Use two places for files. **Employee Document**, under **Employee Lifecycle**, stores a file on the employee record, such as an ID or contract you already have. **Digital Signatures** is where people sign: **Signature Template**, **Signature Request**, and **Signature Envelope**.

Onboarding can collect both. A document with capture **Upload**, **ID Document**, or **Headshot** lands on the onboarding record. A document with capture **Signature** uses a signature template and a signing link. See [Start onboarding](/hrms/onboarding/employee-onboarding).

## Which screen to open

1. To file something you already have on an employee, open [Employee documents](/hrms/documents-compliance/employee-documents).
2. To design the page people sign, open [Signature templates](/hrms/documents-compliance/signature-templates).
3. To ask one person to sign, open [Signature requests](/hrms/documents-compliance/signature-requests).
4. To ask several people to sign the same document, open [Signature envelopes](/hrms/documents-compliance/signature-envelopes).
5. The person who received the link follows [Signing a document](/hrms/documents-compliance/signing-portal). They do not sign inside your HR menu.

## What you should see

- Signature templates are **Active** or **Inactive**.
- A signature request moves through **Draft**, **Sent**, **Viewed**, and **Signed**. It can also be **Expired** or **Cancelled**.
- A signature envelope moves through **Draft**, **Sent**, **Partially Signed**, and **Fully Executed**. It can also be **Expired** or **Cancelled**.
- After someone signs, the request or envelope shows a **Signing certificate** with the time, and the device details captured when they submitted.

## If it fails

A template with no signing fields cannot be sent. A request stays **Draft** until you save it and choose **Send for Signature**. An envelope with no signers stays unsent and says to add at least one signer. An expired or cancelled link tells the signer the request is no longer active.

## Next

- [Employee documents](/hrms/documents-compliance/employee-documents)
- [Signature templates](/hrms/documents-compliance/signature-templates)
- [Signature requests](/hrms/documents-compliance/signature-requests)
- [Signature envelopes](/hrms/documents-compliance/signature-envelopes)
- [Signing a document](/hrms/documents-compliance/signing-portal)