How to create and send bulk signature requests in Signnow for HR onboarding

So you’ve got a stack of new hires and a pile of onboarding forms to get signed. Doing it one by one? Not a chance. If you’re handling HR onboarding and need to send lots of documents for signature—quickly and without headaches—you’re in the right place. This guide walks you through how to create and send bulk signature requests using Signnow, a digital signature platform that gets the job done without making you want to throw your laptop out the window.

Let’s skip the sales pitch and get straight to work.

Why Bulk Sending Matters (and Where Signnow Fits)

If you’re onboarding more than a handful of people, sending signature requests one at a time is a waste of everyone’s time. Bulk sending is faster, cuts down on errors, and keeps your HR team sane.

Signnow does this pretty well—it’s not the fanciest tool out there, but it’s reliable for bulk requests. Just know: it’s not magic. You still need to prep your documents and your recipient list carefully, or you’ll end up with a mess.

What You’ll Need

Before you start, get these things sorted:

  • A Signnow Business or Enterprise plan (bulk sending isn’t available on the free tier)
  • Your onboarding documents (offer letters, tax forms, NDAs, etc.) in PDF or Word format
  • A list of recipient emails (ideally in a CSV file—more on that below)
  • A clear idea of what needs to be signed and by whom (don’t wing this)

Pro tip: Double-check your documents for personal info placeholders (like “Employee Name” or “Start Date”). You’ll want to automate filling those in.

Step 1: Prep Your Onboarding Documents

Don’t just upload whatever you have. Clean, consistent documents make bulk sending a lot less painful.

  1. Consolidate forms: Gather all the docs you’ll need each new hire to sign. If everyone gets the same package, great—one packet. If roles get different forms, you’ll need to repeat these steps for each group.

  2. Standardize fields: Make sure signature, date, and any fillable fields are in the same place on every document. If you’re using templates, keep the formatting tight.

  3. Use merge fields: If you want to auto-fill details like names or job titles, use Signnow’s “Text Tags” or merge fields. It’s not as slick as some tools, but it works—just wrap your field names with double curly braces (like {{Employee Name}}).

  4. Save as PDF or DOCX: PDFs are safest, but DOCX works too. Avoid scanned images—Signnow can’t read handwriting.

What not to do: Don’t try to send 50 different document versions at once. It’ll blow up in your face. Group similar recipients and send in batches.

Step 2: Prepare Your Recipient List (CSV is Your Friend)

Bulk sending in Signnow means uploading a CSV file with all your recipients’ info. Here’s what to do:

  1. Create a spreadsheet with columns for:

    • Email (required)
    • Name (optional, but helps personalize)
    • Any custom fields you want to merge (like Start Date, Job Title, etc.)

  2. Export as CSV: Save your spreadsheet as CSV UTF-8 format. Don’t use weird characters or fancy formatting.

  3. Check your data: Typos in emails = failed deliveries. Double-check before uploading.

Example CSV:

| Email | Name | Start Date | Job Title | |---------------------|-------------|-------------|--------------| | jane@company.com | Jane Smith | 2024-07-01 | Engineer | | bob@company.com | Bob Jones | 2024-07-08 | Designer |

Skip: Don’t bother adding columns Signnow doesn’t use—you’ll just confuse yourself.

Step 3: Set Up Your Signnow Template

Templates are where you drop in fields and set up the signing flow. Here’s how you do it:

  1. Log in to Signnow and head to your dashboard.
  2. Upload your onboarding document.
  3. Add fillable fields:
    • Drag and drop signature, date, and text fields to the right spots.
    • For fields you want to fill from your CSV, use the exact header name in double curly braces (e.g., {{Job Title}}).

  4. Assign roles:

    • If everyone signs in the same order (e.g., Employee first, then Manager), add both roles.
    • For most HR onboarding, you’ll just need the new hire as the signer.

  5. Save as a Template: Give it a clear name, like “New Hire Packet – Engineering.”

Heads up: Signnow’s template editor isn’t the most intuitive. If it feels clunky, you’re not alone—just be patient and save often.

Step 4: Launch a Bulk Send

Now comes the payoff.

  1. Go to the “Bulk Invite” or “Bulk Send” feature (naming changes, but it’s usually in the template menu).
  2. Select your template.
  3. Upload your CSV file.
  4. Map your CSV columns to the corresponding fields in Signnow. Double-check the mapping—especially if you’re using custom fields.
  5. Customize your message:
    • Write a short, clear subject line (“Welcome to [Company Name]: Please Sign Your Onboarding Docs”).
    • Keep the email body simple. Tell them what’s inside, how long it’ll take, and who to contact if they hit a snag.
  6. Preview and send: Always preview at least one request to make sure fields are filling in correctly.

What works: The bulk send process is pretty fast once set up. Recipients get a unique link to their documents, and you can track who’s signed and who hasn’t.

What doesn’t: If there’s a formatting mismatch in your CSV or template, expect errors. Signnow is not great at telling you exactly what went wrong—so if something fails, go back and check field names and CSV structure.

Step 5: Track Signatures and Remind Stragglers

After sending, the real work starts—getting people to actually sign.

  1. Monitor progress: In Signnow, you’ll see a dashboard showing who’s signed and who hasn’t.
  2. Send reminders: Use the built-in “Remind” feature, or copy the link and nudge folks directly.
  3. Download completed docs: Once signed, you can download all completed forms as PDFs, or set up automatic storage to Google Drive, Dropbox, etc.

Pro tip: Don’t be shy about sending reminders. Most people just forget or miss the email.

What to Ignore (and What to Watch Out For)

There’s a lot you don’t need to fuss with:

  • Don’t overcomplicate permissions: For onboarding, you usually just need the new hire’s signature. Adding more signers or routing steps can create more problems than it solves.
  • Skip advanced workflow tools unless you really need them: Bulk sending is about speed, not complexity. If you find yourself mapping a dozen roles or conditional routing, you’re probably over-engineering.
  • Watch out for email spam filters: Sometimes, Signnow emails land in spam. If people say they didn’t get it, this is the first thing to check.

Common Pitfalls and How to Dodge Them

  • Misnamed fields: If a field in your template doesn’t match your CSV header exactly—including spaces and capitalization—the merge won’t work.
  • Wrong file format: Only use CSV UTF-8. Excel sometimes saves in weird formats—double-check before uploading.
  • Too many documents at once: Bulk send is handy, but don’t try to blast out a thousand requests in one go without testing first. Start with a small batch and work up.

Final Thoughts: Keep It Simple, Iterate Fast

Bulk sending signature requests in Signnow can save you a ton of time on HR onboarding, but only if you keep your process tight. Don’t get lost in features you don’t need. Test your setup with a few internal emails first, iron out any bugs, and then hit send for your full batch.

Remember: simple beats clever. The less you fiddle, the fewer headaches you’ll have later. Good luck—and may your onboarding be (mostly) painless.