Fields let you control who enters information, what format it must follow, and what must be completed before a document can be sent or signed. This article explains how different field types behave, how sender vs signer assignments work, and how required and validation rules affect the signing flow.
1. Field Types Overview
GetAccept uses two categories of fields:
PDF Fields (added via the Add panel)
These are placed on top of uploaded PDFs:
Signature & Initials – used to capture a signer’s formal acknowledgement.
Text fields – free-form inputs for names, addresses, or custom data.
Merge fields – automatically populated data (name, company, sign date, CRM values).
Validated text fields – text fields restricted by a defined pattern (for example, date or ID format).
Checkboxes – simple yes/no acknowledgement fields.
Dropdowns – predefined options selected by sender or signer.
Link fields – a clickable area that opens an external link.
Editor Fields (placed inside Editor blocks)
These are structured form inputs inside GetAccept’s native Editor:
Text input
Email, number, date, or specialized inputs
Dropdown
Checkbox
These have built-in validation options and can be marked as required.
2. Sender vs Signer Field Behavior
Every field is always assigned to either the sender or a specific recipient.
Sender fields
Completed before sending.
Used for internal or pre-known information (for example, plan selection, internal IDs, internal notes).
If marked required, the document cannot be sent until completed.
Signer/recipient fields
Completed during the signing process.
Used to collect customer information, confirmations, or acknowledgements.
If marked required, the signer cannot finish signing until completed.
This distinction ensures fields are completed by the correct person at the correct time.
3. Required Rules
A field marked required must be filled by the person it is assigned to.
Required fields block:
Sending, if the field is assigned to the sender.
Signing, if the field is assigned to a signer.
Required can be applied to:
Text fields
Initials
Checkboxes
Dropdowns
Editor inputs
Validated text fields
Enabling “required” ensures no one can continue until all required inputs are complete.
4. Validation Rules
Validation controls what format is allowed in a field.
PDF Validated Text Fields
Use a pattern (RegEx) to enforce a format.
The signer cannot continue unless the input matches the expected format.
Editor Field Validation
Minimum/maximum character limits
Required input
Pattern validation (RegEx)
Built-in structured rules (email must be an email, date must be a valid date, etc.)
Validation ensures data quality and prevents incorrect or unusable inputs.
5. Best Practices
Use merge fields anywhere data already exists to reduce manual typing.
Assign sender fields for known internal values; avoid asking signers for information you already have.
Use validated fields for structured inputs like ID numbers, dates, and phone formats.
Use required sparingly—only for information truly needed to finalize the document.
Test the signing flow to ensure required and validation rules behave correctly.