Every envelope has a status that shows where it is in the signing process. The status tells you whether an envelope is waiting to be sent, out for signatures, or complete.
Status | Description |
|---|---|
processing | Signable is processing the documents you uploaded. This status appears briefly after upload. |
failed | The documents failed to process. Check the error details to see what went wrong. |
draft | You created the envelope but have not sent it yet. You can still edit or delete it. |
sent | The envelope is with parties waiting for signatures. Some parties may have signed already, but not everyone. |
signed | All parties have signed. The envelope is complete and you can download the signed documents. |
cancelled | You cancelled the envelope. Parties can no longer sign it. Signable sent cancellation emails to all parties. |
rejected | A party declined to sign. No one else can sign now. |
expired | The envelope was not signed before the expiry date. Signable automatically cancelled it. |
verify | All parties have signed but identity verification is pending. This only applies to widget envelopes with email verification enabled. |
Most envelopes follow this path:
draft → sent → signedYour envelope might also go through these paths:
draft → cancelled (you cancelled before sending)
sent → rejected (a party declined to sign)
sent → expired (no one signed before the expiry date)
sent → cancelled (you cancelled after sending)Widget envelopes with verification follow this path:
draft → sent → verify → signedDisplay the envelope status in your application:
draft→ "Draft - not sent yet"sent→ "Waiting for signatures"signed→ "Complete"cancelled→ "Cancelled"rejected→ "Declined"expired→ "Expired"
Use status values to create different views:
- Show envelopes waiting for signatures (status is
sent) - Show completed envelopes (status is
signed) - Show envelopes that need attention (status is
rejectedorexpired)
Different statuses allow different actions:
| Status | What you can do |
|---|---|
draft | Edit, send, or delete the envelope |
sent | Cancel, send reminders, or view the envelope |
signed | Download or view the envelope |
cancelled, rejected, expired | View the envelope only |
This prevents errors, such as trying to edit an envelope that has already been sent.
When an envelope status changes, you can take action:
- When status changes to
signed, download the signed documents - When status changes to
rejected, notify your team - When status changes to
expired, send a reminder to resend
When you upload documents to create an envelope, the status is processing for a few seconds while Signable processes the files. The status automatically changes to draft when processing completes.
If something goes wrong during processing, the status changes to failed. Check the error details to see what went wrong (for example, corrupt PDF or unsupported file format).
- Send an envelope - Create and send envelopes
- Webhooks - Receive notifications when status changes