Bulk mailing via CSV file

Click & Sign enables the bulk sending of documents using a .csv (comma-separated values) file. With bulk sending, it's possible to send documents to hundreds or thousands of signatories with just a few clicks.

As the process for bulk sending closely resembles manual sending and is extensively explained in the Manual Sending article, the main focus of this entry will be on the .csv file. 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• The csv file
• Columns in the .csv file 
• Row in the .csv file
• Multiple signatures 
• Hierarchical signature
• Joint signature
• Requesting Documentation from Signatories
• Workflow of Bulk Sending
  • Step 1: Template selection 
  • Step 2: Uploading the .csv File
  • Step 3: List of Signatories 
  • Step 4: Uploading Documents 
  • Step 5: Finish 

The csv file

A .csv file, short for comma-separated values, is a document used to represent data in a tabular format, where columns are separated by commas (hence the name), and line breaks separate rows.

In countries where commas are used as decimal separators, semicolons are often used as the delimiter instead. 

CSV files are widely used for data interchange between different applications, and most programs or platforms support exporting data in this format.

Columns in the .csv file 

As mentioned earlier, a .csv file represents data in a table, where each column contains values of the same type, such as a name, surname, two surnames separated by a space, email address, phone number, date of birth, etc.

For bulk sending with Click & Sign, the columns in the .csv file do not need to follow a specific order, as you manually assign the type of information contained in each column.

The following types of information can be assigned to each column:

1. ID of the sending
2. Personal identification number 
3. Name
4. Surname
5. Mobile phone
6. Email
7. Access code
8. Signature level
9. Required signatures
10. Certifying the documents uploaded by the user
11. Certifying User-Uploaded Documents
12. Document Mandatory Status (1 to 10)
13. Post-Signing Destination Page

The signature level indicates the signatory's group and their signing order. 

The mandatory columns may vary depending on the selected template to accommodate the required data. For example, the "Name" column is always mandatory. Templates that send SMS notifications will also require the "Mobile Phone" field,  while templates sending emails will require the "Email" field.

Later, we'll explain how to make these assignments. 

Row in the .csv file

As previously mentioned, each row in the CSV file represents a signatory's data within the table.

In Click & Sign, each row must contain the information of a single signatory. The order of the rows is significant as it allows for multi-signature, multi-level signing, Joint signing, and document uploads by signatories.

Multiple signatures 

To have multiple signatories in a single document, the signatories must share the same sending identifier and appear consecutively in the CSV file's rows.

Hierarchical signature

A column containing the level number is required to group signatories into different hierarchical levels or groups. The same requirements must be met: the same sending identifier and consecutive rows. 

Joint signature

To indicate that a group or level does not require the signatures of all its members, the CSV file must include a column specifying the number of signatories in that group. It also needs to comply with the requirements of multi-level signing: same sending identifier and consecutive rows.

Requesting Documentation from Signatories

To configure the upload of documents by signatories (such as payrolls or invoices), the CSV file should include a descriptive document name column (e.g., Payroll) and another column indicating whether it is mandatory (Y) or optional (N). Lastly, an additional column is needed to define whether the documents should be certified.

For each document, two columns are required: one for the name and another for the mandatory status.

Let's illustrate this with an example. Suppose the signatories are required to upload a bank statement as a mandatory document and, optionally, a gas bill, and it is not necessary to certify these documents:

• Column F: Bank receipt
• Column G: Y (compulsory)
• Column H: Gas bill
• Column I: N (optional)
• Column J: Y (document certification is desired).

Workflow of Bulk Sending

The workflow for bulk sending is very similar to manual sending, so we will only delve into the steps where there are differences.

Throughout the process, help is available on how the CSV file should be formatted, which can be accessed by clicking the How should the .csv file be formatted? button.

Step 1: Template selection 

List of Available Templates (in card format). 

Step 2: Uploading the .csv File

.csv and .zip files containing the .csv file are accepted.

Step 3: List of Signatories 

In this step, you assign the corresponding data type to each column: name, email, etc. The system allows you to select the columns' delimiter character if a comma was not used (MS Excel, for example, defaults to the semicolon character). You can also not import the first row, which typically contains column names or headers.

The asterisk (*) indicates mandatory data types, which, as mentioned before, may vary depending on the selected template. 

Next, the system validates the data from the file and displays the result. 

You can download the .csv file with added comments regarding the incorrect data if there are any errors. The system allows you to continue despite discarding users with erroneous data.

Step 4: Uploading Documents 

You can upload the PDF files to be signed, and if specified in the template, additional documents are to be sent via email but are not included in the signed documentation.

Step 5: Finish 

The last step is to review the details and send the documents.