When someone sends you a document for signature through Box Sign, Box sends you an email notification. To sign the document, you do not need to have a Box account — just open the email and read the instructions.

Signature Fields

When signing a document, you can use three types of signature fields:

• Signature
• Initials
• Stamp

Starting in July 2022, Box assigns you a unique user ID (UUID) and displays this UUID in the signature, initials, and stamp fields. Your UUID is assigned only to you, and can be used to validate that your signature on documents is genuine.
Also in the signature, initials, and stamp fields, Box displays the signature request’s ID, which can help users to identify a specific signature request.

Signing a document

When you receive a signature request, Box enables you to apply your signature to the document in one of four ways:

• apply a saved signature,
• manually draw your signature,
• type your signature,
• upload an image of your signature. Box supports GIF, PNG, JPG, JPEG, and WEBP file types, with a size limit of 8 MB.

In addition to signing a document, Box also enables you to download the document or forward the request to someone else for signature.

For each signature request you receive, before signing, declining, downloading, or forwarding the document you'll need to accept terms for the transaction.

To sign, or decline to sign, a document you've received:

1. In the emailed request, click Review document. Box displays the document, with associated terms and disclosures, at the top of the window.
2. To review all the terms, click each of the following, in turn:
   • Electronic Record and Signature Disclosure,
   • Terms of Service, and
   • Privacy Policy.
3. If after reading the disclosure, terms, and policy you consent to the terms, check By checking this box you:
4. Click Accept & Continue.
5. Navigate the document with Back and Next. 
6. Click the Signature field. Box displays the signature window.
7. In the signature window, click the location where you want to apply your signature. Box asks you to choose how you want to apply your signature:
   • To apply a saved signature, click Saved.
   • To manually write your signature, click Draw.
   • To write your signature on keyboard, click Type.

   • To upload an image of your signature, click Upload, then select a file from your local system. Mobile signers have the option to take a picture of their signatures from their mobile device's camera and to upload.

     • Note: for Stamp fields, signers can only Upload an image of their signature in the signature window.

8. After you select the signature you like to use, click Adopt. To cancel your signature and try again, click Cancel.  Adopting this signature adds your signature to the locations you selected.
9. To add your signature to other locations, repeat Steps 6 and 7 above.
10. To optionally download or print the document, in the right-hand sidebar click Download or Print. Then select the location where you want to save the document.  IMPORTANT: clicking this button may save a copy of the document on a local disk.
11. To optionally reassign your signing role for the document to someone else, in the right-hand sidebar, click Reassign Request, then specify the email address to which you want to reassign the request. Forwarding removes your ability to sign the document through Box Sign, and reassigns your role to the person to whom you forwarded the request.
12. To complete your signature, after adding your signature to the document, click Sign & Finish from the top right-hand corner of the window or at the bottom of the document. To decline to sign, in the right-hand sidebar click Decline.

After the signing of the document is completed, Box sends you and other signers an emailed copy of the document you signed.

If the sender changes a signature request you've received and viewed but not yet signed, the next time you view the request, Box notifies you that the sender has changed the signature request.
If the sender is currently changing a signature request you're viewing or signing, Box notifies you that the request is currently unavailable because the sender is changing it.

Recipient group

A sender can add you to a recipient group. It means that only one person from the group of recipients needs to sign or approve a document. For more information on recipient groups, see the section Adding a group of recipients in Sending a document for signature.

All members of the group receive a notification email that a document requires signature. When you open the document, the following message appears at the top of your screen: 

You’re signing on behalf of a recipient group. Everyone in your group will receive a copy of the final request.

Now, you can sign/approve, decline, or reassign the signature request. 

To sign or approve the signature request, click the Begin button and proceed with signing the document as you normally would.

To reassign the signature request:

1. Click the Show/Hide Sidebar button to see the document’s details.
2. Click the Forward button.
3. Provide a new recipient’s email address and optionally provide a reason for reassignment.
4. Click Reassign Request.

To decline the signature request:

1. Click the Show/Hide Sidebar button to see the document’s details.
2. Click the Decline button. You can provide a reason for declining the signature request.

After the document is signed or declined and another member of the recipient group opens it, they receive one of the messages below in the signature request view:

• Document is signed/approved: Someone from your group has already completed this request.
• Document is declined: Someone from your group has already declined this request.