Download signed documents
When an envelope completes, bb-sign generates a signed PDF for every document: the original with each signer’s seal, signed with the organization’s certificate. Every document is sealed and any later change is detected. Download it from the envelope page and keep it in your organization’s systems.
Download the original PDF and the signed PDF
Section titled “Download the original PDF and the signed PDF”In the Documents (N) section of the envelope page, each file offers these downloads:
| Button | Contents | Available |
|---|---|---|
| Original PDF | The file as it was uploaded, without seals. | From the envelope’s creation. |
| Signed PDF | The document with each signer’s seal, signed with the certificate. | When the envelope is Completed and the file has been generated. |
The signed PDF is generated a few moments after the last signature; meanwhile, the page shows Signed PDF processing…. Reload the page to see the button. If the message remains, tell your administrator.
The seal’s contents (name, email, date, the drawn or typed signature, a hash and a verification QR code) and the role of the certificate are described in Electronic signature and seal. To check a signed PDF you received another way, see Verify a signed document.
How long the download link lasts
Section titled “How long the download link lasts”Each button uses a temporary link, valid for 3,600 s from the moment the page opens. If the download does not start, reload the envelope page and press the button again. To share a document, send the downloaded file.
Who can download
Section titled “Who can download”Users with the auditor, contributor or manager role in the envelope’s workspace can download, as can the organization’s administrators. Users with the viewer role see each document’s name along with the message “You can see this document’s name but not download it. Ask an admin for auditor access.”
Signers download their copy from their own link when they finish signing and from the email
Signing complete: {title}. See Sign and download.
Download and retention periods
Section titled “Download and retention periods”Download the signed PDFs while the envelope is in Envelopes. Once 30 days have passed since its creation, a completed envelope moves to Archived envelopes, which lists its record without downloads. Files uploaded more than 90 days ago move to long-term storage and are no longer available for immediate download.
bb-sign keeps documents for 365 days, a fixed, non-negotiable period. After that, retention is your organization’s responsibility. See Scope and retention.