Signing a contract online replaces printing, signing, scanning and emailing with a link and a few taps. The result is usually better evidence than a scanned signature: who signed, when, and from where is recorded automatically. This guide walks through it from both sides, the person sending the contract and the person signing it, and ends with the mistakes that cause trouble later.
Before you start: is the contract ready?
Online signing makes a contract quick to sign, so check it is right before anyone does.
- Final wording. Once someone has signed, changing the text means starting again. Agree changes before sending, not after.
- Correct parties. Full legal names, and company names where a company is the party. "Kofi" is not enough; "Kofi Boateng, trading as Boateng Design" is.
- The essentials. For most service contracts that means the scope of work, price and payment terms, deadlines, who owns the work, and how either side can end it. If you are starting from scratch, our contract templates include all of these.
- A PDF. Export from Word or Google Docs to PDF so the document looks identical on every screen.
If you are sending the contract
1. Upload it and add the signers
In Salsox, the fastest route is Quick Send: upload the PDF, enter each signer's email address, and send. A signature and a date field are placed for each signer automatically.
For contracts that need more, such as initials on every page, a name box or a checkbox beside a clause, open the editor instead and place each field yourself, choosing which signer it belongs to.
2. Decide the order
If both sides sign, decide who goes first. The usual practice is that the client signs first and you countersign: you are not bound until they have agreed. Signing order sends the contract to one person at a time. If someone inside your business must approve it before the client sees it, add them as an approver. In Salsox both are on the Business plan.
3. Set an expiry and a message
A contract offer should not stay signable for ever: thirty days suits most, less for time-limited quotes. Add one or two lines of context in the message: what it is and when you need it back.
4. Send, and follow up
Each signer gets their own link by email, which you can also share by WhatsApp or SMS from the document's page. You can see who has opened and who has signed. Salsox reminds unsigned signers automatically every three days, and a wrongly typed email address can be corrected in place: the old link stops working at once.
If you are signing the contract
- Open the link from the email or message. No account is needed.
- Read the whole contract. The link is not a reason to skim. If something is wrong, decline with a reason or reply to the sender before signing.
- Agree to sign electronically, then complete each field. You can draw, type or upload your signature.
- Finish and keep your copy. Download the signed PDF when everyone has signed; it is also emailed to you.
The same steps work on a phone; signing documents on your phone shows each screen.
What evidence you end up with
When the last person signs, a well-built e-signature tool gives everyone the same signed PDF and keeps a record of how it was signed. In Salsox, the document's page shows each recipient's status and the audit trail: every action, with the time, email address and IP address.
On the Business plan the signed PDF also carries a certificate page with that audit trail and the document's SHA-256 fingerprints, and a verification code anyone holding the PDF can check on a public page. That is what you would show if the contract were ever disputed. Our guide to creating a legally binding electronic signature explains why each part matters.
Mistakes that cause problems later
- Sending the wrong version. Name files clearly and send the PDF you agreed, not the draft before it.
- One signer signing for both sides. Each party signs with their own link. A colleague who signs "on behalf" of a client is not the client signing.
- Forwarding a signing link. A link signs as the person it was sent to. Add the right person instead.
- Editing after signing. Any change after the first signature means a new document. Keep the signed version as it is.
- Not keeping the record. Store the signed PDF and audit trail where you keep your other contracts. Salsox exports every signed PDF and audit trail in one ZIP, on any plan.
- Assuming every document can be e-signed. Most contracts can. Wills, some property deeds and a few court and family law documents have special rules in many countries.
Try it with your next contract
You can create a free account and send 3 documents a month at no cost, enough to try it on a real contract. Signing order, approvers, Sign & Pay and the sealed certificate are on the Business plan; see pricing.
Frequently asked questions
Can I sign a contract online for free?
Yes. Signing a contract someone sends you never costs anything. To send contracts for signature, free plans exist; Salsox's sends 3 documents a month.
Is a contract signed online legally binding?
In most countries, yes, under laws such as the US ESIGN Act and the EU's eIDAS Regulation, provided the parties intended to sign and the usual rules of contract are met. Some documents, such as wills, are excluded.
Who should sign a contract first?
Usually the party receiving the offer signs first and the party who drafted it countersigns, so the drafter is not bound before the other side agrees. Signing order lets you enforce that.
What should I keep after signing a contract online?
The final signed PDF and its audit trail: who signed, when and from where. A sealed copy with a fingerprint also shows the document has not changed since.