Switching to e-signatures for contracts seems obvious—until you actually try to do it. Suddenly it’s a mess of file formats, confusing tools, and wondering if what you’re doing is even legally binding. If you’re looking for a straightforward, reliable way to collect e-signatures (without making your clients jump through hoops), this guide is for you.
I’ll walk you through using Proposable to collect e-signatures on contracts—step by step, no jargon, and with a healthy dose of real-world advice. Whether you’re new to digital signatures or just tired of clunky workflows, let’s make this as painless as possible.
Why Use Proposable for E-Signatures?
Let’s be honest: there are a million e-signature tools out there. Some are overkill, some are sketchy, and most want to lock you in before you even know if they work. Proposable sits somewhere in the middle—it’s built for sending proposals and contracts, collecting legally-binding e-signatures, and tracking who’s opened or signed what.
What works: - Integrated workflow: You can build, send, sign, and track contracts in one place. - Legally binding: Their signatures check the boxes for U.S. e-signature laws. - Easy for clients: No weird account creation or software downloads.
What to ignore: - If you just want to sign a one-off PDF, Proposable is probably overkill. - Some of the “sales proposal” features are nice but not always needed for pure contracts.
If you need to send contracts for signature regularly, it’s worth the setup. If not, look for a free PDF signing tool.
Step 1: Set Up Your Proposable Account
Before you can send anything, you’ll need an account. No surprises here.
Getting Started
- Go to proposable.com and sign up for a free trial or paid plan.
- The trial gives you a good sense of the features, but some integrations (CRM, payments) are locked behind paid tiers.
Pro tip: Use your work email, not a personal account. It keeps things cleaner for audits or team use later.
Account Settings to Check
- Branding: Upload your logo and set your company info. This makes your contracts look legit.
- Notifications: Decide if you want to get emails for every view, open, or signature. (If you send a lot, this can get annoying fast.)
- User roles: If you have a team, add users and set permissions. Otherwise, skip it.
Step 2: Create or Import Your Contract
Here’s where most e-signature tools get clunky—formatting contracts. Proposable gives you a few ways to get your contract in:
Option 1: Build in Proposable
- Use their drag-and-drop editor to build your contract from scratch or from a template.
- Add text blocks, pricing tables, signature fields, and more.
Works well if: - You want to tweak contracts regularly. - You hate Word formatting issues.
Option 2: Import a PDF or Word Doc
- Upload your existing contract (PDF or Word).
- Drag signature fields onto the document.
Caveats: - Formatting sometimes gets weird, especially with older PDFs. - You can’t edit the text after upload—only add signature and date fields.
What I recommend: If your contract is stable and doesn’t change, upload a PDF. If you need to modify it each time, use Proposable’s editor.
Step 3: Add Signature and Date Fields
This is the part that actually matters—placing signature boxes where your client can’t miss them.
- Drag a “Signature” field where each party needs to sign.
- Add a “Date” field if you want the date to be filled automatically.
- Assign each field to the right signer—don’t just leave everything “unassigned,” or someone will sign in the wrong place.
Quick tip: Don’t overthink it. One signature box per party, right at the end of the contract, is usually fine. If you need initials on every page, add those—but most business contracts don’t require it.
Step 4: Add Recipients and Set Signing Order
Now you tell Proposable who needs to sign and in what order.
- Enter the name and email address for each signer.
- If you want a specific order (say, your client signs after you), set the signing sequence.
- You can add CCs if someone needs a copy but doesn’t need to sign.
What to skip: Don’t add extra recipients “just in case.” Only people who truly need to sign or get a copy.
Step 5: Write a Message and Send
You’re almost done. Now you get to send your contract out into the world.
- Write a short message explaining what this is and what you need them to do.
- Avoid legalese. A simple “Hi [Name], please review and sign the attached contract. Let me know if you have questions.” gets better results.
- Hit send.
Heads up: The email will come from Proposable, not your personal address, unless you’ve set up custom sending. Warn your recipient to check spam if they don’t see it.
Step 6: Track Views and Signatures
This is where Proposable earns its keep.
- You’ll get notified when your contract is viewed or signed.
- You can see who’s dragging their feet—no more “I never got the contract” excuses.
- If someone hasn’t signed, send a polite reminder (don’t overdo it).
Pro tip: If you’re dealing with a big company, sometimes their legal team wants to see an audit trail. Proposable automatically logs every action—downloads, views, signatures, and IP addresses. You can export this if needed.
Step 7: Download or Store the Signed Contract
Once everyone’s signed, Proposable locks down the contract and timestamps it.
- Download the fully executed PDF for your records.
- Proposable stores signed contracts in your account, but always keep your own backup.
- You can share a copy with your client automatically.
Don’t skip this: Download and save a copy somewhere safe (cloud drive, encrypted folder, whatever you trust). Don’t rely on any SaaS tool to keep your only copy—stuff happens.
Step 8: What About Legality and Compliance?
People get twitchy about e-signatures on contracts. Here’s the bottom line:
- U.S. and most countries recognize e-signatures as legally binding for most business contracts.
- Proposable tracks signer identity, timestamps, and IP addresses. That’s usually enough to hold up in court.
- You probably can’t use e-signatures for things like wills, real estate deeds, or court documents (but check your local laws).
If you’re handling something high-stakes, ask your lawyer first. Otherwise, for business agreements, you’re covered.
What Works, What Doesn’t, and What to Ignore
What Works Well
- Speed: Contracts get signed days faster.
- Visibility: You know who’s dragging their feet.
- Audit trail: Solid paper trail for compliance.
What Doesn’t
- Complex documents: If your contract needs dozens of custom fields or redlining, Proposable isn’t built for heavy negotiation.
- Mobile support: Signing works on phones, but editing contracts on mobile is awkward.
Ignore the Hype
- Don’t buy extra features you won’t use (CRM, analytics, etc.) if you just want e-signatures.
- Don’t obsess over “advanced” signature settings unless your industry requires it.
Final Thoughts: Keep It Simple
E-signatures should make your life easier, not harder. Start with a basic workflow, test it with a real client, and see what actually works for you. Don’t get caught up in features you don’t need. If you hit a snag, tweak your process, not just your software.
Stick to what’s essential: clear contracts, clear signatures, and a backup of every signed doc. Everything else is just noise.