Save Typed Dropdown with SignNow

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Legal validity and record considerations for saved entries

When implemented as part of a signNow workflow, saved typed dropdown entries become part of the signed record and are captured in the platform's audit trail, supporting enforceability under U.S. electronic signature laws such as ESIGN and UETA.

Legal validity and record considerations for saved entries

Roles and responsibilities for saved dropdown management

Account Admin

Account administrators manage template settings, permission scopes, and retention policies. They control who can enable Save Typed Dropdown, review exported lists, enforce naming conventions, and coordinate audits to maintain compliance and data integrity.

Signer

Signers may enter new dropdown options when allowed and should follow established naming conventions. Their entries are recorded in the audit trail; organizations can limit who may save entries to maintain consistent datasets.

Core capabilities of save typed dropdown

save typed dropdown combines persistent custom entries, template-level synchronization, and access controls to streamline repetitive selections while preserving an auditable record of typed input for future use.

Persistent options

Typed dropdown entries are stored at the template or account level, allowing future documents to present previously entered values to signers while maintaining a record of the original input for auditing and consistency.

User-defined entries

Signers can add new options during completion; these entries become selectable for subsequent signers according to the field's save and visibility settings, reducing manual corrections and improving data capture accuracy.

Template sync

Saved entries propagate to templates and copies when sync is enabled, ensuring that teams using standardized documents receive updated option lists without manual edits to each file, simplifying template maintenance.

Access control

Permission settings determine which roles can enable or clear saved entries; administrators can restrict save functionality to reduce erroneous additions and align data capture with organizational policies.

Searchable entries

Saved options are searchable within dropdown fields, improving usability for long lists and allowing signers to find previously typed values quickly, particularly in high-volume or recurring document workflows.

Localization

Fields can preserve entries in multiple languages when used globally; saved options respect character sets and formatting, supporting multinational forms while keeping stored values consistent per locale.

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Integrations and templates that work with saved dropdowns

Integrations and templates let save typed dropdown entries flow between document sources and storage systems, enabling synchronized option lists across Google Docs, CRMs, and cloud folders.

Google Docs

When importing documents from Google Docs, dropdown fields configured with save typed dropdown retain previously stored entries; updates to saved options propagate when templates are synchronized from the connected Drive document.

CRM sync

Integration with major CRMs pushes selected dropdown values into contact or opportunity records; saved entries reduce mapping errors and keep CRM fields aligned with values entered during signing.

Dropbox

Documents stored to Dropbox maintain field settings and saved dropdown entries when exported or synced, supporting consistent options across files and simplifying folder-based template management for teams.

Custom templates

Teams can embed save typed dropdown fields in reusable templates, ensuring that saved entries appear for all users of the template while preserving template-level control over which entries are visible.

How save typed dropdown works in online documents

Using save typed dropdown, users can type new options into dropdown fields; those entries are stored for reuse in templates or account-level fields for later signers.

  • Add field: Place a dropdown field where variable input is needed.
  • Allow typing: Enable typing so signers can enter custom options.
  • Save entry: Configure the field to retain typed entries automatically.
  • Reuse options: Stored entries appear in the dropdown for future signers.
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Getting started: setting up save typed dropdown

Set up a save typed dropdown field to let signers add and reuse custom options, improving consistency and reducing manual edits across forms.

  • 01
    Open template: Open your document or template and add a dropdown field.
  • 02
    Enable save option: Enable the Save Typed Dropdown property in field settings.
  • 03
    Set defaults: Enter default entries and allowed values for consistency.
  • 04
    Test and publish: Preview with a signer, confirm saved entries, then save template.

Audit trail practices for saved dropdown activity

Maintain a clear audit trail for saved typed dropdown activity by capturing who entered values, when entries were saved, and any edits to saved lists within the signing record.

01

Record creator:

Capture user who added entry
02

Timestamp:

Log date and time of save
03

Field version:

Track changes to dropdown options
04

Signer ID:

Associate entries with signer identity
05

Change reason:

Record optional notes for edits
06

Export logs:

Export audit trail for review
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Configuring save typed dropdown in workflows and automation

Configure save typed dropdown within signNow workflows by adjusting account templates, field settings, and automation triggers to ensure entries propagate and comply with organizational rules.

Feature Configuration
Default setting for save typed dropdown Enabled by default
Auto-propagate saved entries to templates Enabled for account templates by default
Permission controls for saving entries Admins only or role-based access
Audit logging for saved entries Full edit history and timestamps
API endpoints for dropdown management List, add, or clear saved entries via API

Supported platforms and device considerations

The save typed dropdown feature is available in signNow's web app and native iOS and Android applications, requiring current app versions for full functionality.

  • Desktop: Latest Chrome, Firefox, Edge supported
  • Mobile apps: iOS and Android native apps supported
  • Browsers: Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge supported

To ensure consistent behavior across devices, keep signNow updated, test save typed dropdown fields on target platforms, and verify account-level template sync settings. Offline mode may restrict saving typed entries until the device reconnects and synchronizes with the account.

Security and compliance controls relevant to save typed dropdown

Encryption at rest: AES-256 encrypted storage
TLS in transit: TLS 1.2+ for data transmission
Detailed audit trail: Logs field edits and saves
Access controls: Role-based permissions enforced
Two-factor authentication: Optional 2FA for signers and users
Certificate signatures: Support for digital certificates

Industry examples demonstrating saved dropdown value use

Real-world scenarios show how save typed dropdown reduces repetitive data entry, improves consistency, and accelerates signings in regulated and high-volume workflows across industries.

Healthcare intake

A medical clinic uses save typed dropdown on intake forms to capture physician names, clinic locations, and specialty codes entered by staff during patient check-in.

  • Field-level persistence stores staff entries.
  • Reduces transcription errors and duplicate entries.

Resulting in faster check-in, fewer manual corrections, and a clearer audit trail for patient records that supports HIPAA-compliant documentation and streamlined billing reconciliation across the clinic's templates.

HR onboarding

A human resources team implements save typed dropdown in offer letters and onboarding packets to capture role titles, department codes, and office locations typed by hiring managers.

  • Template-level sharing syncs entries organization-wide.
  • Speeds form completion and reduces inconsistent titles.

Leading to faster onboarding cycles, uniform job titles across systems of record, fewer back-and-forth corrections with hiring managers, and cleaner data feeds into the applicant tracking system for compliance reporting and headcount planning.

Operational best practices for managing saved dropdown entries

Follow these best practices to keep saved dropdown lists accurate, compliant, and easy to manage across templates and teams.

Limit who can save new dropdown entries
Assign save permissions to a limited set of roles or administrators to prevent unvetted entries and preserve data quality; use role-based controls to align with organizational governance and reduce cleanup work.
Review and purge outdated saved options regularly
Establish a schedule to audit saved lists, remove obsolete items, and reconcile dropdown options with authoritative data sources to avoid mismatches and ensure consistent downstream reporting.
Use template-level controls for standardization
Configure save typed dropdown at the template level for documents that require fixed option lists, and reserve account-level saves for organization-wide controlled values to balance flexibility and standardization.
Document naming and locale conventions
Adopt consistent naming, formatting, and locale conventions for saved entries to avoid duplicates, ensure accurate search results, and maintain compatibility with integrations and reporting systems.

Common problems and FAQs about saved dropdown lists

Frequently asked questions and troubleshooting tips address common setup errors, unexpected behavior, and steps to recover or clear saved typed dropdown entries.

Vendor comparison: save typed dropdown support

Compare support for save typed dropdown across major eSignature vendors to understand availability, persistence, mobile behavior, and audit details.

Criteria signNow (Recommended) DocuSign Adobe Acrobat Sign
Save typed dropdown persistence Partial
Template-level propagation Partial
Mobile app support
Audit trail detail Detailed logs Limited logs Basic logs
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Retention, backup, and continuity policies for documents and saved entries

Set retention and backup policies for documents using save typed dropdown to meet legal, operational, and continuity requirements.

Retention period for signed contracts:

7 years for contract retention

Backup frequency for templates and data:

Daily backups with versioning

Policy for export and archiving:

Export completed records quarterly

Incident recovery for lost entries:

Restore from backup snapshots

Legal hold and discovery procedures:

Suspend deletions during holds

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