Signing Order

What is Signing Order?

Signing order defines the sequence in which recipients receive and sign a document when multiple signatures are required. Setting the correct signing order is important for both practical and legal reasons — certain signers may need to review and approve a document before others, and some agreements have specific ordering requirements.

There are three common signing order patterns. Sequential signing requires each signer to complete their portion before the next signer is notified. Parallel signing sends the document to all signers simultaneously, allowing them to sign in any order. Hybrid signing combines both approaches — for example, a document might require two department heads to sign in parallel, after which it is sent to the CEO for final approval.

Sequential signing is appropriate when later signers need to see or depend on earlier signatures (for example, a manager countersigning an employee's request), when the document requires approval before final signatures, or when regulatory requirements mandate a specific order. Parallel signing is more efficient when signers are independent of each other and there's no dependency between signatures.

The choice of signing order directly impacts turnaround time. Sequential signing can take longer because each signer adds their own delay, while parallel signing allows all signers to act simultaneously. For documents with many signers, the difference can be significant — a contract requiring five sequential signatures might take a week, while the same contract with parallel signing could be completed in a day.