Signing Order: One After Another or All at Once

A contract with several people raises a practical question: should they sign one after another, or all at the same time? ilzam supports both. Here is how each order works, what changes for you and for the signers, and how to choose.

One after another (the default)

The signers take turns in the order you set on the signers step. Each signer acts after the one before them, so a signer acts when it is their turn. You arrange the order by moving the signers up or down.

Choose this when one person's decision must come before the next person acts: for example a manager approves, then the employee signs, then the company countersigns.

All at once

Every signer is invited at the same time and signs whenever they like. Nobody waits for anybody, and the document is finished once everyone has done their part. Every signer has the document waiting for them from the start.

Choose this when the parties are equal and no one's signature depends on another's: two partners signing an agreement, co-owners signing a lease, or a deadline that does not leave time to wait for each person in turn.

What changes for you

• Who has the document. One after another, the document is with one signer at a time. All at once, nobody holds it, so ilzam does not name one signer as the next; the document's card says it is signed in any order while anyone is still to act.
• Reminders. You can remind a signer who has not acted. All at once, reminders are available while anyone is still to act.
• Templates and bulk send. A template can be set to either order. Every document made from it, including a bulk send, follows it.

How to choose

• One after another when approvals chain, or when you want a clear order of responsibility.
• All at once when the parties are equal, when there are many of them, or when time is short.

The order is chosen per document. Whichever you pick, each signer proves who they are in the way you chose for them: read how a signer verifies with Nafath. For the whole flow, read how to send a document for signature and track it.

Questions people ask

Can signers sign at the same time?

Yes, on plans that include it. Choose "All at once" when you add the signers: every signer is invited together and signs whenever they like.

What is the default order?

One after another. Signers take turns in the order you set, and each signer acts after the one before them.

What if one signer is late?

When people sign one after another, the next signer waits, so a late signer holds the document up. You can remind them from the document. When people sign all at once, a late signer does not hold up the others.

Do signers need an ilzam account?

No. Each signer opens the link they receive and signs, in either order.

Why do I not see the choice?

ilzam shows it only on plans that include signing all at once, and only once you have added more than one person.

Read the complete guide: Electronic Signature in Saudi Arabia: The Complete Guide