A clear no beats a contract that just sits there
The worst answer to a contract is no answer. When a customer won't sign as written, you want to know why, today, not after four reminders. SignMaster gives every signer a proper way to say no, and asks them to say what's wrong while they're at it.
Updated November 5, 2026 · 2 min read
On this page
Three ways a signer can push back
| What they write | What happens | |
|---|---|---|
| Decline to sign | An optional reason | The envelope closes for everyone and is marked Declined |
| Request changes | What should change, required | The envelope closes, and you get their request so you can send a corrected copy |
| Ask a question | A comment on the document or one field | Nothing closes; you reply, and they're emailed your answer |
Decline to sign and Request changes sit in the signing page's menu. The comments panel invites the signer to ask about anything before they sign, and only they and you can see the conversation. Most what-does-this-mean moments end there, without a decline at all.
Put the choice on the page
If you'd rather make the choice obvious, place a Decline field on the document, next to the signature or an Approve button. Tapping it opens the same decline form. It suits proposals and quotes, where a no is a normal outcome and you'd like the reason more than the silence.
What the signer sees
- 1
They choose Decline to sign
A short form explains that you'll be told they won't sign, and that the document closes for everyone.
- 2
They add a reason
The reason is optional and can be a few words or a few paragraphs: the price is higher than quoted, the start date is wrong, they went with someone else.
- 3
They confirm
Decline closes it, or Go back returns them to the document. Anyone else who opens their link afterward sees that the document was declined.
What you see
- An email titled Declined: and the document's title, with their reason and a button to open the envelope. It goes to the contact email in your company settings, so fill that in.
- The envelope shows who declined, when, and the reason, or that none was given.
- The dashboard gathers declined envelopes in their own group, so a no can't hide among the waiting.
- A webhook, on Crew and Company: envelope.declined can mark the deal lost in your CRM.
Fix it and send it back
A declined envelope is closed for good, so the next step is a new one. Open it and choose Duplicate as draft: you get the same documents, people and fields with nothing signed, ready to change the price or the date they objected to. Send it, and call or message them to say a corrected version is on its way.
Questions? Answers.
Can I stop signers from declining?
No. Every signer can decline from the menu, which is better than an unsigned envelope you can't read. You choose only whether a Decline field also sits on the page.
Do other signers get told?
They aren't emailed, but anyone who opens their link sees that the document was declined. Let them know yourself if they were waiting on it.
Can I undo a decline?
No. Duplicate the envelope as a draft, make the changes, and send the new version.
Is a reason required?
Not for a decline. When a signer chooses Request changes instead, they must say what should change.