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Adobe Sign Integration

Adobe Sign Block

Note: The Adobe Sign block replaces the Adobe Sign functionality previously found in the E-SIGN block. Existing E-SIGN blocks configured with Adobe Sign will continue to work during the migration period. If any issues arise, you may need to re-connect your Adobe Sign integration. Learn more about migrating from the E-SIGN block. 

SKIP AHEAD TO
Why use Adobe Sign in Checkbox?
Selecting an Adobe Sign Account
Choosing a Sending Mode
Selecting a Document
Configuring Recipients
Email Subject and Body
Adobe Sign Tag Syntax
Output Variables
Limitations
Integration Setup

Why use Adobe Sign in Checkbox?

Adobe Sign allows you to send documents for electronic signature directly from a Checkbox workflow. Recipients receive an email with a link to sign the document, removing the need for physical paper documents and creating more efficiency with handling signed documents.

The Adobe Sign block supports two sending modes:

  1. Send pre-tagged document to recipients -- The document is pre-configured with signature tags and recipient details in Studio, then sent automatically when the workflow reaches the Adobe Sign block.
  2. Require owner to add signatories and tags before sending -- The Adobe Sign agreement preparation interface is embedded directly within Checkbox at runtime, allowing a designated user to review the document, add recipients, and place signature tags before sending.

Prerequisites

Before using the Adobe Sign block, you must enable the Adobe Sign integration for your Checkbox environment. See Integration Setup for step-by-step instructions.

Selecting an Adobe Sign Account

Each Adobe Sign block requires you to select which connected Adobe Sign account agreements will be sent from. The block provides two separate account selectors:

  • Preview & Test Teams -- The Adobe Sign account used when the workflow is run in preview mode or by a test team. This allows you to test the signing flow without sending agreements from your official account.
  • Published -- The Adobe Sign account used when the workflow is published and run by end users in production.

This separation lets you use a sandbox or test account during development and switch to an official account for live workflows. Different Adobe Sign blocks within the same workflow can also use different accounts, giving you flexibility when a workflow involves multiple signing steps that need to originate from different accounts.

Choosing a Sending Mode

The Adobe Sign block supports two sending modes. Choose the one that best fits your workflow.

Mode 1: Send Pre-Tagged Document to Recipients

The workflow author configures everything in Studio -- recipients, document, tags, and email content. When a user runs the workflow and reaches the Adobe Sign block, the agreement is assembled and sent automatically based on that configuration. The user running the workflow does not interact with Adobe Sign directly.

Use this mode when:

  • The recipients and their signing locations are known ahead of time or can be resolved from variables.
  • You want a fully automated, hands-off signing step.

Requirements:

  • At least one recipient must be configured (name, email, and role).
  • A document must be selected.
  • Signature tags should be placed in the document template to specify where recipients sign. If no tags are used, Adobe Sign will automatically add e-signature placeholders at the end of the document.

Mode 2: Require Owner to Add Signatories and Tags Before Sending

When this mode is enabled, the workflow pauses at the Adobe Sign block and presents the user with the Adobe Sign interface embedded directly within the Checkbox page. This is the same Adobe Sign agreement preparation experience users would find in Adobe Sign itself, but accessed without leaving Checkbox.

From this embedded interface, the designated user can:

  • Review the uploaded document pre-filled with any generated content
  • Add, edit, or remove recipients and their signing roles
  • Place and adjust signature tags and other fields on the document
  • Send the agreement when ready

Once the agreement is sent, the workflow automatically advances to the next step.

Important: In this mode, the designated Checkbox user (not the signer) prepares the tags. Signers cannot add or alter signature fields -- they can only sign where tags have been placed. This gives the person preparing the envelope full control over tag placement on a per-agreement basis.

Use this mode when:

  • Recipients or tag placements are not known until runtime.
  • A human review step is needed before the agreement is dispatched.
  • The workflow owner needs to customise the agreement on a case-by-case basis.

Requirements:

  • A document must be selected.
  • Recipients are optional in the block configuration -- the owner can add them at runtime within the embedded Adobe Sign interface.

Session Timeout Handling

The embedded Adobe Sign session has a 10-minute duration, a limit imposed by Adobe Sign. Checkbox handles this as follows:

  • Before timeout: The user is notified that their session is about to expire, giving them time to complete their work.
  • On timeout: An expired session modal is displayed with an option to refresh the session and continue where they left off.
  • On page refresh: If the user refreshes the browser while the embedded session is active, Checkbox restores the embedded view so the user can continue.

Resuming an Incomplete Agreement

If the user navigates away from the workflow before sending the agreement, they can resume the assessment later. The embedded Adobe Sign interface will reload, allowing them to pick up where they left off. Once the agreement is sent, the user cannot navigate back to the preparation page.

Selecting a Document

Scroll down in the configuration panel and select the Report that Adobe Sign should send to recipients.

Reports can be uploaded via a Document Upload field in a Form block or generated using the Doc Gen block. Learn more about Rich Style Document Templates and specifying E-Signature Location on a Document.

Configuring Recipients

Enter the name and email of each recipient. You can use static text or variables:

  • TXT# variables (e.g. {{TXT1}})
  • LIST# variables (e.g. {{LIST1}})
  • USER# variables (e.g. {{USER1.name}}, {{USER1.email}})

Variables must be enclosed in curly braces {{ }} to be valid. Learn more about Operators and Variables.

Reminder: Recipients are required when using Send pre-tagged document to recipients, and optional when using Require owner to add signatories and tags before sending.

Signing Order

The Set Signing Order toggle controls whether recipients sign sequentially or simultaneously. This mirrors Adobe Sign's native signing order functionality.

  • On: Recipients sign in the order they are listed. For example, if Jane Wilson is the first recipient and {{USER12.name}} is the second, Jane will receive the signing request first. Once she has signed, the next recipient will be notified.
  • Off: All recipients receive the signing request at the same time and can sign in any order.

If a LIST variable is used, all recipients within the list are treated as a single position in the signing order. When signing order is on, they all sign simultaneously at that position before the next recipient is notified. When signing order is off, they are sent alongside all other recipients.

Recipient Roles

Assign each recipient one of the following roles:

Role Behaviour
Signer Receives the document and is required to sign it.
CC Receives an initial notification email informing them they have been copied on the agreement. Once all Signers have signed, the CC recipient also receives the signed document. CC recipients cannot sign the document.

Note: Adobe Sign CC recipients receive an initial notification at the time the agreement is created. This is an Adobe Sign provider-level behaviour.

LIST Variables and Merge Blocks

LIST variables are typically used from Merge blocks that have merged the names and emails of recipients from text input fields in FORM blocks. If LIST variables are used, the list of names and the list of emails must correspond to each other by order and have the same length. Learn more about Merge blocks.

Email Subject and Body

Provide a custom email subject and body for the signing notification sent to recipients.

When using Require owner to add signatories and tags before sending with no pre-configured recipients, the email subject and body fields are managed within the embedded Adobe Sign interface at runtime.

Adobe Sign Tag Syntax

Adobe Sign tags specify where signature fields and other elements appear in your document. Tags can be inserted into Rich Document Templates.

When using Send pre-tagged document to recipients, these tags determine exactly where each recipient signs. When using Require owner to add signatories and tags before sending, the designated user can also place and adjust tags within the embedded Adobe Sign interface at runtime, in addition to (or instead of) pre-placing tags in the template.

Tag Type Tag Example Meaning
E-Signature {{Sig_es_:signer#:signature}} {{Sig_es_:signer1:signature}} Signature field for the first signatory
E-Signature Date {{Dte_es_:signer#:date}} {{Dte_es_:signer1:date}} Date the signatory signed (default: mm/dd/yyyy)
E-Signature Date (custom format) {{date1_es_:signer#:date:format(date, "mmm dd, yyyy")}} {{date1_es_:signer1:date:format(date, "mmm dd, yyyy")}} Date with custom format (e.g. Jan 01, 2026)
Signatory Name {{N_es_:signer#:fullname}} {{N_es_:signer1:fullname}} Signatory's name from their account
Signatory Initials {{Int_es_:signer#:initials}} {{Int_es_:signer1:initials}} Signatory's initials from their account

How to Use Tags

  • Replace the # placeholder with the signatory number matching the recipient order. E.g. {{Sig_es_:signer1:signature}} for the first signatory, {{Sig_es_:signer2:signature}} for the second.
  • Tags can be used in Rich Document Templates (such as .docx).
  • If no tags are used, e-signature placeholders will automatically be added at the end of the document (PDF documents only).

Learn more about E-Signature Tags in a Document.

Output Variables

The Adobe Sign block produces three output variables that can be referenced by subsequent blocks in the workflow. These are found under the Variable Name field in the block's SETTINGS panel.

Variable Description
Status Returns the current status of the Adobe Sign agreement (e.g. Out for Signature, Cancelled, Completed). This can be used with the Wait block to pause the workflow until a particular status is reached -- for example, waiting until the agreement is Completed before uploading the signed document to SharePoint or triggering the next step.
Signed Document Returns the signed document once all signatories have completed signing. This can be passed to subsequent blocks (e.g. for storage, email attachment, or further processing).
Signed Date Returns the date the document was signed.

Limitations

Limitation Details
Public assessments and external users Require owner to add signatories and tags before sending is not supported for public assessments or external users. Public assessment URLs are accessible without authentication, and external users lack the Checkbox session context required for the embedded interface. Use Send pre-tagged document to recipients in these scenarios.
Toolbar navigation Adobe Sign's native toolbar is visible within the embedded interface. If users navigate away, they are automatically redirected back. This is an Adobe Sign iframe behaviour.
No back-navigation after sending Once the agreement is sent via Require owner to add signatories and tags before sending, the user cannot navigate back to the Adobe Sign preparation page.
Session expiry Embedded sessions have a 10-minute duration (an Adobe Sign-imposed limit). Users are notified before expiry and can refresh the session if it expires.
Signers cannot alter tags Only the designated Checkbox user can place and adjust tags. Signers can only sign where tags have been placed.

Integration Setup

Enabling Adobe Sign requires action from an Adobe Sign account holder and a Checkbox Account Administrator.

Configuring Your Adobe Sign Account

Note: You must be an Adobe Sign account holder. Checkbox and Adobe Sign must be open in the same browser during this process.

The Adobe Sign account holder must complete three steps: obtain an integration key, create a webhook, and enable hybrid routing.

1. Obtain an Integration Key

  1. Log into your Adobe Sign account.
  2. Go to the Accounts tab and navigate to Access Token under Personal Preferences.

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  1. Click the + icon and add a new integration key with the permissions shown below:

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The created key value can be found by selecting the relevant entry in the table and pressing the Integration Key button.

2. Create a Webhook

  1. Navigate to Webhooks under Personal Preferences in the Account tab and press +.
  2. Enter your Webhook URL: https://{subdomain}.checkbox.ai/api/v1/public/adobe/webhook, where {subdomain} is the prefix of your Checkbox environment (your company name, or app if you don't have an account-specific environment).
  3. In the Events dropdown, select Agreement All Events under Agreement.
  4. Choose additional Notification Parameters as shown below:

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3. Enable Hybrid Routing

  1. Navigate to Send Settings under Account Settings in the Account tab.
  2. Under Signing Order, ensure Allow senders to specify hybrid routing order is enabled:

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Connecting Adobe Sign to Checkbox

Note: You must be a Checkbox Account Administrator.

  1. Log in to Adobe Sign and copy your Integration Key.
  2. Log into Checkbox.
  3. Click your username in the top right, then go to Account Settings.

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  1. Click Integrations on the left panel.

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  1. Click the Adobe Sign tab
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  1. Click add an account

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  1. Paste your Integration Key in the provided field.


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  1. Click Save.