To obtain signatures on your contracts, you usually need to either print and scan the document manually or invest in a costly third-party electronic signature service.
Implementing a digital signature solution can enhance efficiency, minimize paperwork, and ensure compliance with legal standards.
At CanadaCreate, we recognize the significance of effective and legally binding contract management. We have tested various plugins and tools to identify the most secure method for adding digital signatures.
In this article, we will guide you through the process of easily adding a contract agreement form to your WordPress website that can be electronically signed.
Why Should You Create an Online Contract Agreement Form?
An online contract agreement form is user-friendly and straightforward to submit. Typically, you would send the agreement as a PDF, which the recipient must print, complete, scan, and return.
This process can be cumbersome.
By creating an online contract agreement form on your WordPress site, users can fill it out instantly and sign it digitally with an electronic signature.
This approach does not require expensive SaaS solutions and is effective for a variety of legal documents.
For example, you can utilize it to create forms for codes of conduct, employment applications, non-profit or volunteer applications, and more.
Are Digital Signatures Legally Valid?
Yes, digital signatures and documents signed electronically are legally binding. If both parties consent to the use of digital signatures and the software maintains a record of these signatures, they are recognized as enforceable contracts.
However, digital signatures are not applicable for all types of legal documents. For instance, documents that require notarization must have court stamps or witnesses present.
Please note that this article does not constitute legal advice. For specific legal guidance, it is advisable to consult a qualified attorney.
Creating Your Contract Agreement Form
If you haven’t prepared a contract yet, it’s wise to seek legal counsel. Ensuring that your contract is valid can help prevent potential issues in the future.
In addition to the contract terms, your agreement form should include space for:
- The name of the individual signing the contract.
- The address of the individual signing the contract.
- The date on which the contract is signed.
- A designated area for your client (or new employee) to sign the contract.
Now, let’s create a contract agreement form with a digital signature field in WordPress.
You can click the links below to navigate to your preferred method:
- Step 1: Create a Digitally Signed Contract Form with WPForms
- Step 2: Use signNow to Digitally Sign Contract Forms
- Bonus: How to Add Your Signature After Post Content
Step 1: Create a Digitally Signed Contract Form with WPForms
If you’re looking to create a digitally signed contract form directly from your WordPress dashboard, this method is perfect for you.
For this purpose, WPForms is the top-rated WordPress contact form plugin available. It features a user-friendly drag-and-drop builder, a variety of pre-designed templates, and robust spam protection.
We have relied on WPForms for our contact forms, annual surveys, and much more over the years. To explore its features in depth, check out our comprehensive WPForms review.
First, install and activate the WPForms plugin. For detailed instructions, refer to our step-by-step guide on installing a WordPress plugin.
👉 Important Note: WPForms offers a free version, but for this tutorial, you’ll need the pro version of the plugin to access the Signature addon.
After activation, navigate to the WPForms » Settings page to input your license key.
You can find this information in your account on the WPForms website.
Next, go to WPForms » AddonsNavigate to the Signature add-on from the WordPress admin sidebar.
Click the ‘Install Addon’ button to automatically install and activate the add-on on your site.
You are now prepared to create your contract agreement form with the digital signature feature.
Simply go to the WPForms » Add New section in the WordPress dashboard to start creating your form.
This will open the WPForms form builder interface, where you can enter a title for your form and select a template.
For this example, we will use the ‘Blank Form’ template, but feel free to choose a different one if you wish. Just click on the template to load it.
It’s a good idea to include the text of your contract above the form, which may include your signature as an image.
In the form, simply add the necessary fields for users to fill out.
To insert a new field, drag and drop it from the left column into the template. You can rearrange the fields by moving them up or down in the preview column.
If you want to send a copy of the signed form to the user, remember to include an email field for users to input their email addresses.
After adding all the necessary fields, the next step is to include the essential Signature field.
Navigate to the ‘Fancy Fields’ section and select the option to add the Signature field to your form.
Next, click on the Signature field to access its settings in the left sidebar.
Here, you can modify the title, add a description, or enable the required option to ensure users complete this field before submitting the contract agreement.
Once you’ve made those adjustments, you can switch to the ‘Advanced’ tab at the top to customize the link color, resize the field, or apply a CSS class to it.
Configuring Settings for Your Contract Agreement Form
Click on the ‘Settings’ tab to access the settings for your form. The default settings should suffice for most situations, but you might want to make some modifications.
Make sure to verify that the ‘Notifications’ settings are accurate.
By default, the signed contract agreement will be sent to the administrator’s email upon submission. This is usually the email of the person who set up your WordPress site. If that’s not you, please enter your email address here.
You may also wish to send a copy of the form to the user. To do this, navigate to the Settings » NotificationsNavigate to the tab and click the ‘Add New Notification’ button.
A popup window will appear where you can enter a name for your new notification. Let’s call it ‘Send to User.’
After entering the name, click the ‘OK’ button.
You should now see your newly created notification.
In the ‘Send to Email Address’ section, click on the Smart Tags link and select the Email field.
Review all other settings and adjust them according to your needs. WPForms will also send the form confirmation email to the user.
For comprehensive instructions, check out our tutorial on creating a contact form with multiple recipients.
Next, switch to the ‘Confirmation’ tab. Here, you can edit the confirmation message that the client (or employee or volunteer) signing the form will see.
New:Once your confirmations are configured, you can enhance the process with the WPForms PDF Addon. This feature automatically generates a professional PDF each time your form is submitted.
You can even attach the PDF to form notification emails so that both you and your client receive a copy immediately.
To use this feature, go toSettings » PDF, and then click the ‘Add New PDF’ button.
From there, you can:
- Assign a name to your PDF file and select the form notifications to link it with.
- Choose from a variety of templates, including contracts, invoices, certificates, and more.
- Personalize the design with themes, logos, and color schemes.
- Utilize smart tags to automatically insert information from the form submission.
Once you are satisfied with the settings, click the ‘Save’ button at the top of the screen. You can then close the form builder.
Integrate Your Contract Agreement Form into Your Website
Next, you need to embed your contract agreement form on your WordPress website.
You can either create a new page or modify an existing one. Start by adding the text of your contract terms before inserting the form.
Then, simply add the WPForms block to your content area.
Select your contract agreement form from the drop-down menu, and WPForms will automatically display a preview of the form in the content editor.
You can now save or publish your WordPress page to make your form accessible to the public.
After publishing, visit the page to see your contract agreement form in action. Be sure to test the form by entering your signature using your mouse, trackpad, or touchscreen.
Ensure that you see a confirmation message and receive an email after submitting the form.
If you don’t receive an email, don’t be concerned. This is a common issue, and we provide guidance on resolving the problem of WordPress not sending emails.
Step 2: Use signNow for Digital Signatures on Contract Forms
If you have existing forms or agreements in PDF or Microsoft Word format and wish to invite others to sign the contract, signNow is the perfect solution.
This platform allows you to set up electronic signatures, create agreements, negotiate contracts, collaborate with others, and much more. The best part is that it offers a free trial.
To get started, visit the signNow website and click the ‘Free Trial’ button at the top. You can also enter your email address and click the ‘Try for free’ button.
On the following screen, you’ll need to create a password for your account.
signNow also allows you to sign up using your Facebook, Microsoft, or Google accounts.
After signing up, you’ll be greeted with a welcome screen where you can enter your name to create your digital signature.
Once you’ve completed that, click the ‘Next’ button.
Next, signNow will present you with a signature style along with your initials.
You can customize the appearance of your signature before proceeding by clicking the ‘Next’ button.
Next, choose the features of signNow that interest you the most.
Select one or more options using the checkboxes, then click the ‘Next’ button to continue.
You can invite others to collaborate on your document within signNow.
Enter the email addresses of your collaborators and click the ‘Invite’ button. If you prefer, you can skip this step and invite them later.
You are now set to use signNow for adding electronic signatures to your documents.
Click the ‘Upload Your First Document’ button to begin the process.
Next, upload a contract agreement document from your computer or laptop.
signNow will display your contract in its document viewer.
On the left menu, select who will fill out the document. For example, choose ‘Me (Fill Out Now)’ and place your signature anywhere on the contract.
Then, switch to ‘Recipient 1’ in the section for selecting who will fill out the document. Here, add a ‘Signature’ field where you want others to sign the contract.
Finally, click the ‘Continue’ button at the top to proceed.
Enter the recipient’s email address and click the ‘Send Invite’ button.
That’s it! Your recipients will receive an email invitation to sign the document. Once they return the signed contract, signNow will keep a record of the signatures.
Bonus: Add Your Signature Below Post Content
If you write for a WordPress blog, consider adding a signature below your post content to enhance your credibility. A signature can also serve as a copyright notice, asserting your ownership of the content.
To do this, install and activate the Ad Inserter – Ad Manager & AdSense Ads plugin. For instructions, refer to our tutorial on how to install a WordPress plugin.
After activation, go to the Settings » Ad Inserter page in the WordPress dashboard. Here, you’ll find multiple tabs at the top where you can add signatures or ads to your site.
Now, input the text for your signature in the content editor on this page. You can also insert an actual image of your signature by using the following code and replacing it with the link to your preferred image.
Next, scroll down the page to set your signature position. You will notice that the ‘Post’ option is selected by default.
Now, select the insertion point from the dropdown menu. To display the ad or signature after each post, choose the ‘After content’ option.
Finally, remember to click the ‘Save Settings’ button to save your changes.
For more detailed guidance, check out our tutorial on adding a signature or ads after post content in WordPress.
We hope this article has helped you learn how to create a contract agreement form with digital signatures in WordPress. You might also find our beginner’s guide on creating GDPR-compliant forms in WordPress and our top recommendations for the best electronic signature software for WordPress useful.
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