Get a quote signed online

Send a public link, let the client sign in a few clicks, and automatically trigger what comes next (notification, conversion to invoice).

Online signing shortens the gap between "I sent the quote" and "it's booked." The client signs from their phone, you get notified, and the file moves forward — no printing, no back-and-forth. It is often what separates a date that confirms the same evening from one that drags on for a week.

This article walks through the full lifecycle of a quote around the signature: what happens before sending, while the client signs, and everything that fires once the signature is collected.

What you'll learn

Send a quote for e-signature via a public link
Track the signature and understand what it triggers
Handle the manual (paper) signature case
Understand the legal value and traceability of the e-signature

The lifecycle of a quote

A quote moves through several states, and the signature is the tipping point. Before sending, the quote is in Draft: you build and review it freely. Once the public link is generated and shared, it moves to Sent: it is in the client's hands. The signature moves it to Signed, and that is when a whole chain of actions can kick in.

Keeping this thread in mind tells you where you stand: a Sent quote is waiting on the client, a Signed quote is a commitment you can turn into an invoice.

Quote statuses and what each triggers

Here, state by state, is what each status means and what it makes possible. It's the reference to keep in view.

Draft: the quote is built and edited freely. No client action is expected, nothing triggers yet.
Sent: the public link is shared, the quote is in the client's hands. This is the moment to follow up if nothing moves.
Signed: the client's agreement is recorded and timestamped. This status opens event confirmation, conversion to invoice and automations.

On the signature side, two routes lead to the same Signed status: the e-signature (the client signs online) and the manual signature (you upload a signed PDF). Both then trigger the same follow-ups.

Prerequisites

A finalized quote, ready to send (Draft or Sent status), with its lines reviewed and the right contact attached to the event.

Before the signature: send the quote

E-signature is the recommended route. It all starts from the public link, which opens a page where the client can review the quote and sign it without having to create an account.

Open the quote. Make sure it is complete: this is the version that will be presented to the client.
Click Generate public link. Joinways creates a URL dedicated to this quote, pointing to a secure review page.
Send the link to the client (by email from Joinways or manually). Sending through Joinways keeps a trace in the file.
The client reviews the quote and clicks Sign. They sign directly on the page, from any device.
The signature is recorded and you get notified. You immediately see the quote move to Signed.

💡 Good to know: e-signature via Joinways carries the same legal value as a handwritten signature in most jurisdictions. It protects you as much as the client.

What the client sees

On the client's side, the experience is deliberately simple. They open the link, read the quote (services, options, total), then sign in one gesture. No software to install, no account to create: that simplicity is why signatures often land the same evening, sometimes within minutes.

If there are options to decide on, they see them clearly distinguished from the base total, which helps them decide calmly before signing.

After the signature: what it triggers

The signature is not an end in itself: it is a signal that sets the file in motion. Several things become possible, some automatically, others with a click from you.

The quote status changes to Signed, which records the client's agreement.
The event can move to Confirmed, which secures the date in your schedule.
You can convert the quote to an invoice, without re-entering the lines.
An automation can take over (confirmation email to the client, follow-up task for your team).

The benefit: you no longer chase the next steps. The signature becomes the trigger that orchestrates confirmation, invoicing and operational prep.

How it works: traceability and security

At the moment of signing, Joinways keeps the timestamp (exact date and time) and the signer's identity with the quote. These elements form a proof: in case of dispute, you can show who signed, what and when.

It is also why a signed quote is not edited lightly: for any change after signature, you go through an amendment, which preserves the trace of the original quote (see Amendments to a signed quote).

Manual signature

Some clients still prefer paper, or need an internal sign-off. Joinways handles this case without breaking the file's tracking.

Download the quote as PDF and send it to the client.
Get the signed document back (scan or photo).
Upload the signed PDF and mark the quote as signed. The quote then reaches the same Signed status, and the same follow-ups (conversion to invoice, automations) become possible again.

Signed quote and invoice: the logical next step

Once the quote is Signed, the invoice is just one click away: Joinways carries over the quote's lines without making you re-enter them. The quote records the agreement, the invoice realizes it in accounting terms — two distinct documents from the same base.

Edge cases

Expired or lost link: simply regenerate a public link from the quote and resend it. The client gets the latest, up-to-date version.

Wrong recipient: if the quote must be signed by someone else (a different decision-maker), check the contact attached to the event before sending the link. Price change requested after signing: go through an amendment rather than editing the signed quote.

Quote edited after sending: if you fix a line while the link is already out, the old link may no longer reflect the right version. Regenerate a public link and resend it so the client signs the up-to-date version.

Client's internal sign-off: some companies require a second pair of eyes before signing. In that case, the manual signature (uploaded PDF) is often a better fit than online signing, while still leading to the same Signed status.

Cancellation after signing: a signed quote remains the record of an agreement. If the deal eventually falls through, don't delete the quote; document the cancellation in the file to keep the history intact.

Several signers on the client side: if the agreement requires two signatures, the paper route (uploaded PDF) remains the simplest way to collect both before marking the quote as signed.

Signature received but status not updated: if you collected a paper signature, the status doesn't flip on its own. Upload the signed PDF and explicitly mark the quote as signed to trigger the follow-ups.

Best practices

Follow up politely 48h after sending if the quote isn't signed: it's the right timing to stay present without pushing.
Automate that follow-up so you never forget it, even in busy periods.
Make sure the right contact receives the link: a link sent to the wrong address is a signature that never arrives.
Prepare your post-signature automations ahead of time, so the confirmation goes out without intervention.
Re-read the quote one last time before generating the link: once signed, any fix goes through an amendment, heavier than a quick review.
Send the link from Joinways rather than through an external channel: the send stays traced in the file, useful to track who received what and when.

Troubleshooting

The client can't see the Sign button? Cause: no public link was generated, or the client received a PDF instead of the link. Fix: generate a public link and send that URL to the client.

The link no longer opens? Cause: expired link or a quote edited since. Fix: regenerate a public link from the quote and resend it.

The signature didn't trigger anything? Cause: no automation is configured, or the move to Confirmed stays manual. Fix: check your workflows and, if needed, move the event to Confirmed yourself.

The signed PDF isn't accepted? Cause: the uploaded file isn't readable (blurry photo, wrong format). Fix: upload a clean scan of the signed quote, then mark the quote as signed again.

Real-world example

A client gets the link at 6pm. She reviews it during the evening and signs from her phone at 9pm, with nothing to install. At that moment, the quote moves to Signed and the timestamp is kept.

The planner receives the notification, the event moves to Confirmed and a "prepare the BEO" task is created automatically. The next morning, all that's left is converting the quote to an invoice: everything else chained itself overnight.

Second example: a paper signature

A works council requires a paper signature approved by two managers. You download the quote as a PDF and send it to the contact, who circulates it internally.

A few days later, the contact returns the signed and stamped PDF. You upload it to the quote and mark it as signed: the status moves to Signed, exactly as with an online signature.

From there, everything resumes as normal: the event can move to Confirmed, the quote converts to an invoice and your post-signature automations apply as usual. The signing channel changes, not the rest of the file.

FAQ

Is the signature tracked?

Yes: the timestamp and signer identity are kept with the quote, which serves as proof if needed.

Can I resend an expired link?

Yes, simply regenerate a public link from the quote. The new link shows the up-to-date version.

Does the e-signature really carry legal value?

Yes, in most jurisdictions it carries the same value as a handwritten signature. The retained traceability strengthens that value.

What if the client wants to change the quote after signing it?

You don't edit a signed quote: you create an amendment, which preserves the trace of the original agreement. See Amendments to a signed quote.

Do I have to confirm the event manually after signing?

You can do it in one click, or let an automation handle it. It's up to you to choose the level of automation.

Is a manual signature as good as an online one?

For tracking inside Joinways, yes: an uploaded signed PDF moves the quote to the same Signed status and unlocks the same follow-ups. Online signing is still faster and traces the timestamp automatically.

Does the client need an account to sign?

No. The public link opens a page where they review and sign the quote without creating an account, from any device. That's what makes signing so fast.

What happens if I edit the quote before the client has signed?

As long as the quote isn't signed, you can fix it freely. Just remember to regenerate the public link and resend it, so the client signs the latest version.