual rule: whoever has the authority to change the terms signs last. The person who signs last signs a version everyone else has already accepted.
Set it in SignMaster
- 1
Open Recipients & order
Start an envelope and go to the Recipients & order step. Add each person with Add recipient, and yourself with Add me.
- 2
Pick In order or All at once
The Signing order card has two choices. In order sends one turn at a time; All at once sends to everyone together, and they can sign in any order.
- 3
Drag people into place
With In order chosen, each row shows its turn number. Drag the handle to move someone earlier or later.
- 4
Let some people share a turn
Between two rows, click the Then chip and switch it to Same turn as above. People with the same number get the request together, and the next turn starts when they've all signed.
- 5
Set who signs and who watches
Each person is Needs to sign, Receives a copy or Can view. People who receive a copy get the signed PDF when everyone has signed, and never hold up a turn.
Any one of several people
For a turn that anyone in a team can take, such as "someone in accounts", click Let any one of several people sign and add each person. They all get the request, and the first one to finish signs for the group.
Watching it move
On the envelope page, each person shows where they stand: signed with a date, waiting to sign, up next, or waiting for an earlier turn. Remind and Copy link appear next to whoever's turn it is, so you nudge the right person. When your own turn comes, a Sign now button appears, and if you switched on Sign my part right after sending, SignMaster asks you as soon as you're up.
Got the order wrong after sending? Click Correct on the envelope to move people who haven't signed yet, add someone or remove them. Signing pauses while you correct, and people who already signed stay as they are. The choice between in order and all at once is fixed once sent; to change that, void the envelope and send it again.
Templates and bulk sends
In a template, roles keep the order you add them in, so add them in signing order. When you bulk send a template that has more than one signing role, the send step asks whether each envelope goes One at a time or All at once.
Questions? Answers.
What happens if the first signer never signs?
The later signers don't get their request until it's their turn. Remind the first signer, set a sign-by date so reminders speed up, or click Replace signer next to their name to hand the turn to someone who can sign.
Can two people sign at the same time in an ordered envelope?
Yes. Give them the same turn with Same turn as above. They both get the request, and the next turn starts when both have signed.
Do people who receive a copy have to wait for the order?
They don't take a turn at all. They get the finished, signed PDF when the last person signs.
Should I sign first to show I'm committed?
You can, but signing last is usually safer. You see that the other side has accepted exactly what you sent before you commit, and nobody signs a version you've already bound yourself to.