Skip to main content

eSignature Digital Document Signing

Now featuring our newly launched enhancements — everything you need to know in one place

J
Written by Jasmine Bailey

eSignature: Digital Document Signing

Overview

eSignature is Reconnect's digital document signing feature that enables accounts to create, assign, and manage documents that may require signatures from both users of Reconnect Manager and Clients. eSignature streamlines the document workflow by allowing two-way form interactions where multiple parties can review, fill, and sign documents electronically.

The eSignature Document Portal provides a centralized workspace where users can manage every stage of the signing process — from creating signing groups and templates to tracking documents through to completion.

Getting Started: How eSignature Works

eSignature follows a simple five-step workflow designed to guide you from setup through to document completion. The How eSignature Works guide, accessible from the Need Help? option in the bottom-right corner of the portal, outlines the process:

  • Step 1 — Create a Group: Create a signing group and add the users who will be assigned to documents.

  • Step 2 — Create or Use a Template: Name your template, assign your user or signing group(s), then upload your PDF and place your form fields.

  • Step 3 — Create a New Document: Name your document, select your template, choose your participants, and send it out.

  • Step 4 — Sign a Document: Signers fill required fields and submit from My Assignments.

  • Step 5 — Track & Manage: Monitor all documents under All Documents.

A Take a Guided Tour option is also available within the guide for an interactive walkthrough.

Navigating the eSignature Portal

The eSignature Document Portal includes a left-side navigation menu with the following sections:

  • Home — Your dashboard summary and quick actions

  • My Assignments — Documents waiting for your signature or review (badge shows pending count)

  • All Documents — Full list of every document in the account

  • Signing Groups — Create and manage groups of users

  • Templates — Create and manage document templates

  • New Document — Start the document creation workflow

Throughout the portal, you'll see a four-step progress indicator at the top of the Signing Groups, Templates, New Document, and Send & Sign pages so you always know where you are in the document workflow.

Home Dashboard

The Home page is your central hub for eSignature activity. From here you can quickly view account-wide statistics, recent activity, and your personal assignments at a glance.

Dashboard Components:

  • Greeting and Date — A personalized greeting with the current date

  • Quick Action Buttons — Shortcuts to New Document, Manage Templates, and Manage Signing Groups

  • Summary Cards — At-a-glance counts of:

    • Total Documents (all time)

    • Awaiting Signature (requires action)

    • Completed (fully signed)

    • My Assignments (needs your attention)

  • Recent Activity — A live feed of recent document events such as documents signed, documents sent for signatures, and documents completed

  • My Assignments Preview — The most recent documents assigned to you with their due dates and an "Action Required" indicator

A View All link in either the Recent Activity or My Assignments section opens the full list.

My Assignments

The My Assignments page displays documents that are waiting for your action or review. A red badge in the navigation indicates how many items require your attention.

My Assignments Features:

  • Action Banner — A notification at the top of the page indicates the total number of items requiring your attention

  • List / Tiles Toggle — Switch between a compact list view or a visual tile view in the top-right corner

  • Document Cards — Each card displays:

    • Document title

    • Status badge (e.g., Waiting Signatures, Signed)

    • From: the user who initiated the document

    • Assigned: the date and time the document was assigned to you

    • Due: the due date (shown in red if overdue or due soon)

    • Sign Now button to open and complete the document

    • A quick-edit icon for additional actions

    • A download icon to save a copy of the document

Once you've signed your portion of a document, the button updates to Signed and the document remains visible until all signatures are collected.

Signing Groups (Step 1)

Signing Groups allow facilities to create predefined groups of users who can respond to documents — particularly client-initiated documents. Signing Groups are Step 1 in the document workflow.

Setting Up Signing Groups

A new Signing Group is created from the Signing Groups page using the + Create New Signing Group option. Each group requires:

  • A unique name within the facility (e.g., "Case Manager," "Administrator," "Treatment Provider," "Probation Officer Group")

  • One or more associated Users as members

When a Client initiates a document using a template with Signing Groups, any user in that group can respond to and sign the document.

Managing Signing Groups

The Signing Groups page displays all existing groups as either tiles or a list (toggle in the top-right). Each signing group card displays:

  • Group name

  • Number of members

  • Manage button to edit group settings

  • Members button to view and update group membership

  • A delete icon to remove the group

Tip: Set up your Signing Groups before creating templates that allow client initiation. This ensures your templates have the right groups available to assign.

Templates (Step 2)

eSignature uses a template-based system for document creation. Templates serve as reusable document blueprints that define the structure, fields, and signature requirements for your forms. Templates are Step 2 in the document workflow.

Viewing Templates

The Templates page is divided into two tabs:

  • Active Templates — Templates currently available for use, with a count badge

  • Deleted Templates — Templates that have been removed but retained for reference, with a count badge

Each template tile displays:

  • Template name

  • Number of Form Fields

  • Number of Signers

  • Created date

  • Use Template button to start a new document

  • Preview button to view the template

  • A settings (gear) icon and a delete icon for additional management

Creating Templates

A new template is created from the Templates page using the + Create Template option. Each template requires a PDF base document and the following settings:

  • Template Name — Must be unique within your facility

  • Template Description — Optional description of the document's purpose

  • Participant Types — Define who will sign the document (Users or Clients)

  • Initiation Rules — Specify whether Users, Clients, or both can initiate documents from this template

Template Participants

  • User Participants: Staff members who will sign the document

  • Client Participants: Clients who will sign the document

  • Signing Groups: Pre-configured groups of users that can respond to a template (useful for client-initiated documents)

Client Initiation Rules

When a template allows Client initiation and a staff user is also expected to sign the document, Signing Groups must be set up in the account in order for users to be able to sign the form. This is because clients cannot assign specific Users to document participants during the initiation process.

In other words, a client cannot assign a signature to a specific probation officer in the account, but the template can assign the signature form to the Probation Officer Signing Group so that any user associated to that group could complete the form that the client initiated.

New Document (Step 3)

Creating a document is Step 3 in the document workflow. Name it, choose a template, add participants, and send.

User-Initiated Documents

The New Document option (available from the left-side menu or the Home dashboard) launches a 4-step guided modal:

  • Step 1 of 4 — Document Name: Enter a name for the document (e.g., "NDA Agreement — Client A")

  • Step 2 of 4 — Template: Select a template (only templates allowing User initiation will appear)

  • Step 3 of 4 — Participants: Select the client(s) who will receive the document and assign specific Users or Signing Groups to each participant role

  • Step 4 of 4 — Send & Sign: Review and submit to create and send the document for signatures

Client-Initiated Documents

Clients can initiate documents from within Reconnect Community:

  1. Client accesses available forms in the Community app

  2. Client selects and initiates a document from an approved template

  3. The document is automatically assigned to the appropriate Signing Groups

  4. Clients can then review and sign their portion of the document

.

All Documents (Step 5 — Track & Manage)

The All Documents section displays every document in the account with its current status and history. The page header shows the total document count.

Filtering and Searching

  • Filter dropdown — Narrow the list by status (All, Waiting Signatures, Completed, etc.)

  • Search bar — Search by document title or signer name

  • List / Tiles toggle — Switch between table and tile views

Exporting Documents

Above the document table, you can export your data:

  • Print CSV — Download the document list as a CSV file

  • Print PDF — Download the document list as a PDF

You can also create a new document directly from this page using the + Create Document button in the top-right.

Client Signing Workflow

When a client is assigned to sign a document:

  1. Notification — Client receives a task notification in their task list and an automated message in their Reconnect room

  2. Access — Client opens the document directly within Reconnect Community (no external browser required)

  3. Sign — Client completes their assigned fields and signature

  4. Confirmation — System sends notification to all parties when a signature is completed

  5. Completion — When the last signature is collected:

    • Document status changes to Completed

    • A copy is saved to the client's My Documents section

Form Submissions (Client View)

Clients can view their eSignature submissions in My Account > Form Submissions, which displays:

  • Date of assignment creation

  • Form title

  • Filled status

  • Document status

  • View button to access the form content

Client Deactivation

When a client is deactivated in the system, all their pending (non-completed) eSignature documents are automatically cancelled.

Best Practices

  • Follow the workflow order: Create your Signing Groups first (Step 1), then your Templates (Step 2), before creating new documents (Step 3).

  • Unique Template Names: Always use descriptive, unique names for templates to avoid confusion.

  • Signing Groups First: Set up Signing Groups before creating templates that allow client initiation.

  • Check My Assignments daily: Use the My Assignments page (and the badge on the home dashboard) to stay on top of documents awaiting your signature.

  • Use the Home dashboard: Monitor your account's overall eSignature health using the summary cards and Recent Activity feed.

  • Document Review: Regularly review the All Documents section to monitor document progress, and use the Filter and Search tools to find specific documents quickly.

  • Template Testing: Test new templates with a small group before using them broadly.

  • Take the Guided Tour: New users can access the Take a Guided Tour walkthrough from the Need Help? option to learn the workflow.

Did this answer your question?