How to track document status and manage notifications in Signnow for project management

If you’ve ever lost track of a document in a project, you know how quickly things can spiral—deadlines get missed, people get grumpy, and you’re left playing detective. This guide is for project managers (and anyone wrangling signatures) who want a clear, no-nonsense way to track document status and manage notifications in Signnow. Whether your team’s remote, hybrid, or just plain scattered, these steps will help you stay organized and sane.

Why bother tracking and notifications?

Let’s get real: project management is about moving things forward, not chasing paperwork. But if you’re using electronic signature tools like Signnow, you need to know:

  • Who’s signed what
  • Who’s dropped the ball
  • When a document is actually done

Ignoring this stuff means you’ll be stuck following up manually. That’s a waste of your time and everyone else’s. Automating tracking and notifications won’t solve all your problems, but it’ll cut down on the chaos.

Step 1: Set Up Your Signnow Account for Team Use

Before you can track anything, make sure Signnow is set up for how your team works.

Do this first:

  • Create a Team Account (if you haven’t): Individual accounts work for solo use, but project management gets messy fast without a team account. The team plan lets you share templates, see each other’s documents, and track status together.
  • Add Team Members: Go to the “Team” section, invite everyone who’ll be sending or managing documents. Give them the right permissions—don’t give everyone admin unless you like surprises.
  • Set Naming Conventions: Agree on how you’ll name documents (e.g., “ProjectName_Agreement_v1”). This sounds boring, but it’s a lifesaver when you’re searching later.

Pro tip: If your team is big, consider a shared folder structure by project or client. Otherwise, you’ll spend more time searching than managing.

Step 2: Send Documents the Right Way

How you send a document in Signnow affects how you’ll track it later.

  • Use Templates for Repeat Docs: If you send the same NDA or contract over and over, build a template. It saves setup time and keeps things consistent.
  • Set Roles and Signing Order: Assign roles to each recipient (Signer, Viewer, etc.). If order matters, set a signing sequence. This prevents confusion—and accidental skips.
  • Add Completion Recipients: You can CC people to get notified when the document is done. Use this for stakeholders who need to know, but don’t need to sign.

Don’t overthink this: If you only send a few docs a month, templates might be overkill. But for busy teams, they’re worth the upfront setup.

Step 3: Track Document Status Like a Hawk

Here’s where most people get lost: figuring out who’s done what. Signnow gives you a few ways to keep tabs.

The Dashboard

  • “Documents” Tab: This is your home base. Every document you’ve sent or received is listed here.
  • Status Icons: Look for icons like “Pending,” “Needs to Sign,” “Completed,” or “Declined.”
    • Pending: Sent, but not yet signed.
    • Needs to Sign: Waiting on you.
    • Completed: Everyone’s signed.
    • Declined: Someone said “no thanks.” Time to reach out.

Filters and Search

  • Use the search bar to find documents by name, recipient, or status.
  • Filter by status (e.g., only show "Pending") so you don’t have to scroll forever.

Audit Trail

  • Every document has a detailed audit log—who viewed, who signed, time stamps, even IP addresses.
  • Use this if someone claims “I never got the doc.” The log doesn’t lie.

What to ignore: Don’t waste time on the “All Documents” view if you only care about your team’s stuff. Stick to your shared folders or team dashboard.

Step 4: Set Up Smart Notifications

Notifications are the difference between being proactive and always playing catch-up. But too many notifications? You’ll tune them out. Here’s how to dial them in.

Notification Settings

  • Access this in Account Settings > Notifications.
  • You can choose to be notified:
    • When a document is signed
    • When a document is viewed
    • When a document is completed
    • When a document is declined
  • Turn off notifications for stuff you don’t actually care about. Less noise = more action.

Team Notifications

  • For shared documents, you can have notifications sent to specific team members.
  • Good for project leads who want to know when things are moving—or stalled.

In-App vs. Email

  • Email notifications: Standard, but can get lost if your inbox is a mess.
  • In-app alerts: Show up when logged in, but easy to miss if you’re not checking Signnow daily.

Pro tip: Consider setting up a dedicated email filter or label for Signnow alerts. That way, you don’t miss something important buried in spam or promos.

Step 5: Automate Reminders (So You Don’t Have To Nag)

Chasing signatures is awkward. Let Signnow do it for you.

  • Automatic Reminders: When sending a document, you can set up auto-reminders—daily, every three days, etc.
  • Manual Reminders: For stubborn signers, you can nudge them on demand. Go to the document, hit “Remind” next to their name.
  • Custom Messages: You can add a personal note. Keep it polite—no need to guilt-trip.

What works: Automated reminders keep things moving. But don’t rely on them alone. For critical docs, a quick Slack or call works wonders.

Step 6: Use Reports and Export Data (If You Actually Need It)

Most teams don’t need fancy analytics, but if your boss wants a report, here’s how to get it.

  • Export to CSV: From the dashboard, you can export document status to a spreadsheet. This is great for weekly check-ins or CYA reports.
  • Team Activity Logs: See who’s sending what, and who’s holding things up.

What to ignore: Don’t get sucked into endless reporting. If you’re only using this for signatures, keep it simple.

Step 7: Handle Stuck or Problem Documents

Even with all the tracking, things get stuck. Here’s how to deal with it.

  • Declined Docs: If someone refuses to sign, the status changes to “Declined.” Check the audit trail for their reason (sometimes they leave a note), then follow up.
  • Expired Docs: If you set an expiration date and it lapses, you’ll see it in the dashboard. You’ll need to resend or extend.
  • Wrong Email: If you sent to the wrong address, cancel and resend. Don’t wait around hoping it’ll fix itself.

Pro tip: If a doc is critical and you haven’t seen action in a few days, pick up the phone. Sometimes people just miss the email.

Real-World Pitfalls (and How to Avoid Them)

  • Notification Overload: Too many alerts and everyone tunes them out. Be brutal about what’s actually useful.
  • Messy Folder Structure: If you skip organizing, you’ll regret it later. Name things so you can find them when you’re sleep-deprived.
  • Relying Only on Email: Sometimes emails end up in spam. Use backup channels for critical docs.
  • Not Checking Audit Log: If there’s a dispute, the audit log is your friend. Don’t overlook it.

Quick Recap: Keep It Simple, Iterate as You Go

Tracking documents and managing notifications in Signnow isn’t rocket science, but it does take a little setup. Start with the basics—clean team setup, smart notifications, and clear naming. Don’t try to automate every little thing right away. Get your process working, see where it breaks, and tweak as you go.

You’ll spend less time chasing signatures and more time actually managing your project—because that’s what you’re here for.