14.5 Documents & Contracts (E-Signatures for Listing Agreements, Offers, Lease Agreements)

Purpose:

This integrated feature provides a secure and legally binding way to send documents requiring electronic signatures directly from Close Master, eliminating the need for separate e-signature platforms like DocuSign for many standard real estate agreements.

Access:

Navigate to Payments → Documents & Contracts. You'll see tabs for managing individual Documents (sent or drafts) and reusable Templates.

Creating Document Templates (Recommended for Standard Agreements):

  1. Go to the Templates tab.
  2. Click + Create Template.
  3. Start Method:
    • Upload PDF: (Common Method) Upload your existing standard agreement PDF file (e.g., your brokerage's approved Listing Agreement, Buyer Representation Agreement, Offer to Purchase form, Lease Agreement).
    • From Scratch: Build the document content directly using the editor (less common for complex legal forms).
  4. Prepare Template in Editor:
    • (If Uploading PDF): Your PDF pages will appear as backgrounds.
    • Add Recipients Roles: Define the roles involved (e.g., Seller 1, Seller 2, Buyer 1, Listing Agent, Buyer Agent). Click + Add Recipient.
    • Add Fillable Fields (CRUCIAL): Drag and drop standard e-signature fields onto the document where needed, assigning each field to the correct Recipient Role:
      • Signature: Drag where signatures are required. Assign to Seller 1, Buyer 1, Listing Agent, etc.
      • Initials: Drag where initials are needed. Assign to correct role.
      • Date Signed: Automatically populates the date when signed. Assign to signing role.
      • Text Field: For recipients to type information (e.g., Print Name, specific terms). Assign to the role who needs to fill it. Make Required if necessary.
      • Checkbox: For optional selections. Assign to relevant role.
      • Dropdown/Radio Button: For selecting from predefined options. Assign to relevant role.
    • (If Building from Scratch): Use Content elements (Text, Image, Table) to build the document structure. Use Custom Values ({{contact.name}}, {{opportunity.custom.property_address}}, {{opportunity.custom.listing_price}}) within Text elements to automatically pre-fill known information when sending the document later. Then, add the fillable fields as described above.
  5. Configure Template Settings: Give the template a clear Name (e.g., "Residential Listing Agreement - NY", "Buyer Rep Agreement - Exclusive"). Set options like automatic reminders.
  6. Save Template.

Sending a Document for Signature:

  1. Start New Document: Go to Payments → Documents & Contracts → Documents tab → Click + New → Choose Template OR Upload Document. Select your prepared Template or upload a one-off PDF.
  2. Add Recipients:
    • The roles defined in the template will appear.
    • For each role, click + Add Recipient. Search for and select the specific Contact from your CRM who corresponds to that role (e.g., assign John Smith contact to the Seller 1 role).
    • If you (the sender) or another agent needs to countersign, add yourself/them as a recipient assigned to the appropriate Agent role.
    • Enter email addresses if the recipient is not already a contact.
  3. Set Signing Order (Optional): Toggle ON Set Signing Order if recipients need to sign sequentially rather than simultaneously. Drag roles into the desired order.
  4. Review Fields & Pre-fill (If Applicable):
    • The system will attempt to automatically map template fields to the selected contacts.
    • Verify field assignments. Click on each fillable field on the document preview to ensure it's assigned to the correct recipient. This is critical.
    • If your template used Custom Values, review the document preview to ensure they populated correctly with data from the selected contact/opportunity. Fill in any remaining manual fields if needed.
  5. Prepare Email/Message: Customize the Subject and Body of the email that will be sent to the recipients containing the link to sign the document.
  6. Send: Click the Send button. Choose delivery method:
    • Send via Email: Sends the signing request email immediately to all recipients (or the first in sequence if signing order is set).
    • Get Link / Share Link: Provides a unique link to the signing session. You can copy this link and send it manually via Conversations, text, or another method.

Tracking Document Status:

  • Monitor the status of sent documents in the Documents list (Sent, Viewed, Completed, Declined, Expired).
  • Send manual Reminders to recipients who haven't signed.
  • Once all parties have signed (Completed), you can download the final, legally binding PDF document, which includes an audit trail certificate logging the signing events.