FlexFiles Documentation
Product guides, tutorials, and operational reference
E-Signature
Operations teams and admins8 min read

Templates and Bulk Send

Templates turn a one-off signature request into a repeatable workflow. Pick a template, fill in real signer names and emails for one or more recipient sets, and send - each recipient set becomes its own independent signature request.

Why use a template instead of a one-off request

A one-off signature request is fine for a single document that will not be repeated. A template is worth creating the moment the same role structure and field layout will be reused - an offer letter signed by candidate then HR, a vendor agreement signed by two parties, or a policy acknowledgment sent to an entire team.

Creating a template

  1. 1

    Start from an existing signature request's signer and field layout.

  2. 2

    Save it as a template, keeping the role list (signer order and role label, not real names yet), the field layout, and the sequential or parallel signing mode.

  3. 3

    Give the template a clear name describing the document and process it supports.

Sending from a template

  1. 1

    Pick a saved template from the template picker.

  2. 2

    Pick or upload the document to send - the template reapplies its saved field layout to this document.

  3. 3

    Fill in one or more recipient sets: the real name and email for each role in the template.

  4. 4

    Send. Each recipient set becomes its own independent signature request.

What makes a send a bulk send

  • One recipient set behaves like a normal single signature request.
  • Two or more recipient sets is a bulk send - FlexFiles fires one independent signature request per set.
  • Each request in a bulk send succeeds or fails independently. One bad email address does not block or roll back the others.
  • Results are shown per recipient set, each marked Sent or Failed with its own error message if it failed.

Where templates and bulk send live in the product

Template management happens inside the same signature-requests table used for one-off requests, not a separate screen. A template can also be deleted directly from the template picker when it is no longer needed.

Good candidates for a template

  • Offer letters, NDAs, or vendor agreements with a fixed, repeating role structure.
  • Policy or handbook acknowledgments sent to every new hire or every team member.
  • Any document where the field layout and signer roles stay the same but the people change.

Mistakes to avoid

  • Do not create a new template for a document that will only ever be sent once - a one-off request is simpler.
  • Do not reuse a template whose field layout no longer matches the current version of the document; verify the layout still lines up before a large bulk send.
  • Do not assume a failed recipient set blocks the rest of a bulk send - check the per-set results and resend only the ones that failed.

Templates and bulk send questions

How many recipient sets turn a send into a bulk send?

Two or more. A single recipient set behaves exactly like a normal one-off signature request; bulk sending starts at the second recipient set.

What happens if one recipient's email address is invalid in a bulk send?

Only that recipient set fails. Every other recipient set in the same bulk send is still sent and tracked independently, and the failed set is shown with its own error so you can fix and resend just that one.

Can I change the document a template points to?

Yes. A template stores the signer roles, field layout, and signing mode, not a specific document. You pick or upload the document each time you send from the template, and the saved field layout is reapplied to it.