Docusign Frequently Asked Questions

Docusign Frequently Asked Questions

Have questions about DocuSign at Saint Mary's College?

The DocuSign most frequently asked questions can be found in the sections below:

  • Getting Started with DocuSign
  • Important Security Information for All DocuSign Users
  • DocuSign Guide for Users
  • DocuSign Guide for Sub-Account Owners
  • DocuSign Tutorials

Getting Started with DocuSign

DocuSign is a browser-based solution for obtaining electronic signatures on official documents.

All staff, faculty and students have Viewer access to DocuSign (unless specified otherwise).
This default set-up allows you to see DocuSign envelopes you have signed with your SMC email.
If staff and/or faculty want expanded access, such as the ability to send a document to be signed, see the next question. Students and student workers are not allowed to Send/Create envelopes.

SMC uses Docusign for electronically signed documents.
IT Services is the point of contact for the initial setup of DocuSign. There is a process we go through to determine whether DocuSign will be a good fit for any department. Below are a few questions/comments to consider before reaching out to IT Services:

  • DocuSign usage is reserved for documents that require legally binding electronic signatures and more complex routing schemes (3rd party vendors and cross-department approvals). Does your document need to have a legally binding signature? To be sure please check with General Counsel.
  • Consider the type of documents you would be using and the routing process you wish to implement in DocuSign. What do these look like? How many types of documents are there?
  • Do your documents only require signatures or do they also require fillable fields?
  • How many envelopes do you estimate sending each fiscal year? (A DocuSign envelope is a container for documents that you send to a recipient to sign)
  • Pricing is $4.00 per envelope sent. The Sub-Account Owner is responsible for providing estimated usage and running usage reports quarterly.
  • You will need to specify who will be your designated DocuSign Sub-Account Owner. The Sub-Account Owner will have several responsibilities of maintaining documents within their area.

If the requirements above fit your department please submit a General Service Request to schedule an appointment with someone in AIS to discuss.

Students and student workers have access to View and Sign Envelopes; however they are not allowed to Create or Send Envelopes.

Envelope - An envelope is the official document that is created when you hit the Send button (this is the portion of DocuSign that has a fee). It includes the document, signers, and attached documents. Once it is signed by all parties a certificate of completion is also created.

Template - Templates allow you to create a standard document where recipient roles, signing information, and commonly used fields can be set. Templates are helpful if you frequently send the same or similar documents to multiple people.

Envelope - An envelope is the official document that is created when you hit the Send button (this is the portion of DocuSign that has a fee). It includes the document, signers, and attached documents. Once it is signed by all parties a certificate of completion is also created.

Sub Account Owner - DocuSign Sub-Account Owners have full access to their DocuSign sub-account and are responsible for ongoing maintenance in said account. Learn more in the Sub-Account Owners section below.

DocuSign Admin - Works under the Sub-Account Owner and can create templates and send envelopes

DocuSign Viewers - can sign documents and view their documents

DocuSign Senders - can use/apply templates (and also have the access of Viewers)

Yes. $4.00 per envelope. It is important to remember every time an envelope is sent that Saint Mary's College will be charged.

Yes. There are a couple of alternatives to DocuSign, both of which have no monetary cost however may not be legally binding.

  • Webform - Turn your document or fillable PDF into a webform. At the end of the webform you can add a required checkbox for the user to acknowledge that they have read, filled out the form correctly and will adhere to any guidelines proposed. Webforms are not legally binding. To start your webform submit a web request to Web Services.
  • Scan a signed document - If you have a document that needs to be signed you could have your user sign it and then ask them to scan or take a photo of the signed document with their phone. This file could then be emailed to your department. 

DocuSign Guide for Users

IT Services will provide 1 hour of DocuSign training to DocuSign Sub-Account Owners ONLY.
Topics include: how to create templates, how to add new users and an overview of reporting. 

DocuSign Sub-Account Owners are responsible for training users in their account. You can also look at the DocuSign Tutorials (see last section of FAQs).

If you need to navigate between multiple DocuSign accounts associated with your SMC email, go to the top right corner and click the button. Select Switch Accounts.

Log into MySMC with your SMC username and password. Click on All Apps in the top left corner. Click the DocuSign button.

Template: Templates allow you to create a standard document where recipient roles, signing information, and commonly used fields can be set. Templates are helpful if you frequently send the same or similar documents to multiple people.

Envelope: An envelope is the official document that is created when you hit the Send button (this is the portion of DocuSign that has a fee). It includes the document, signers, and attached documents. Once it is signed by all parties a certificate of completion is also created.

Microsoft Word and Excel files, PDFs, Google Drive files etc. Full list of DocuSign supported document types.

There are 5 links at the top of the DocuSign homepage (depending on your permission set). 
Learn more about the 5 areas of Docusign.

Yes. To change the default notifications you receive, log into your account, press the account icon in the upper right corner of the top menu, choose My Preferences, then press Notifications from the SIGNING AND SENDING section of the left-hand menu. Use the checkboxes to indicate the notifications you wish to receive, then press SAVE. Screenshots can be found here.

If you need to send a single document to many individuals, you first must get approval from the DocuSign Sub-Account Owner. If approved, use the Add Bulk Recipient button on the Send screen. View full details on bulk sending.

DocuSign emails will always come from the following email address: dse_na2@docusign.net . If you are unsure whether an email requesting your signature is authentic, you can log into your DocuSign account and access the transaction from within DocuSign.

Contact the Sender of the Envelope to correct the document. Do NOT select "Decline to Sign", this will Void the Envelope.

DocuSign Guide for Sub-Account Owners

DocuSign Sub-Account Owners have full access to the DocuSign sub-account. 
Sub-Account Owners are responsible for:

  • Submitting tickets to |T Services (email ais@stmarys-ca.edu) for new user access in the sub-account or reactivating users.
  • Training new users within the sub-account
  • Building and maintaining access to templates
  • Monitoring envelope usage
  • Enforcing document retention
  • Transferring templates and envelopes to a new user when someone transfers or leaves the college
  • Terminating DocuSign access for users who leave the College or switch department

All Sub-Account Owners must sign the DocuSign Acknowledgement of Responsibility form.

DocuSign has two created permission profiles, aside from Admin. 

  • Viewers can sign documents and view their documents
  • Senders can use/apply templates (and also have the access of Viewers).

*If you wish to create a new permission profile you can add your own and check mark the tasks you wish to assign to your new group.

Sub-Account Owners are responsible for generating their usage report of envelopes each quarter.

8/14-11/13
11/14-2/13
2/14-5/13
5/14-8/13

See instructions on how to run the usage report.

Reports should be emailed to docusign-reports-smcuser@stmarys-ca.edu

Docusign Tutorials

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