Downloading Signed Documents

Once your document has been signed by all parties, you can download the completed document along with the Certificate of Completion for your records.

Three Download Options

SignNXT provides three download buttons in the document preview area: Original, Download Signed, and Download Certificate.

Download Options

1. Download Signed Document

The signed document contains all the signatures, initials, and filled fields embedded directly into the PDF. This is the legally binding version of your document.

What's included in the signed document:

• All signatures and initials drawn by signers
• All filled text fields, dates, and checkboxes
• Audit information below each signature (name, email, date/time, IP address)
• Timestamps showing when each field was signed

To download the signed document:

1. Navigate to your document from the dashboard or folder
2. Click on the document to open the detail page
3. In the "Signed Document Preview" section header, click the "Download Signed" button
4. The signed document will open in a new tab or download to your device

Legally Binding

The signed document includes all signatures with embedded audit information (name, email, timestamp, IP address) and is the official version you should store for your records.

2. Download Original Document

You can also download the original PDF that was uploaded before any signatures were added. This is useful for reference or if you need to create a new version.

To download the original document:

1. Open the document detail page
2. In the document preview header, click the "Original" button
3. The original document will open in a new tab or download

3. Download Certificate of Completion

The Certificate of Completion is a detailed audit trail that proves the authenticity of your signed document. It includes:

• Document details (name, date sent, date completed)
• All signer information (names, emails)
• Signing timestamps for each signer
• IP addresses and device information
• Unique verification code and QR code
• Tamper-evident seal

To download the certificate:

1. Open the completed document
2. In the document preview header, click the "Download Certificate" button
3. The certificate will open in a new tab

Certificate Verification

The Certificate of Completion can be verified at any time using the QR code or verification code. Simply click on the QR code in the certificate PDF to instantly verify the document's authenticity and view complete signing details.

Document Status Requirements

You can only download signed documents when they have reached certain statuses:

Status	Original	Download Signed	Download Certificate
Draft	✅	❌	❌
Pending	✅	❌	❌
Completed	✅	✅	✅*
Voided	✅	❌	❌
Declined	✅	❌	❌

* Certificate download is only available if certificate generation was enabled when sending the document.

Status Requirement

The "Download Signed" button is only available for documents with "Completed" status. The "Download Certificate" button requires both "Completed" status and certificate generation to be enabled.

Certificate Generation Setting

Enabling Certificate Generation

When sending a document, you can choose whether to generate a Certificate of Completion:

• Enabled: Certificate is automatically generated when all signers complete
• Disabled: No certificate is generated (saves storage and processing)

When to Enable Certificates

Enable certificate generation for:

• Legal documents - Contracts, agreements, NDAs
• Compliance requirements - Documents requiring audit trails
• High-value transactions - Real estate, financial documents
• Regulatory needs - Documents subject to regulations

Disable certificate generation for:

• Internal documents - Simple approvals, internal forms
• Low-risk documents - Routine acknowledgments
• High-volume campaigns - When audit trail in signed PDF is sufficient

Audit Information Always Included

Even without a certificate, the signed PDF includes audit information (name, email, timestamp, IP address) embedded below each signature for verification.

Storage Recommendations

For proper document management, we recommend:

1. Create a folder structure on your computer or cloud storage
2. Store signed PDFs and certificates together for each document
3. Back up important documents to multiple locations
4. Keep certificates for compliance and audit purposes
5. Use descriptive file names if renaming downloaded files

Best Practice

Store the signed PDF and Certificate of Completion together in the same folder. The certificate serves as proof of authenticity if the document is ever questioned.

Sharing Downloaded Documents

Once downloaded, you can share your documents via:

• Email - Attach the signed PDF to an email
• Cloud storage - Upload to Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, etc.
• File sharing - Use secure file sharing services
• Print - Print physical copies for filing

Certificate of Completion

When sharing signed documents for legal or compliance purposes, consider including the Certificate of Completion to provide proof of authenticity and a complete audit trail.

Understanding Download Behavior

How Downloads Work

When you click a download button:

• Original & Download Signed - Opens in a new browser tab
• Download Certificate - Opens in a new browser tab
• Your browser may automatically download the file or display it
• Browser settings control whether files open or download

Browser Download Settings

To control download behavior:

• Chrome/Edge: Settings → Downloads → Choose download location
• Firefox: Settings → General → Downloads
• Safari: Preferences → General → File download location

Troubleshooting

Download buttons are grayed out or disabled

Cause: The document hasn't been completed yet, or certificate generation wasn't enabled.

Solution:

• Check the document status - it should show "Completed" with a green checkmark
• Wait for all signers to complete the document
• For certificates, verify that certificate generation was enabled when sending
• Contact the document owner for access if you don't have permission

Downloaded file won't open

Cause: The PDF may be corrupted or your PDF reader is outdated.

Solution:

1. Try downloading again
2. Update your PDF reader (Adobe Acrobat, Preview, etc.)
3. Try opening in a different PDF viewer
4. Contact support if the issue persists

Certificate button is not visible

Cause: Certificate generation was not enabled when the document was sent.

Solution:

• Check if certificate generation was enabled for this document
• The signed PDF still contains audit information below each signature
• For future documents, enable certificate generation when sending

Certificate shows "Invalid" when verified

Cause: The document or certificate may have been tampered with.

Solution: Contact the document sender to obtain a fresh copy. Never accept a certificate that fails verification.

Download opens in browser instead of downloading

Cause: Browser settings are configured to display PDFs instead of downloading them.

Solution:

• Right-click the download button and select "Save link as..."
• Change your browser's PDF handling settings
• Use the browser's print function to save as PDF

Security and Privacy

Secure Downloads

SignNXT ensures secure document downloads:

• Encrypted connections - All downloads use HTTPS encryption
• Access control - Only authorized users can download documents
• Temporary links - Download links expire after use
• Audit logging - All download activities are logged

Data Retention

• Documents remain available for download in your account
• Download your important documents for offline storage
• Maintain backups of critical signed documents