Proposals
Countersign a proposal so both parties have signed
Countersigning a proposal means you sign it after the client has, so the agreement carries both signatures. It turns a one sided acceptance into a document both parties have put their names to, which some clients and many contracts expect.
Where countersigning fits
Countersigning is part of e-sign acceptance. In the Pricing panel set Acceptance to E-sign, then turn on Countersign after the client. Click acceptance has no countersignature; it records the client acceptance alone. The setting is saved with each version you send, so it applies to the proposals you send after turning it on.
Two signature blocks
The document needs one signature block for each signer. The client takes the block whose role reads like client, customer or accepted for, or else the first block, and your countersignature takes the next one. Generated proposals often include an acceptance section with both blocks already; if yours has only one, add a second before sending, because an e-sign proposal with countersign on and too few blocks is refused at send.
The order of signing
The client signs first, after confirming the code sent to their email. You are signer 2 and sign after them, so you never sign an offer the client has not accepted. Only when both signatures are in does the proposal count as accepted: the status changes, the invoices are created and emailed, and the certified signed PDF is stored with the acceptance.
Following the signing
While the signing is under way the activity page heads the acceptance card Awaiting signature from and shows an E-sign row with the envelope status, such as sent or partially signed, and an Open envelope link to the signing service status page. Partially signed usually means the client has signed and it is your turn.
Why countersign at all
A proposal accepted by the client is an offer accepted, and in many cases that is enough. A countersignature is useful where the document is drafted as a two party agreement with obligations on you, where the client procurement team requires both signatures, or where you want the signed PDF to show that your business confirmed the deal. Some contracts make a countersignature the moment the agreement takes effect, so read your terms.
How it works, in three steps
Step 1
Add both signature blocks
Include a block for the client and a block for your business in the acceptance section.
Step 2
Turn on countersign
In the Pricing panel set Acceptance to E-sign and turn on Countersign after the client.
Step 3
Sign second
Send the proposal. After the client signs, sign your block when the signing request reaches you.
The full walkthrough with screenshots is in the guide Send a proposal and get paid.
Limits worth knowing
- Countersigning is available in e-sign mode only.
- One countersigner: the account owner, as signer 2.
- Send is refused without a second signature block when countersign is on.
- The proposal is accepted only when both have signed.
Questions people ask
Can I countersign with click to accept?
No. Click acceptance records the client acceptance on its own, with a signature, consent text and a certificate page. The countersignature belongs to e-sign mode, where the signing service collects the client signature first and yours second and certifies the final PDF. Switch the proposal to e-sign to countersign.
Who signs first?
The client. They confirm a code sent to their email and sign their block, then the signing request moves to you as the second signer. Signing in that order means you only commit your business once the client has committed to the offer, which is the usual sequence for a proposal.
Can a colleague countersign instead of me?
The countersigner is the account owner. There is no option to name a different person from your business as signer 2 in this flow. If someone else must sign for your business, the separate Send for signing action in the builder menu lets you name a signer for each signature block, though that route does not accept the proposal automatically.
When does the proposal count as accepted?
Only when every signer has signed. Until then the activity page shows the acceptance as awaiting signature and no invoices exist. Once the signing completes, the proposal moves to accepted, the invoices are created and emailed, and the certified signed PDF is saved with the acceptance.
What if I forget to countersign?
The proposal stays awaiting signature, the client cannot accept a second time while the request is open, and no invoices are created. The E-sign row on the activity page shows the request as partially signed, and Open envelope takes you to its status. Sign promptly; a client who has signed expects the deal to be confirmed.
Make your own proposal
The button opens the generator with this use case already described. Change the wording to match yours, generate, then edit anything you like.
Create a proposal with OneCraftRelated pages
E sign a proposal when a click is not enough
E signing a proposal means the client signs through a signing service that checks who they are and certifies the signed file. It suits contracts and larger jobs where a typed name and a tick box feel too light for either side.
Accept a proposal online in one dialog
Accepting a proposal online should take the client a minute: confirm what they are buying, put their name to it and agree to the terms. The record of that moment needs to be strong enough to rely on later.
Send a document for signature
To send a document for signature, upload the PDF to a new envelope, add each signer's name and email, place their signature fields on the page and send. Every signer gets a personal link by email, and when the last one signs you get back a certified signed PDF and a certificate of completion.
More finished work of this kind is on the proposal examples hub.
Written and checked by the OneCraft team. Last checked .