The monthly operating budget and variance report must go to department heads today and I need a signed record before m…
Open the PDF you want to send for signature in Adobe Acrobat.
Click on All Tools in the upper-left menu.
Select Request e-signatures from the tools list.
Add recipients and specify their email addresses as prompted.
Click on More Options (or the gear/settings icon) in the send for signature panel.
Locate the Set expiration date or Completion Deadline field.
Enter the desired deadline date by which recipients must complete signing.
Review all settings, then click Send to send the document for signature with the deadline enforced.
Recipients will be notified of the deadline and must sign before the expiration date.
NoteAfter the deadline passes, the agreement will expire and recipients will not be able to sign.
Best practiceIf you need to extend or change the deadline after sending, you must do so from the Manage Agreements section before the deadline expires.
Acrobat desktop and web app
| Signing Order Type | How it Works | Best Use |
|---|---|---|
| SEQUENTIAL | Signers sign one after another in a specific order (A then B then C). | For approvals that must follow a chain of command, like manager then director. |
| PARALLEL | All signers can sign at any time, the order does not matter. | When multiple people need to sign, but their signing order is not important. |
It is very important because if a document is missing a signature field, the recipient cannot sign it. This is the most common reason why e-signature requests 'didn't work'. Always review all attached documents to ensure every required signature field is placed correctly.
If your organization's email system, like O365 or Exchange, blocks these requests, you need to contact your email administrator. Ask them to 'allowlist' or add 'adobesign@adobesign.com' to the safe sender list. This will prevent requests from going into spam.