If you’re tired of chasing people to sign your contracts, proposals, or NDAs, you’re not alone. Plenty of sales reps, recruiters, and admins spend more time nagging than they’d like to admit. The good news: if you use Getaccept, you can set up automated reminders so the system does the pestering for you. This guide is for anyone who wants to quit worrying about unsigned docs and let technology do the follow-up.
Let's get right to it.
Why bother with automated reminders?
Before you dive in, here’s the deal: most people don’t sign on the first go. They get distracted, busy, or just plain forget. If you rely on memory or sticky notes to follow up, you’re going to miss deals. Automated reminders solve that—they’re consistent, polite, and don’t get tired.
But, don’t expect miracles. If your recipient is truly ignoring you (or your offer stinks), reminders won’t magically fix that. What they will do is handle the 80% of cases where someone just needs a nudge.
Step 1: Know your Getaccept permissions
Not everyone can set up automated reminders in Getaccept. Usually, you need to be an admin or have editing rights for your templates. If you're not sure, check with whoever manages your account.
- If you’re an admin: You’re good—set up reminders for everyone or make default settings.
- If you’re a regular user: You can often set up reminders for your own documents, but not always for templates. If you don’t see the features described here, ask your admin.
Pro tip: Don’t waste time hunting for settings you can’t access. If you’re stuck, get clarity on your permissions first.
Step 2: Decide how you want reminders to work
Getaccept gives you a few ways to automate reminders. You can:
- Set up reminders for every document you send (manual per send)
- Bake reminders right into your templates (so every doc from that template follows the same rule)
- Use company-wide default settings (if you’re an admin)
What’s best?
If you’re sending the same type of document over and over (like NDAs or contracts), set it at the template level. If every situation is different, set reminders as you send documents. Company-wide defaults can be handy, but they’ll apply to every document—sometimes overkill.
Step 3: Set up automated reminders for a single document
Here’s how to do it when you’re sending a doc:
- Upload or create your document.
- Start a new send as you normally would.
- Add your recipients.
- Type their emails, assign signing roles if needed.
- Before you send, look for the “Reminders” section.
- This is usually in the final review screen before you hit “Send.”
- Choose to enable automated reminders.
- There’ll be a toggle or checkbox to turn these on.
- Set your schedule.
- Getaccept lets you pick things like:
- How many days after sending to send the first reminder (e.g., after 2 days)
- How often to repeat (every X days)
- How many reminders to send before giving up
- Customize the reminder message (optional, but smart).
- The default message is generic. Personalizing it can make a difference—even just adding the recipient’s name or mentioning the doc.
- Double-check everything, then send.
That’s it. Getaccept will now chase your recipient for you.
What to ignore:
Don’t overthink the reminder schedule. Most folks respond within a week if they’re going to at all. Bombarding someone every day is more likely to annoy them than get a signature.
Step 4: Set up reminders in a template (so you never have to do it again)
Templates save time and keep your process consistent. Here’s how to embed automated reminders in a template:
- Go to “Templates” in your Getaccept dashboard.
- Edit an existing template or create a new one.
- Find the “Reminders” or “Automation” tab/section.
- This sometimes hides behind a gear icon or in advanced settings.
- Set your reminder rules:
- First reminder delay (e.g., 2 days after send)
- Frequency (e.g., every 2 days)
- Max number of reminders (e.g., 3 times)
- Edit the default reminder message if you want.
- Again, personalization helps.
- Save your template.
Now, every document you send from this template will follow the same reminder flow. If you have a team, this keeps everyone on the same page—and stops the “I forgot to follow up” excuses.
Heads up:
Not every Getaccept plan supports template-level automation. If you don’t see these options, you might need a higher-tier plan. Don’t pay extra just for this unless it’s a real pain point for your team.
Step 5: Set or adjust company-wide defaults (for admins only)
If you’re an admin and want to set a baseline for everyone:
- Go to your account or company settings.
- Look for “Automation,” “Reminders,” or “Document Defaults.”
- The labeling changes sometimes, but it’ll be there.
- Set your default reminder rules.
- Same options: delay, frequency, total reminders, message.
- Communicate the change to your team.
- Some folks hate automated reminders, so let them know what’s happening and why.
Why (or why not) use company-wide defaults?
If you’ve got a lot of rookies or inconsistent follow-up, this is a lifesaver. But for experienced teams with different workflows, this can be overkill or even backfire (e.g., legal or high-touch deals where reminders can feel pushy).
Step 6: Track which documents are unsigned—and tweak as needed
Automated reminders aren’t “set and forget.” Here’s how to check what’s working:
- Use Getaccept’s dashboard:
You’ll see which documents are unsigned, how many reminders have been sent, and if people are opening your emails. - Look for patterns:
If people aren’t opening the reminder emails, maybe they’re going to spam—or your subject line is boring. - Adjust the message or schedule:
If everyone signs after the first reminder, dial it back. If you’re still chasing signatures, try tweaking your message or when you send.
Pro tip:
Don’t be afraid to ask recipients directly (“Did you get my reminder email?”). Sometimes tech is fine, but your contact just missed it.
What actually works (and what doesn’t)
What works
- Short, clear reminder messages.
- Reminders sent every 2–3 days, no more than 3 times.
- Personalized notes.
- A clear deadline (“Please sign by Friday”).
What doesn’t
- Daily reminders.
This just annoys people. - Long, generic emails.
Folks tune them out. - Ignoring feedback.
If someone tells you to stop, stop.
Common pitfalls to avoid
- Setting and forgetting: If you never check who’s unsigned, you’ll miss out on learning what works.
- Over-automation: Not every deal should be nagged automatically. Use a human touch for complex or high-value documents.
- Assuming reminders fix everything: Sometimes, you need to pick up the phone.
Keep it simple—and iterate
Automated reminders in Getaccept can save you a ton of time and keep deals moving. But don’t overcomplicate it. Start with a basic reminder rule, see what works in your world, and tweak from there. If you’re not getting the results you want, adjust your timing or your message—but don’t throw more tech at the problem than you need.
Remember: the goal is to spend less time chasing signatures and more time actually doing your job. Set up your reminders, let them run, and check in regularly to make sure people are actually responding. If you stick to that, you’ll be ahead of 90% of folks still chasing signatures the hard way.