Sign or decline a document
Use this journey when you received a signature request by e-mail. You do not need a Cogneris account.
The video below (in Brazilian Portuguese) shows a signer completing these steps on a phone. The screens are the same in English.
Before you start
- You have the e-mail with your personal signing link. Do not forward it: the link is yours.
- You can read e-mail at the address the request was sent to. For envelopes created in Sign, your one-time code goes there too.
Steps
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Open the signing link. The Electronic signature page opens. It shows the envelope name, jurisdiction and signature level, the file names of the documents, and four steps: Open request, Verify identity, Review and sign, Complete. The link is removed from the address bar once the page has loaded.
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Select Send verification code. A 6-digit code is sent to you — by e-mail when the envelope was created in Sign.
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Type the code in the 6-digit code box and select Verify. The code is valid for 10 minutes.
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The document opens in the page. Use Zoom in, Zoom out, Fit to width, Previous page and Next page to read it.
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Click the place on the page where your signature should go, or select Add signature. The Your signature window opens. Choose a method:
- Type — enter your Full name; the preview shows how the signature will look.
- Draw — draw your signature in the drawing area.
Select Apply signature. The signature appears on the page and the document is marked Placed.
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To move the signature, click elsewhere on the page. To replace it, select Change signature. One signature is used for the whole envelope: changing it changes it on every document.
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If the envelope has several documents, select each one in the list above the page and place your signature on it. Until every document shows Placed, the page says Place your signature on every document before signing.
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Tick the consent box — I have read … and understand my electronic signature is legally binding (MP 2.200-2 / eIDAS).
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Select Sign document.
Decline to sign
You can decline instead of signing once your code is verified (step 3).
- Select Decline to sign. The Decline to sign? window warns: Declining ends the envelope for every signer and it can no longer be signed.
- In Reason for declining, say why — up to 500 characters. The reason is required.
- Select Decline to sign in the window, or Go back to return to the document.
Expected result
- After Sign document: the page shows Signature recorded successfully. and the status Signed. When every signer has signed, the envelope is finished and sealed.
- After declining: the page shows Signature declined — Your refusal has been recorded. The status shows Declined, and the envelope becomes Refused for every signer. You can close the page.
How to confirm it worked
- The last step, Complete, is marked done at the top of the page.
- The sender sees your status as Signed or Refused on the envelope; see Follow up an envelope.
If something goes wrong
| What you see | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Invalid or expired link. | The link was already used, has expired, or the envelope is no longer waiting for signatures | Ask the sender to send you a reminder: it carries a new link. |
| Invalid code. | The code is wrong or expired, or too many wrong codes were tried (5 attempts per code) | Reload the page and select Send verification code again to receive a new code. |
| No code arrives after Send verification code | The code could not be delivered | Check your spam folder; then ask the sender to check your e-mail address. |
| This document could not be displayed. | The preview failed | Select Download the document to read it in your own viewer. |
| Sign document stays disabled | Something is missing | Make sure you applied a signature, placed it on every document, and ticked the consent box. |
| Your refusal could not be recorded… | The envelope was already completed or expired, or another signer declined first | Contact the sender. |
Last reviewed 2026-10-09 · Version 1.0.0 · Owner: product-documentation