Close out the job with a signed sign-off and the photos to back it
The last signature on a job is the one crews skip. The customer says it looks great, you pack up, and three weeks later the balance is on hold over a scratch nobody mentioned. A signed completion sign-off, with photos of the finished work in the same file, settles what was done, what's left and when the customer agreed.
Updated November 9, 2026 · 3 min read
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What the sign-off should capture
- The dates: when the work was finished and when you walked it with the customer.
- A punch list in the customer's words, typed by them on the signing screen, with the date you'll finish it.
- Acceptance: a checkbox stating they inspected the work and accept it, apart from the punch list.
- The money: the final balance and any holdback until the punch list is done, as fixed text they can't edit.
- What you handed over: manuals, keys, paint codes, warranty papers.
- Photos of the finished work, so the record shows what accepted looked like.
The library's job completion sign-off has all of these, with a Customer role and a Contractor role. If you're new to the terms, see punch list and substantial completion.
Two ways to put photos in the record
| Photos as pages | Photo fields on the sign-off | |
|---|---|---|
| How | Add JPEG or PNG files to the envelope beside the sign-off; each photo becomes its own page | Add Photo fields for a Technician role first in the signing order; your tech adds the shots from the phone's camera and initials beside them |
| Where they show | As pages in the signed PDF, in the order you set | Inside each labeled box on the sign-off page |
| On the certificate | Part of the documents the customer signed | Each photo listed with its SHA-256 fingerprint and who added it |
| Best for | A photo report you already have, or many photos | A few key shots taken at the walk-through |
Photos as pages is quicker when the pictures are already on your computer or exported from your field app as a PDF. Photo fields are better when the tech takes the pictures during the walk itself, because each one is tied to the person who added it and the moment they signed.
At the final walk-through
- 1
Prepare it before you arrive
Start an envelope from the template and fill in the completion date, balance and items handed over. Add the photo files, or have your tech complete their Photo fields from their own link before the walk.
- 2
Walk the job together
Let the customer point things out. Anything they want fixed goes in the punch list field, in their words, on the signing screen.
- 3
Hand over the phone
Choose Sign in person. The customer is guided field by field: punch list, the acceptance checkbox, then their signature. In the iPhone and iPad app, only your Face ID or passcode ends signing mode.
- 4
Countersign and leave
Your company's signature comes last, right after you get the device back. When it's done, both of you get the sealed PDF by email with its certificate of completion.
When the customer isn't there or won't sign
Customer at work? Send the same envelope by email with a sign-by date, or copy their link and text it. Add an optional Attachment field for them too, labeled Photos of anything not finished, so a complaint arrives with a picture instead of a phone call. If they disagree with the sign-off, they can decline with a reason, which closes the envelope and tells you exactly what's wrong in writing. Fix it, then send a fresh sign-off.
After it's signed
- Send your final invoice from your usual billing software, with the signed sign-off attached. SignMaster doesn't invoice or collect payments.
- Swap lien waivers for the final payment if your contract calls for them. See lien waivers with every payment.
- Keep the punch list moving. Its completion date sits in the signed PDF, so the next visit has a clear finish line.
Questions? Answers.
How many photos can I include?
Each Photo field takes one photo, and an Attachment field takes up to five files. Each upload can be up to 10 MB. Photos added as pages are separate files in the envelope.
Is a completion sign-off the same as a lien waiver?
No. The sign-off records that the customer accepted the work. A lien waiver gives up lien rights for a payment, and it's a separate document.
Does the customer need the app?
No. They sign on your device in person, or from a link on any phone or computer. The app is for you and your crew.
Can I make the sign-off part of every job?
Yes. Keep it as a template so every crew sends the same document, and the template's Responses table lists every sign-off with its completion date.