# Signable Concepts

This glossary defines the key objects and concepts you’ll encounter when integrating electronic signing into your applications and workflows.

## Terminology

### Document

An uploaded PDF, Word or Excel file, or a Template.

### Envelope

A collection of Documents to be signed.

- An Envelope can contain as many Documents as you need.
- An Envelope can contain a mix of Templates and uploaded Documents if you’re using the Signable web app (not currently supported through the API).


[Send an Envelope via the API](https://developers.signable.app/openapi/envelopes) | [Send an Envelope via the Web App](https://help.signable.app/article/179-how-to-send-a-document-envelope)

### Template

A reusable document, created from an uploaded PDF, Word, or Excel file. Templates can contain fields assigned to predetermined [Party Roles](https://developers.signable.app/concepts#party-role) and can only be created in the Web App.

[Get a Template via the API](https://developers.signable.app/openapi/templates) | [Create a Template via the Web App](https://help.signable.app/article/180-how-to-create-and-send-a-template)

### Party

A recipient of an Envelope. Usually the person signing, but Parties can also be “copy only” (they receive a copy of the Envelope after signing is complete).

### Party Role

A role for a Party in a Template, either a signer or a copy-only. These roles can be assigned when sending Envelopes. Envelope Parties can have roles from multiple Templates.

### Contact

A saved record of a Party, consisting of their name and email address. Contacts are created automatically when an Envelope is sent.

[Create a Contact via the API](https://developers.signable.app/openapi/contacts)

### Fingerprint

A fingerprint is a unique identifier string of 32 characters. Envelopes, Templates and Documents all have their own types of fingerprint. In this documentation fingerprints are most commonly used to reference Envelopes and Templates.

### ID

A numerical identifier. Most commonly used to refer to Companies, Contacts, Users and Parties.

### Field

An input on a document. Fields can be text, date, signatures, file uploads, dropdown or checkbox.

### Tag

A special marker you can place on Documents to upload, to create fields automatically.

[Learn more about Tags](https://help.signable.app/article/160-what-are-signable-tags)

### Prefillable Fields (a.k.a Merge Fields)

Fields in a Template that can be pre-populated before sending.
If left blank, the assigned Party can complete them when signing.
If prefilled, signers cannot amend at the point of signing.

[Learn more about Prefillable fields](https://www.signable.co.uk/feature/pre-fillable-fields/)

> *Note*: The preferred term is Prefillable Fields, though you may also see Merge Fields used. Both refer to the same concept.


### Partner

An account that can act as a parent for other Signable accounts.

[Become a Signable Partner](https://www.signable.co.uk/signable-partnership/) | [Manage your Partner integration via API](https://developers.signable.app/openapi/partners)

### (Partner) Sub-Account

A company account managed by a Signable Partner. These accounts are provisioned with an API key by default.

### Branding

A way to customise how your emails and signing pages look to signers.

- It lets you add your company’s logo and brand colours.
- It lets you customise the envelope emails sent.
- Emails include Signed, Completed, Cancelled, Rejected, Expired, Reminders


[Update Branding via API](https://developers.signable.app/openapi/branding/updatebranding)

### Settings

Account-wide preferences that define your company’s default settings in Signable - including signing page options, email behaviour, and notification settings.

[Update Settings via API](https://developers.signable.app/openapi/settings/updatesettings)

### Webhooks

Webhooks let your system receive real-time notifications when specific events occur.

[Learn more about Webhooks](https://developers.signable.app/openapi/webhooks.md) | [See list of Webhooks](https://developers.signable.app/openapi/webhooks/receivesendenvelopewebhook)

### Widget (Template)

A Template with a single [Party Role](https://developers.signable.app/concepts#party-role), that can be shared via a URL or embedded into a webpage.

- Each time a Widget is signed, a new Envelope is created and counted against your plan allowance.
- Signed Widgets require email verification before they are valid.
- There is no limit to the number of times a Widget can be signed.


The widget URL can be appended with the `envelope_meta` parameter, to set a base64-encoded JSON value. For example:


```
https://sign.signable.app/#/widget/aadfwRcaqN?envelope_meta={some-base64-encoded-JSON-string}
```

This value will be passed back in [Widget completed (Awaiting verification)](https://developers.signable.app/openapi/webhooks/receiveverifyenvelopewidgetwebhook) and [Widget signature verified](https://developers.signable.app/openapi/webhooks/receiveverifiedenvelopewidgetwebhook) webhook payloads, in the `envelope_meta` property.

[Learn more about Widgets.](https://www.signable.co.uk/feature/widgets/)