If you’re wrangling a big team and need to get everyone into your e-signature system with the right permissions, this guide’s for you. We’ll walk through how to import users and manage their roles in Signnow, with a focus on what actually works — and what just gets in the way. Whether you’re an IT admin, ops lead, or the person who drew the short straw to “handle onboarding,” you’ll find what you need here. No fluff.
Why roles and user management matter (and what you can ignore)
Let’s be honest: most enterprise tools overcomplicate user management. But getting roles right in Signnow actually matters, because:
- Too few permissions: People can’t do their jobs. Bottlenecks everywhere.
- Too many permissions: Security holes, accidental document edits, and compliance headaches.
- Outdated users: Ex-employees hanging around your system? Not good.
What you can (mostly) ignore: fancy “role hierarchies” or custom labels unless you have a real compliance need. Most teams do fine with the basics: Admins, Users, and maybe a Manager or two.
Step 1: Prep your user list
Before you touch Signnow, get your list straight. Nothing slows you down like a messy CSV.
What to gather: - First name - Last name - Email address (double-check these — typos = failed invites) - Desired role (Admin, User, etc.)
Pro tip: If you’re coming from another system, export your user list and clean it up in Excel or Google Sheets first. Remove duplicates and old accounts you don’t want imported.
Step 2: Understand Signnow’s roles
Signnow keeps it simple: - Admin: Full access. Can add/remove users, manage documents and templates, set up teams. - User (sometimes called Member): Can send and sign documents, but can’t manage other users. - Manager (optional, for some plans): Usually has elevated access within a team or group, but not full admin rights.
That’s most of what you’ll need. If your org is huge, you might have some custom roles, but don’t overthink it unless your compliance folks make you.
Step 3: Import users into Signnow
Now, let’s get those users in.
Option 1: Bulk import via CSV
This is the fastest way if you’ve got more than a handful of people.
- Log in as an Admin
- Navigate to Team Management or Organization Settings (the exact name depends on your plan)
- Look for Import Users or Bulk Add — usually a button or link
- Download the CSV template (use their template — Signnow is picky about column names)
- Fill in your user data:
- First name
- Last name
- Role (must match Signnow’s accepted role names)
- Upload your CSV and submit
What works: The import is pretty reliable if you stick to their template. You’ll get errors if emails are duplicates or roles don’t match exactly.
What doesn’t: Don’t expect detailed error messages. If something fails, check your CSV for typos and make sure you didn’t include extra columns.
Heads up: Users will get invite emails immediately. Warn your team, or you’ll get “What is this Signnow thing?” messages all morning.
Option 2: Add users manually
For small teams or one-offs: 1. Go to Team Management 2. Click Add User 3. Fill in their info and assign a role 4. Send the invite
Easy, but gets old fast if you have more than ten people.
Step 4: Assign and adjust roles
Need to tweak permissions later? Here’s how.
- Go to Team Management
- Find the user you want to update
- Click on their role (or an “Edit” button)
- Change their role and save
Real talk: Don’t give out Admin rights unless you truly trust the person. You can always bump someone up later.
What works: Role changes are instant (or close to it). The user might need to refresh.
What doesn’t: If you want more granular permissions (like “can view but not edit templates”), Signnow isn’t super flexible. For most orgs, that’s fine.
Step 5: Remove or deactivate users
People leave. Don’t let old accounts linger.
- Go to Team Management
- Find the departing user
- Choose Remove or Deactivate
- Remove deletes them entirely
- Deactivate keeps their account but blocks access (handy for audits)
Pro tip: If you’re not sure, deactivate first. You can always remove later.
Note: Removing a user doesn’t automatically transfer their documents. You’ll need to reassign documents or templates manually if it matters.
Step 6: Organize with teams (if you need to)
If your org is split into departments or regions, you can set up teams within Signnow. This is optional, but handy for:
- Keeping HR, Sales, and Legal documents separate
- Assigning a Manager to oversee a group
- Controlling who sees what
How to set up teams: 1. Go to Team Management 2. Click Create Team (might be called “Add Group”) 3. Name your team and add users 4. Assign a Manager, if needed
What works: Teams help keep things tidy, especially if you have lots of users.
What doesn’t: Don’t expect deep “team-level” permission controls. It’s mostly about grouping people and keeping doc lists clean.
Step 7: Audit your users regularly
Set a recurring reminder (quarterly is fine for most) to:
- Remove or deactivate anyone who’s left
- Check Admins and Managers — do they still need that level of access?
- Clean up teams and groups
Pro tip: Export your user list occasionally. If you spot a bunch of inactive accounts, clear them out. This keeps your audit trail clean if you ever get audited for compliance.
Common pitfalls (and how to avoid them)
- Typos in emails: Double-check before importing. One wrong character, and the invite bounces.
- Too many Admins: Don’t hand these out unless there’s a real need.
- Forgetting to remove old users: Set a calendar reminder — it’s easy to forget.
- Ignoring invite emails: Warn your team before a big import, or risk confusion.
Honest takes: What works, what doesn’t
Works well: - Bulk importing users with a clean CSV - Assigning and changing roles quickly - Keeping things simple with just a few role types
Falls short: - Custom permission settings are limited. You can’t set “view-only” or “template editor” without giving broad access. - Error messages during import aren’t always helpful. - No automatic document reassignment when someone leaves (plan for this if onboarding/offboarding is frequent).
Keep it simple and iterate
Don’t overcomplicate your setup. Start with the basics: get your users in, set only the roles you truly need, and check in every few months to clean things up. If you find you need more complex controls, you can always layer that in later — or decide if Signnow’s limitations mean you need a different tool. For most enterprise teams, though, following these steps will make onboarding and user management a lot less painful. Good luck!