Using Templates to create a signing

Templates are forms that we have pre-configured to simplify and streamline the process of creating a signing. We have already added the participants (buyer, seller, etc.) and the blocks for them to complete their respective tasks (signature, initial, date, etc.) that are typically used on the form. This significantly cuts down on the time it takes for you to prepare the document to be sent out for completion.

The templates that are available to you are based on your affiliations:

• All SmartMLS users will automatically have access to SmartMLS forms.
• If you are a member of CTR, you will also have access to CTR forms.
• If you are a member of a Board of Realtors that has their own forms library, you will have access to their forms as well. 

Templates can be a huge time saver when creating a signing within the SmartMLS Sign platform, so it is important to know where to find them and how to use them efficiently.

Go to the Signings widget on the connectMLS home page and click Create Signing:

That will open the SmartMLS Sign platform and begin the process of creating a new signing. This article is designed to show you how to use a template to begin the signing process. It does not cover the entire signing process (there is a link to those instructions at the end of this article).

After giving the signing a name and expiration date, you have two options: upload your own document or choose from our collection of templates:

Click Select Template to begin your signing from one of our pre-configured templates.

Selecting a Template

After clicking Select Template, you will see a column on the left side of the screen that has three sections: Smart Filters, Directory and Tags:

The Smart Filters section allows you to quickly access any templates you have marked as favorites, as well as those you use most frequently. You can select one (or both) to help narrow the list of available templates.

The Directory section displays the form libraries to which you have access:

• Personal includes forms you have uploaded to the SmartMLS Sign platform yourself.
• Smart includes all SmartMLS forms (you automatically have access to these as a SmartMLS subscriber).

If you are a member of CTR, you will have access to their forms. Additionally, if you are a member of a Board of Realtors that has their own forms, you will also have access to their forms.

Clicking on the name of a directory will display all of the forms within it. You can select any combination of directories. As you select directories, their color will change to dark orange.

By default, none of the directories are selected, which means that you will see all templates for all available directories on the right side of the screen. When you select a directory, the options on the right will be limited to those templates that are within the selected directory (the templates from the directories that you have not selected will disappear). 

Underneath the Directory section, you will see something called Tags. We use tags to group similar templates together to make them easier to find. For instance, there is a Disclosure tag that, if selected, will display all of the various disclosures we have:

As is the case with Smart Filters and Directories, you can select multiple tags while trying to find a form. As you select more tags, your list of matching templates will get larger.

You can also use any combination of Smart Filters, Directories and Tags to locate the desired template.

When you select a filter, directory or tag, its color will darken to let you know it is being included in your search:

If you have clicked an option and would like to exclude it from your search, just click it a second time. Its color will then lighten and it will look the same as the others you have not selected.

There is also a Search bar in the upper left that you can use to look for forms:

You can use the search bar by itself or in conjunction with Smart Filters, Directories and/or Tags.

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When you think you have found the template you'd like to use in your signing, you can check out a preview of it by putting your mouse cursor over the left side (an eyeball will appear over the document) and clicking once:

This will open up the entire document (if it is multiple pages, you can scroll through all pages) so you can verify it is the correct one. 

After looking at the preview, if you would like to use this template in your signing, click the Use button in the upper right:

That will bring you back to the previous screen (the list of templates) and the one you just selected will have a check in the green check box on the right side of the screen:

If this is a template you use frequently, you can also click the star icon to save it as a favorite.

Click the green Select button in the bottom right to continue with this template.

You will return to the first screen in the process (where you gave the signing a name and expiration date) and the template you selected will appear at the very bottom of the screen:

Note: Signings are not limited to one document. If you need to add another document or template to this signing, click the Add Document button and repeat the entire process up to this point.

Click Continue.

You will then see a preview of the template that has been pre-configured with its default roles and fields:

The template's participants appear in the upper left corner:

You can use the check boxes to see the fields that are assigned to each signer. If you would like to remove any of the participants, simply remove the check next to their role and their respective fields will become inactive. For instance, if there is only one seller of the property, remove the check next to Seller (Landlord) (2) and all fields associated with that role will no longer be required on the signing.

Use the Select Contact icon to insert the participants from your contact list (if available). There is also a Create button (after clicking ) that allows you to add new contacts. If you don't want to add the contacts right now, these steps can also be performed when you are actually setting up the signing in the Signing Editor (we will cover that a little further down this article).

Click the green Save and Continue button in the bottom right to continue:

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Signing Editor

Once the form displays, you should see that the fields are color coded. Pink fields are there for you (as the initiator of the signing) to fill out. The majority of these fields will either be free text, currency (for pricing information), dates or checkboxes/radio buttons.

• Checkboxes are used for fields where it is acceptable to have multiple selections
• Radio buttons are for either/or fields where than can only be one acceptable selection.

Each participant role (buyer, seller, agent, etc.) has its own unique color. If you're using a form that has spaces for two of the same role (two sellers, for instance), fields that require their interaction will be shades of the same color (different shades of yellow). This design is intended to make it easy for participants to know exactly where they need to perform their specific tasks (provide their signature or initials).

There are many tools and features available to you once you are in the Signing Editor that help you finish preparing the document(s) before sending the signing out. Click here for an article that walks you through the rest of the signing process.

One final note: this article walks you through one way to use a template to begin the signing process. In actuality, there are three different ways to use a template to start the signing process:

1. Click Create Signing from the Signings widget on the connectMLS homepage (this is the process that is documented in this article).
   
   
2. Open the SmartMLS Sign Dashboard and click the Templates tab at the top center of the screen.
   You can access the Dashboard either from the Signings or the Tools, Resources & Links widgets on the connectMLS home page.
   
   
3. Open the SmartMLS Sign Dashboard and click the New Signing button in the upper right. You can access the Dashboard either from the Signings or the Tools, Resources & Links widgets on the connectMLS home page.

Regardless of how you begin the process, the remainder of the steps for using a template to create a signing are essentially identical.