WFM UK: HR UK: Creating a DocuSign Template

Overview

Certain aspects of the DocuSign template configuration must be followed for the integration with DocuSign to work. This article provides guidance on how to create a new DocuSign template to meet the requisites and highlights considerations regarding the Fourth & DocuSign integration.

Any number of document Templates can be created in DocuSign for sending to employees for electronic signing (a contract of employment, for example). This article shows how to create a new template (in MS Word or similar) and upload into DocuSign. Once in DocuSign, mapping fields can be added which will either be auto-filled with system information or manually completed by the signee.

Please Note: This user guide was created directly from an Onboarding user guide for creating templates. The process is the same when preparing a template to be uploaded to DocuSign. The guide has been duplicated to give user guides under both Onboarding and E-Sign in HR areas.

 

Contents

• DocuSign Guidance
• Prepare Documents to be added to DocuSign Template
• Uploading the prepared document template into DocuSign
• Adding the Mapping Fields to an Uploaded Template
  • Read Only and Mandatory Fields
  • Field Formatting
  • Data Label
  • Validation
  • Aligning Fields
  • Radio Buttons and Drop Down Lists
  • Conditional Fields
  • Signature and Date Signed fields
  • Previewing the Template

DocuSign Guidance

We recommend consulting any guidance published directly by DocuSign on managing any aspects of DocuSign, but regarding this user guide we have supplied the University home page and a course for managing the DocuSign template

• DocuSign University Home Page

• DocuSign University - Create and Manage eSignature Templates

Please Note: DocuSign University courses will require a login, and then register for the course.

 

Prepare the Document to be added to the DocuSign Template

First of all, the template should be created in Microsoft Word or a similar word-processing application.

Please Note: DocuSign will accept any of the following file formats - .doc, .docm, .docx, .dot, .dotm, .dotx, .htm, .html, .msg, .pdf, .rtf, .txt, .wpd, .xhtml, .xps.

• Ensure a large enough space is left where data needs to be populated (as shown in Fig.1)

• Use page breaks to separate sections of the documents. This will ensure they are displayed on separate pages within DocuSign

Fig.1 - Example Word Document Template

For contracts of employment, for example, a picture containing the company signature can be added to the document, which will be displayed within DocuSign.

• Ensure there is enough space for the employee's signature, date signed and full name (if required)

Fig.2 - Signatories

Once the Document has been created, it can be uploaded to DocuSign.

 

Uploading the prepared document template into DocuSign

• Log in to DocuSign and go to Templates > Start > Envelope Templates > Create a Template

Fig.3 - Create a Template

• Enter the Template Name and Template Description (if required)

Fig.4 - Template Name

• Drag and drop the Files into the 'Add documents' section
  or
  

• Select Upload to browse for and select the template document

 

Fig.5 - Uploading document options

Once uploaded, the Document will be visible within the 'Add documents' section.

Fig.6 - Uploaded Document

Please Note: it is possible to add multiple documents to a single template, which may be useful if certain job roles require different documents, such as Health and Safety Assessments, Driver Policies, etc. Just drop your files, or upload them to the UPLOAD box

• In the 'Add recipients' section, type the word 'Employee' in the Role field

• Select Next

Fig.7 - Add Recipient

• In the Add Envelope Custom Fields section, this must be left blank

Fig.8 - Add Envelope Custom Fields

Please Note: If this section is not visible when creating a DocuSign template, then return to the Configuring DocuSign Credentials in the HR Module user guide and ensure the custom envelope settings are enabled.

• The final section is the Add Message section. This is where an email subject message can be entered

This is what a recipient of this template would see when the email from DocuSign is received:

Fig.9 - Add Email Message

• Once all of the above is completed either select Save and Close to save the details entered and return to it later, or Next to continue with setting up the template

Adding the Mapping Fields to the Uploaded Template

Once a template has been uploaded, fields need to be placed on each section that requires data - either auto-populated or entered by the employee.

On the left side of the screen is a panel containing several different field types. These can be dragged and dropped to the relevant section of the template.

For fields that are to auto-populate with information from the Onboarding app, use the 'Text' field.

• To add a text field, use the mouse to drag and drop Text onto the template - see Fig.8

Fig.10 - Edit Template, Field Type Panel

 

Read Only and Required Fields

Once a field is in place, it can be formatted and configured to the required specification.

• Select the relevant field (one that has been dragged into position) to reveal the options

Each field can be set as 'Read Only' or 'Required' (mandatory).

Read Only should be set for fields automatically populated by the Onboarding app, which should not be changed by the employee. For example:

• Location

• Job Title

• Pay Rate / Salary

• Start Date

Required Field should be used for any field that must be completed as part of the contract completion. Examples of these fields are:

• Address

• Date of Birth

• Gender

The configuration of these fields is done using the panel on the right-hand side of the DocuSign page - see Fig.9.

Fig.11 - DocuSign Field Configuration

 

Field Formatting

A field can be formatted to have the same font and font size as the original document.

• To format the field, go to Formatting on the right-side panel

• Select the Font, Font Size, and Font Colour

Fig.12 - Field Formatting

 

Data Label

The Data Label is what the Onboarding app uses to map the field and populate the data correctly.

For fields not set to populate automatically, the label will be shown when the signee hovers over the field, and also within the 'Document Mapping' page within the E-Sign functionality in HR.

• To add a data label, select Data Label on the right-side panel

• Enter either the mapping field or the field name into the box

All data labels that are required for mapping data from Onboarding can be found here.

Fig.13 - Data Label

 

Validation

Any fields that require mapping to data within the app should have no additional validation added to the DocuSign template. This is because validation has already been applied at the point the data was entered into ATS, sent to the Onboarding APIs or completed in the Onboarding app.

However, any fields that require completion within DocuSign can have validation applied. This is to ensure that the employee cannot enter data that is invalid or nonsensical.

• To add a validation, select Validation on the right-side panel and use the drop-down menu

Different types of validation can be added, depending on what type of field is required.

• None - No validation will be applied

• SSN - Social Security Number - this is only relevant for the collection of a Social Security Number in the United States. The validation rule is ###-##-####

• Email - Validation checks for a minimum entry of @* and the * can be any alphanumeric character. Some special characters can be allowed

• Numbers - 0-9 and a period or comma decimal separator. No Spaces

• Letters - Letters A-Z, in lower or uppercase, and spaces, plus Unicode Latin-1 Supplement letters

• Date - MM/DD/YYYY or DD/MM/YYYY or YYYY/MM/DD. If a different date format is required, the custom field can be used

• ZIP+4 - This is only relevant for the collection of a Zip Code with a 4-digit identifier in the United States. The validation rule is xxxxx-xxxx

• ZIP - This is only relevant for the collection of a Zip Code in the United States. The validation rule is xxxxx

• Custom - Regular expression. For more information, see here

Fig.14 - Validation Types

Aligning Fields

Where there are many fields required to complete a document, they can be aligned with one another to uniform the page and make it look smarter for employees.

• To align fields, drag the mouse over all of the fields that need to be aligned so they are all highlighted

Fig.15 - Highlighted Fields

At the top of the DocuSign Field Configuration Panel, a new section will display.

The four icons are quick buttons which can be used to:

1. Align all fields to the right-hand side of the field that is set furthest to the right

2. Align all fields to the left-hand side of the field that is set furthest to the left

3. Align all fields to the top of the field that is set furthest to the top

4. Align all fields to the bottom of the field that is set furthest to the bottom

Fig.16 - Align Fields

Fig.15 shows the two highlighted fields aligned to the one furthest to the left (option 2)

Fig.17 - Left Alignment

Radio Buttons and Drop-Down Fields

Some documents, such as Health and Safety questionnaires, may require the employee to choose from several options. Either radio buttons or drop-down lists can be used.

Note: As Onboarding contracts are viewed on a mobile device, it is recommended that drop-down lists are used, as they look cleaner, and can be aligned to one another easily.

• To use a radio button, select Radio from the Fields Panel on the left-hand side

Fig.18 - Radio Button

• Drag and drop the first radio button into position

Radio buttons will automatically be placed as a pair.

• To position the second one, drag and drop the 2nd radio button

• To add more buttons, select the plus icon below the bottom button (see Fig.17), then drag and drop into place

Fig.19 - Applying Radio Buttons

With the buttons in position, two new configuration options become available.

• The Group Label is similar to the Data Label. If the field needs to be mapped to an area in HR, the value that should be entered can be found here

The Radio Button Values should be the information they represent. Again, if they need to be mapped to an area in HR, the values should be added according to the information found here.

Fig.20 - Radio Button Configuration

• To use a drop-down list, select Dropdown from the left side panel

Fig.21 - Dropdown

• Drag and Drop the first Dropdown into position.

Fig.22 - apply Dropdown

With the dropdown in position, new configuration options will be available.

These options are what will be displayed in the dropdown when the employee is completing their document.

• To add options, select Add Option and enter the values as required

• To add more options, simply repeat this process

Fig.23 - Dropdown Options

 

Conditional Fields

It is possible to set up conditional fields. These are conditions that restrict certain fields if other ones are completed - or vice versa.

For example, a question may ask the employee if they have a student loan. If they select yes, a dropdown will appear for them to choose which plan type.

• To set a conditional field, select the field from the left side that will trigger the condition and then select Conditional Fields on the right-side panel

• Select Create Rule and select the fields to show when to trigger the field

Fig.24 - Conditional Fields

• Select the field that should become available upon trigger and then Done

Fig.25 - Select Trigger Field

Once selected, the field will become striped, which signifies it’s a conditional field.

Fig.26 - Select Conditional Field

• To edit or delete a conditional field rule, select the trigger field,go to Conditional Fields on the right-side panel and select Edit / Delete

Fig.27 - Edit/Delete Conditional Field

Signature and Date Signed Fields

For documents that require them, it is easy to set up a signature and date signed field.

• To set a Signature field, drag the Signature field from the left side panel to the required position

• The same can be done with the Date Signed field

No further configuration is needed for these fields as they are preset by DocuSign.

Fig.28 - Dragging and Dropping a Signature Field

 

Previewing the Template

Once all of the template configuration is complete it can be previewed.

• Select Preview

The preview will show the employee's view of the document.

• There are icons along the top which will switch the view between desktop, tablet and mobile
• To move through the contract pages, as an employee would, select Start

Fig.29 - Preview Template, view options, 'Start' button

• Once the whole template has been completed, select Save and Close