Understanding the Four Batching Workflows

When sending documents in a batch, two settings control how signers receive and complete documents:

• Sequential signing – Recipients must sign in a defined order within a document.

• Enforce document ordering – Whether documents in a batch must be completed one-by-one in order.

Combining these two controls produces four possible workflows that determine how recipients access documents and when they receive notification emails.

Sequential Signing can be changed at the team level and customised for each send.

Enforce Ordering is off by default but can be switched on when sending a new batch.

Understanding these combinations helps you choose the workflow that best fits your signing or approval process:

1. Enforce Ordering ON + Sequential Signing ON

2. Enforce Ordering ON + Sequential Signing OFF

3. Enforce Ordering OFF + Sequential Signing ON

4. Enforce Ordering OFF + Sequential Signing OFF

Enforce Ordering ON + Sequential Signing ON

In this configuration, both document order and signer order are enforced. This is the most controlled workflow, useful when documents must follow a strict approval sequence but means it is also the slowest workflow.

Example Workflow:

• Signer A → Document 1

• Signer B → Document 1

• Signer A → Document 2

• Signer B → Document 2 

1. Signer A receives email for Document 1

2. After signing, Signer B receives email for Document 1

3. Once Document 1 is fully complete, Document 2 unlocks

4. Signer A receives email for Document 2.

5. After signing, Signer B receives email for Document 2

Enforce Ordering ON + Sequential Signing OFF

This configuration enforces document order, but recipients within each document can sign in parallel. This workflow is useful when Documents must be completed in order, but Signer order does not matter.

Example Workflow:

• Signer A & Signer B → Document 1

• Signer A & Signer B → Document 2

1. Signer A and Signer B both receive Document 1

2. They sign independently

3. Once Document 1 is fully complete, Document 2 unlocks.

4. Both signers receive Document 2

5. After both have signed, Document 2 is fully complete.

Enforce Ordering OFF + Sequential Signing ON

In this setup, Signer A can run through and complete all the documents in turn, Signer B can then follow and complete all the documents immediately after.

Example Workflow:

•  Signer A → Document 1 → Document 2

• Signer B → Document 1 → Document 2

1. Signer A accesses and signs Document 1 and then Document 2

2. Signer B receives the Documents as they are signed by Signer A

3. Signer B accesses and signs the Documents once available

4. Signer A finishes signing and then Signer B can finish signing immediately afterwards

Enforce Ordering OFF + Sequential Signing OFF

This configuration has a fully parallel workflow in which all documents are available immediately and recipients can sign immediately. This is the fastest and most flexible workflow.

Example Workflow:

•  Signer A & Signer B → Document 1 & Document 2

1. Both signers immediately access the document

2. They complete and sign the documents as they are accessed

3. The batch finishes when all documents are completed