Share Templates and Manage Access

SignNow empowers teams to collaborate efficiently by allowing you to share templates and manage access with precision. Whether you’re working with a small group or a large organization, understanding how to share templates, assign permissions, and control document access is essential for streamlined workflows and secure document management. This guide will walk you through every aspect of template sharing, from the basics of sender and viewer roles to advanced tips for collaboration and troubleshooting common issues.

Let’s explore how you can maximize your team’s productivity while keeping your templates and documents secure.

Understanding Template Sharing and Access Levels

Template sharing in SignNow is designed to foster collaboration while maintaining control over your documents. When you share a template, you can grant team members either sender or viewer access.

• Sender access allows users to process invites and send documents created from the template. This is ideal for team members who need to initiate signing workflows or distribute documents to others.
• Viewer access enables users to view the template and any documents generated from it, but not to send or modify them. This is perfect for oversight roles or for those who need to monitor document progress without making changes.

Only the template owner can edit the original template, ensuring that the integrity of your core documents is preserved. If other team members need to make changes, they can create a copy of the template and edit their version. This structure keeps your workflow organized and secure.

How to Share a Template with Team Members

Sharing templates in SignNow is intuitive and flexible. Here’s how you can share a template and assign the right level of access to your colleagues:



Start by navigating to your Templates folder. This central hub allows you to organize, search, and manage all your reusable documents. Once you’ve located the template you want to share, click the Share button next to its name.



A modal window will appear, prompting you to enter the email address of the person you wish to share the template with. You’ll also select their access level—either Send or View. This ensures that each team member has the appropriate permissions for their role.



Within this sharing interface, you can also review and adjust the access levels of everyone who currently has access to the template. This transparency helps you maintain control and accountability across your team.

Assigning and Managing Sender and Viewer Permissions

Assigning the correct permissions is crucial for effective collaboration. When you share a template, you decide whether a team member can send documents (sender) or only view them (viewer).

Sender access is best for users who need to initiate document workflows, such as sending contracts for signature or distributing forms. Viewer access is suitable for those who need oversight or need to track document status without making changes.

To manage permissions:

• Open the sharing modal for your template.
• Review the list of people with access, visible in the "People With Access" section.
• Use the dropdown next to each person’s name to adjust their permission level as needed.

This granular control ensures that only authorized users can send documents or make changes, while others can monitor progress and maintain visibility. If you need to revoke access, simply remove the user from the list.

Viewing and Filtering Documents from Shared Templates

Once a template is shared, team members can easily view all documents created from it. This is especially useful for tracking the status of agreements, contracts, or forms sent out by different users.

To view documents from a shared template, click on the View Invite option under the template name.



SignNow provides powerful filtering tools so you can quickly find the documents you need. Filter by Status (such as completed, in progress, or waiting for signature) or by Sender to see who initiated each document.



This visibility ensures that everyone on your team stays informed about document progress, reducing bottlenecks and improving accountability.

Editing Shared Templates: Owner and Team Member Roles

Maintaining the integrity of your templates is essential, which is why only the template owner can edit the original shared template. This prevents accidental changes and ensures consistency across your organization.

If a team member who is not the owner needs to make changes, they can create a copy of the template. Here’s how:



Click the three-dot menu next to the template in the Shared Templates folder and select Create Copy. You’ll be prompted to name your new document:



The copy will appear in your Documents folder, where you can edit it as needed.



Once your edits are complete, you can convert the document back into a template and move it to the Shared Team Templates folder. This workflow ensures that all changes are intentional and traceable, supporting both flexibility and control.

Creating and Managing Copies of Shared Templates

Creating a copy of a shared template is a straightforward process that empowers team members to customize documents without affecting the original. This is especially useful when you need to tailor a template for a specific use case or client.

To create a copy:

• Navigate to the Shared Templates folder.
• Click the three-dot menu next to the template you wish to copy.
• Select Create Copy and enter a new name for your document in the modal window.

Your new document will be saved in your Documents folder, where you can edit, send, or convert it back into a template as needed. This process ensures that the original template remains unchanged, while still allowing for customization and flexibility within your team.

Best Practices for Template Collaboration and Access Control

To get the most out of template sharing and access management in SignNow, consider these best practices:

• Assign permissions thoughtfully: Only grant sender access to users who need to initiate document workflows. Use viewer access for oversight and monitoring.
• Maintain template integrity: Restrict editing rights to template owners. Encourage team members to create copies for customization.
• Regularly review access: Periodically check who has access to each template and adjust permissions as team roles change.
• Leverage filtering tools: Use document status and sender filters to quickly locate and track documents, ensuring nothing falls through the cracks.
• Educate your team: Make sure everyone understands the difference between sender and viewer roles, and how to create and manage copies of templates.

By following these guidelines, you’ll foster a collaborative environment that balances flexibility with security.

Troubleshooting Common Issues with Template Sharing

Even with a robust system like SignNow, you may occasionally encounter challenges when sharing templates or managing access. Here are some common issues and solutions:

• Team member can’t edit a shared template: Only the template owner can edit the original. Team members should create a copy to make changes.
• Access level confusion: Double-check the assigned permissions in the sharing modal. Adjust sender/viewer roles as needed to ensure everyone has the correct access.
• Missing documents: Use the filtering tools to search by status or sender. If a document still can’t be found, confirm that it was created from the correct template.
• Revoking access: If someone no longer needs access, remove them from the "People With Access" list in the sharing modal.

If you need further assistance, visit our Help Center or contact SignNow support for personalized guidance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Ready to streamline your team’s document workflows? Start sharing templates and managing access in SignNow today. For more advanced features or to explore our flexible plans, visit our pricing page.

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