What is DocuSign Document Visibility? 

You can use DocuSign Document Visibility to control which recipients see which documents in envelopes containing multiple documents. For example, you might want recipients to see only the documents they need to sign. 

If you need help setting up DocuSign workflows and templates, book a call with our DocuSign Experts today!

The setup can feel a little daunting at first, but once you get your head around the different options, it becomes very simple. Let’s get started! This comprehensive tutorial will help you understand how Document Visibility in DocuSign works and how to set it up.

Why is DocuSign Document Visibility Useful? 

There are a couple of reasons why document visibility can be useful:

• Cost-effectiveness & Speed. Rather than having to create a separate envelope for each recipient, you’re only preparing and sending one envelope.
• Audit trail. DocuSign does not retain the digital signature of a document that is completed in a subsequent envelope. By adding all documents in the same envelope, DocuSign document visibility offers an easy way to confirm the validity of all the signatures in the finalized document. 

How To Set Up Document Visibility 

Step 1: Go to Sending Settings 

For that, you must be an Administrator or have “Delegated Administrator” rights on the account.

Step 2: Decide What you Want to Happen 

Document Visibility has four variations based on two decisions:

Decision 1

The first question is, "Should document visibility always be enabled by default, OR should envelope senders choose when they want to use it?"

Choose one of the two options below and mentally whether you're choosing 1 or 2

1. Yes, always enabled
2. No, Senders choose when to use it

Decision 2

Then, the second question is: "Should DocuSign users registered under the same account as the Sender be able to see everything regardless of whether they have a signature field on the document or not?"

Choose one of the two options below and mentally whether you're choosing 1 or 2

1. Yes, DocuSign users registered under the same account can see all documents even if they don't need to sign the document
2. No, even DocuSign users registered under the same account must be signers on the document to view it

Combine your answers

Combine the numbers related to your answers to the two questions above and select the option in DocuSign.

• 1-1 Must sign to view, unless a member of sender’s account
• 1-2 Must sign to view, unless the sender
• 2-1 Sender can set “must sign to view unless a member of sender’s account”
• 2-2 Sender can set “must sign to view unless sender”

I recommend going with either 2-1 or 2-2 because different senders within your account might not be aware that this setting is on, and this could cause a problem.

Step 3: Create an Envelope & Add Fields 

1. You can either create an envelope from scratch or use a template.
2. Be sure to add all documents, recipients, and fields first. 
3. Once your envelope is ready to be sent, click on the gear icon in the top right corner, and “Document Visibility.”
   

Step 4: Activate DocuSign Document Visibility in the Envelope (if you chose 2-1 or 2-2) 

If you’ve gone ahead with options 2-1 or 2-2, you must turn on DocuSign document visibility for that specific envelope.

• Click on “Actions“
• Then, Advanced Options and turn on the option you set in Step 3 

Step 5: Control Who Sees What? (Optional) 

From the tagging page, click on the gear icon and document visibility, the DocuSign Document Visibility control table opens:

1. Checked or unchecked checkboxes represent the ability for recipients to see or not see the corresponding document. 
2. You cannot uncheck checkboxes for recipients whose email addresses are set up in the DocuSign account or your organization, depending on the type of visibility setting applied to your account earlier. 
3. You can control if a recipient should or shouldn’t see a particular form on which they do not have any field given.
4. Always be sure to open the DocuSign Visibility Control Table once you’ve added all your fields.
5. Once you add a field, their visibility will be affected every time you add, remove, and fields on your forms. 

If you need help setting up DocuSign workflows and templates, book a call with our DocuSign Experts today!