Request and Track Adobe Acrobat Signatures for an Application

Use the Signatures tab in Application View to request signatures for application documents, monitor request status, and download signature files after signing is complete. The signature request remains associated with the application throughout the process.

What To Expect

Adobe Acrobat Sign enables you to request signatures for PDF documents outside the application submission process. Use this option when a specific document requires a signature from an applicant, grant manager, or external signer.

When you use Adobe Acrobat Sign:

You can send an uploaded PDF or a merge document that generates a PDF.
Each signature request is associated with the application and appears in the application's Signatures tab.
Requesting or completing a signature does not move the application to a different workflow stage.
Sending a signature request does not place the application on hold.
Adobe Acrobat Sign requests do not replace built-in form signatures.
You can send a request to one signer or to multiple signers. Multiple signers sign one at a time, in the order you set. For details, see Send a Signature Request to Multiple Signers.

Before You Begin

Confirm that you:

Have workflow manager access.
Have the Request Signature workflow manager permission.
Have an uploaded PDF or a merge document that generates a PDF available for signing.

Tip: Adobe Acrobat Sign preserves existing fillable PDF fields in uploaded PDF files. However, it does not recognize existing signature fields and adds its own signature field to the document. Validate fillable PDF forms before sending them for signature.

Choose A Signature Method

Use Adobe Acrobat Sign when a document requires a signature outside the form submission process. Adobe Acrobat Sign requests are created from the application's Signatures tab and include separate request statuses and download options.

Use built-in form signatures when an applicant or grant manager must sign as part of form submission. The signer completes the signature in GrantsConnect by selecting Sign and submit when completing their application.

Tip: You can use both signature methods within the same application process when different documents require different signing experiences.

Send A Signature Request

Open the application.
Select the Signatures tab.
Select Request signature.
Upload a PDF, or choose a merge document and preview the generated PDF.
In the Signers section, select who will be signing the document: Applicant, Grant manager, or External user. For an external user, enter the signer's first name, last name, and email address.
To add more signers, select Add another signer. Signers sign one at a time, in the order listed.
Select Save.

A separate record is created for each request. Adobe Acrobat Sign sends the document to the first signer with instructions for completing the signature. If there are additional signers, Adobe Acrobat Sign sends the document to each next signer after the signer before them completes their part.

For details about the signer list, signing order, and requirements for each signer, see Send a Signature Request to Multiple Signers.

Note: Adobe Acrobat Sign controls the email invitation template. You cannot customize the message or edit the email after it is sent. You cannot change the signers or their order after you send the request.

Review Signature Requests

Review requests on the Signatures tab. Use the Document, Signers, Status, and Date Sent columns to locate a request and track its progress. The most recent requests appear first.

The Signers column shows the people who must sign. When a request has multiple signers, the column lists each signer in signing order with their status and the date of that status, and identifies who the request is waiting on. For details, see Send a Signature Request to Multiple Signers.

Understand Signature Statuses

Pending: The request was sent and is waiting for the signer to respond.
Signed: The signer completed the request.
Canceled: A grant manager canceled the request before it was completed.
Rejected: The signer declined the request.
Email bounced: Adobe Acrobat Sign could not deliver the request email.

Status icons help you identify request progress:

Yellow indicates a Pending request.
Green indicates a Signed signature.
Red indicates Canceled, Rejected, or Email bounced requests.

For a request with multiple signers, each signer also has a status:

Queued: The document has not been sent to this signer yet because a signer earlier in the order has not completed their part.
Pending: Adobe Acrobat Sign sent the document to this signer, and the signer has not completed it.
Signed: The signer completed their part. The date the signer completed it appears with the status.
Rejected: The signer declined to sign. The request is rejected, and signers later in the order are not notified.
Email bounced: Adobe Acrobat Sign could not deliver the email to this signer.

The request status changes to Rejected if any signer declines, and changes to Signed only after the last signer completes their part.

View Signed Documents

Signed documents are shown in the Attachments tab of the Application View. Select the document name to download and view it. For a request with multiple signers, the signed document is saved after the last signer completes their part.

Tip: To view send details for the document prior to signature, locate the document in the Signatures tab and download the original document or audit trail, as described below.

Download Signature Files

Open the actions menu for the request.
Select one of the following:
- Download Original Document
- Download Signed Document
- Download Audit Trail

Download Signed Document is available only when the request status is Signed.

Cancel A Pending Request

You can cancel only pending requests. Canceling applies to the whole request, not to individual signers.

Open the actions menu for the pending request.
Select Cancel.
Enter cancellation notes, if needed.
Choose whether to notify the signer.
Confirm the cancellation.

Note: You cannot cancel a signed request. If a request contains incorrect information, cancel the pending request and create a new one with the correct document or signer details.

Understand Applicant Visibility

The system decides whether the applicant can view the signed document based on who signed. You cannot change this when you send a request.

If the applicant or a collaborator is one of the signers, the applicant can view the signed document in the application's Attachments area. Their position in the signing order does not matter.
If only grant managers and external signers sign, the applicant cannot view the signed document.

Use the Signatures area to manage requests and the Attachments area to review completed signed documents.