Operations & Procurement

SignNXT helps operations teams keep business running smoothly with instant approvals for service contracts, procurement orders, and maintenance agreements. Eliminate delays and get documents signed without bottlenecks.

Common Operations Use Cases

SignNXT is perfect for these operational workflows:

Workflow 1: Instant Vendor Approval

Scenario: You need a vendor to sign a service contract quickly to start work immediately.

Step 1: Send the Contract

1. Click New Document
2. Upload your service contract PDF
3. Add the vendor as a signer:
   • Name: ABC Services Ltd
   • Email: contracts@abcservices.com
4. Place signature and date fields
5. Add a personal message: "Please review and sign this service contract so we can begin work on Monday."
6. Set reminder (Professional plan) - e.g., every 1 day
7. Set expiry (Professional plan) - e.g., 3 days
8. Click Send for Signature

Step 2: Vendor Signs

1. Vendor receives email with signing link
2. Vendor reviews contract on any device
3. Vendor signs and submits
4. You receive email notification instantly
5. Work can begin immediately

Step 3: Track & Store

1. Go to Completed folder
2. Download signed contract
3. Signed PDF includes complete audit trail
4. Store in vendor records

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Workflow 2: Multi-Level Internal Approval

Scenario: A purchase order requires approval from department manager, operations director, and finance director.

Using Sequential Signing

Set up an approval workflow with signing order:

1. Create a Template (Professional plan)
2. Define roles in approval order:
   • Role 1: Department Manager (first approval)
   • Role 2: Operations Director (second approval)
   • Role 3: Finance Director (final approval)
3. Place signature fields for each role
4. Set signing order

How it works:

1. Department Manager receives email and approves first
2. After manager approves, Operations Director receives email
3. After Operations Director approves, Finance Director receives email
4. Purchase order is approved after all three sign
5. Vendor receives final approved PO

Alternative: Parallel Approval

If approval order doesn't matter:

1. Add all approvers at once
2. All three receive emails simultaneously
3. They can approve in any order
4. PO is approved when all three sign

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Workflow 3: Bulk Vendor Agreements

Scenario: You need 50 vendors to sign updated service agreements.

Step 1: Prepare Vendor List

Create a CSV file with vendor information:

vendor_name,vendor_email,company_name,service_type,contract_value,start_date,end_date
ABC Services,contracts@abc.com,ABC Services Ltd,Maintenance,25000,01 Apr 2025,31 Mar 2026
XYZ Solutions,legal@xyz.com,XYZ Solutions Inc,IT Support,35000,01 Apr 2025,31 Mar 2026
Global Supplies,admin@global.com,Global Supplies Co,Procurement,15000,01 Apr 2025,31 Mar 2026

Required columns:

• vendor_name - Vendor contact name
• vendor_email - Vendor email address

Optional columns (for merge fields):

• company_name - Vendor company name
• service_type - Type of service
• contract_value - Annual contract value
• start_date - Contract start date
• end_date - Contract end date

Step 2: Create a Campaign

1. Go to Campaigns page (Professional plan)
2. Click New Campaign
3. Upload your service agreement PDF template
4. Upload your CSV file
5. Map CSV columns to signers:
   • Column: vendor_name → Signer Name
   • Column: vendor_email → Signer Email

Step 3: Add Merge Fields

Personalize each agreement:

1. Place merge fields on the PDF:
   • Company Name (merge_text) → company_name
   • Service Type (merge_text) → service_type
   • Contract Value (merge_number) → contract_value
   • Start Date (merge_date) → start_date
   • End Date (merge_date) → end_date
2. Place signature and date fields for vendor

Step 4: Send Campaign

1. Preview the first agreement
2. Set reminder frequency - e.g., every 2 days
3. Set expiry date - e.g., 14 days
4. Add a personal message
5. Click Send Campaign

Step 5: Track Progress

Monitor which vendors have signed:

1. Go to campaign dashboard
2. View statistics:
   • Total sent - All vendors
   • Completed - Vendors who signed
   • Pending - Vendors who haven't signed yet
3. Follow up with pending vendors
4. Download all signed agreements

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Template Setup for Operations

Save time by creating reusable templates for common operational documents.

Creating a Purchase Order Template

1. Go to Templates page (Professional plan)
2. Click New Template
3. Upload your purchase order PDF
4. Enter template name: "Standard Purchase Order"
5. Define roles:
   • Department Manager - Requesting department
   • Operations Director - Operations approval
   • Finance Director - Financial approval
   • Vendor - Supplier
6. Place fields for each role:
   • Department Manager: Signature, Date
   • Operations Director: Signature, Date
   • Finance Director: Signature, Date
   • Vendor: Signature, Date (acceptance)
7. Add merge fields for personalization:
   • Vendor Name (merge_text)
   • PO Number (merge_text)
   • Item Description (merge_textarea)
   • Quantity (merge_number)
   • Unit Price (merge_number)
   • Total Amount (merge_number)
   • Delivery Date (merge_date)
8. Set signing order (sequential)
9. Save template

Using the Template

When you need to send a purchase order:

1. Go to Templates page
2. Click Use Template on "Standard Purchase Order"
3. Map roles to real people:
   • Department Manager → John Smith (john@company.com)
   • Operations Director → Sarah Johnson (sarah@company.com)
   • Finance Director → Mike Brown (mike@company.com)
   • Vendor → ABC Supplies (orders@abcsupplies.com)
4. Fill merge fields:
   • Vendor Name: ABC Supplies Ltd
   • PO Number: PO-2025-001
   • Item Description: Office furniture
   • Quantity: 50
   • Unit Price: 200
   • Total Amount: 10000
   • Delivery Date: 15 Apr 2025
5. Send for signature

Time savings: 90% faster than creating from scratch each time.

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Real-Time Tracking for Operations

Monitor contract status and approval progress in real time.

Dashboard Tracking

Track your operational documents:

1. Go to Sent Items folder
2. View document status:
   • Pending - Waiting for signatures
   • Completed - All signed
   • Voided - Cancelled
3. See who has signed and who hasn't
4. Check signature timestamps
5. Follow up on pending approvals

Campaign Analytics

For bulk campaigns, track:

• Total sent - Number of agreements sent
• Completed - Vendors who signed
• Pending - Vendors who haven't signed yet
• Completion rate - Percentage signed

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Audit Trail for Compliance

Every signed document includes complete documentation for compliance and audits.

What's Included in Audit Trail

Each signature includes:

• Signer name and email
• Signature timestamp (UTC)
• IP address
• Certificate of Completion

Where Audit Info Appears

1. Signed PDF - Embedded below each signature
2. Certificate of Completion - Full audit trail document
3. Database - Stored in system records

Use Cases for Audit Trails

• Compliance audits - Prove when contracts were signed
• Financial audits - Verify purchase order approvals
• Legal disputes - Evidence of agreement
• Internal audits - Track approval workflows

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Best Practices for Operations

1. Folder Organization

Create a clear folder structure:

Operations Documents/
├── Service Contracts/
├── Purchase Orders/
├── Maintenance Agreements/
├── Internal Approvals/
├── Vendor Agreements/
└── Archived/

2. Template Library

Build templates for frequently used documents:

• Standard purchase order
• Service contract
• Maintenance agreement
• Work order
• Change order
• Vendor agreement
• Budget approval form
• Expense authorization

3. Reminders & Expiry

For urgent approvals:

• Set reminders every 1 day
• Set expiry date (2-3 days)
• Monitor pending documents hourly

For standard contracts:

• Set reminders every 2-3 days
• Set expiry date (7-14 days)
• Monitor daily

For vendor agreements:

• Set reminders every 3-5 days
• Set longer expiry (30 days)
• Monitor weekly

4. Sequential Signing for Approvals

Common approval workflows:

Budget Approval:

1. Department Manager
2. Operations Director
3. Finance Director
4. CEO (for large amounts)

Purchase Order:

1. Requesting Department
2. Operations Manager
3. Finance Approval
4. Vendor Acceptance

Service Contract:

1. Operations Manager
2. Legal Review
3. Finance Approval
4. Vendor Signature

5. Team Collaboration

Assign workspace roles:

• Admin - Operations Director (full access)
• Member - Department Managers (create and send documents)
• Member - Coordinators (view-only via folder permissions)

Use shared folders:

• Create "Operations Team" folder
• Add all managers with Edit access
• Track team performance and approvals

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Instant Approvals

Get urgent contracts approved in minutes, not days.

Why Instant Approvals Matter

• No delays - Start work immediately
• Mobile signing - Approvers can sign from anywhere
• Automatic reminders - No manual follow-ups needed
• Real-time tracking - See approval status instantly

How to Get Instant Approvals

1. Send immediately - Upload and send in seconds
2. Mobile-friendly - Approvers sign on smartphones
3. Set short expiry - Create urgency (1-3 days)
4. Frequent reminders - Every 1 day for urgent items
5. Follow up - Call if not signed within hours

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Security & Compliance

SignNXT provides operations teams with:

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Troubleshooting Common Operations Scenarios

Approver Hasn't Signed After Multiple Reminders

Solution:

1. Check if email went to spam folder
2. Call the approver directly
3. Resend the signing link
4. If urgent, escalate to their manager

Wrong Amount in Purchase Order

Solution:

1. Void the document (if not yet signed)
2. Correct the amount
3. Resend the purchase order
4. If already signed, create a change order

Need to Add Another Approver

Solution:

• SignNXT doesn't support adding signers after sending
• Void the current document
• Create new document with all approvers
• Send for signature

Vendor Declined to Sign

Solution:

1. Check the decline reason they provided
2. Address their concerns
3. Make necessary changes to the contract
4. Send a new contract for signature

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