While preparing a document for electronic signature, the sender may want to add conditions to the signing process so that if an action is performed on one Fillable Control Field, additional actions will be required on other Fillable Control Fields. The Dependencies Feature allows you to create such conditional actions.
Dependencies can be configured in multiple combinations, for example:
- If a signer selects a certain value from a Dropdown control field, then a Text Box will appear and must be completed.
- If a signer completes a Text Box with some certain text, then a Dropdown will become visible for the user to select a value.
This article covers the following topics:
The dependency fields
Four types of fields are involved in creating dependencies: the Controlling field, the Dependent field, the Conditions field, and the Actions field.
Controlling field
This is the field that controls the Dependency. When a certain action is applied to the Controlling field, that action triggers the Dependent fields to appear. The following Fillable Control Fields can be set as a Controlling field:
- Text
- Checkbox
- Radio
- Dropdown
Dependent field
This is the field that will become available after the Controlling field is acted upon by the signer. Any of the Fillable Control Fields can be set as a Dependent field, except for Label and Time & Date Stamp.
Conditions field
This field sets the conditions for the Dependent field to appear. The conditions are based on their controlling field type, which again are Text, Checkbox, Radio, and Dropdown.
Text Conditions:
- Specific text: The Dependent field will become available when the specific text, as configured by the sender, is entered by the signer in the Text control field.
- Contains text: The Dependent field will become available when any text containing certain words, as configured by the signer, is entered in the Text control field.
Checkbox Conditions:
- Checked: The Dependent field will become available when the value set as a Controlling field is checked.
- Unchecked: The Dependent field will become available when the value set as a Controlling field is left unchecked.
Radio Conditions:
- Selected: The Dependent field will become available when the value set as a Controlling field is selected
Dropdown Conditions:
- Displays a list of the dropdown options in the control field. The sender needs to select which of those options will trigger the Dependent Field to appear.
Actions field
This field shows the action required by the signer. The following options are available:
- Visible & Required
- Visible & Not Required
How to create dependencies
Note:Make sure the DependenciesFeature is enabled first in the Settings tab
1. Add all the Fillable Control Fields to the document, including the Controlling and Dependent fields.
In this example, if the signer clicks on the “Married” Radio button, a Text field will appear prompting them to enter their Spouse name
2. Press the Add Dependencies button
The top toolbar will slide down to show all the Dependency options.
Note: Dependencies can also be added for a specific Controlling field by clicking on the “Add Dependency” icon. This action will also take the sender to the top toolbar to set the rest of the options.
3. Click on the Controlling field dropdown to select the Controlling field.
4. Click on the Dependent field dropdown to select the Dependent field.
Confirm the Controlling and Dependent fields are highlighted with a color in the document. Multiple Controlling and Dependent field sets will be shown in different colors.
5. Apply the Conditions for the Dependent field to appear
6. Actions: Choose if the action on the Dependent field is required or optional.
7. Add the Specific Text that activates the Dependent field (Only available when the Controlling field is a Text control field)
8. Press the green Save button. A message will appear confirming the Dependency was created
9. Press the green Send button when the document preparation is complete.
Signing a document with dependencies
1. Click on View & Sign Document on the electronic signature invitation email.
2. Complete the document.
In this example, the radio button to the left, Married, is the Controlling field. When selected, the Dependent field appears, in this case the Text field to complete Spouse Name.
When any other of the Radio buttons is selected, no Dependent Text field appears: