{"schemaVersion":1,"kind":"article","path":"/help/en-us/articles/send-your-first-envelope/","htmlLang":"en-US","localeRoute":"en-us","slug":"send-your-first-envelope","title":"Send your first Envelope | Sign For Free Help Center","description":"Create your first Sign For Free Envelope, add Recipients and fields, sign as the Sender, and prepare private invitations.","chrome":{"brandLabel":"Sign For Free","helpCenterLabel":"Help Center","skipLabel":"Skip to main content","publicNavigationLabel":"Sign For Free navigation","publicNavigation":[{"href":"/#features","label":"Features"},{"href":"/#pricing","label":"Pricing"},{"href":"/verify","label":"Verify"},{"href":"/blog","label":"Blog"},{"href":"/help/en-us/","label":"Help Center"}],"loginAction":{"href":"/envelopes","label":"Log in"},"createAction":{"href":"/envelopes/new","label":"Get started"},"languageLabel":"Help language","themeLabel":"Theme","themeModes":{"system":"System theme","light":"Light theme","dark":"Dark theme"},"localeOptions":[{"route":"en-us","htmlLang":"en-US","label":"English","href":"/help/en-us/articles/send-your-first-envelope/"},{"route":"ko-kr","htmlLang":"ko-KR","label":"한국어","href":"/help/ko-kr/articles/send-your-first-envelope/"},{"route":"ja-jp","htmlLang":"ja-JP","label":"日本語","href":"/help/ja-jp/articles/send-your-first-envelope/"},{"route":"ru-ru","htmlLang":"ru-RU","label":"Русский","href":"/help/ru-ru/articles/send-your-first-envelope/"},{"route":"de-de","htmlLang":"de-DE","label":"Deutsch","href":"/help/de-de/articles/send-your-first-envelope/"},{"route":"fr-fr","htmlLang":"fr-FR","label":"Français","href":"/help/fr-fr/articles/send-your-first-envelope/"},{"route":"zh-tw","htmlLang":"zh-TW","label":"繁體中文","href":"/help/zh-tw/articles/send-your-first-envelope/"},{"route":"zh-cn","htmlLang":"zh-CN","label":"简体中文","href":"/help/zh-cn/articles/send-your-first-envelope/"},{"route":"es-es","htmlLang":"es-ES","label":"Español","href":"/help/es-es/articles/send-your-first-envelope/"}],"footerGroups":[{"title":"Product","links":[{"href":"/verify","label":"Verify"},{"href":"/#pricing","label":"Pricing"},{"href":"/licenses","label":"Open-source licenses"}]},{"title":"Resources","links":[{"href":"/blog","label":"Blog"},{"href":"/help/en-us/","label":"Help Center"}]},{"title":"Compare","links":[{"href":"/blog/free-docusign-alternative","label":"Sign For Free vs DocuSign"}]},{"title":"Legal","links":[{"href":"/legality","label":"E-signature legality"},{"href":"/legal-docs/terms","label":"Terms of Service"},{"href":"/legal-docs/privacy","label":"Privacy Policy"},{"href":"/legal-docs/cookie-policy","label":"Cookie Policy"},{"href":"/cookie-settings","label":"Privacy choices"},{"href":"/legal-docs/account-deletion","label":"Delete your account"}]}],"footerTagline":"Sign simply. Keep the proof.","verifyLabel":"Verify"},"breadcrumbsLabel":"Breadcrumb","breadcrumbs":[{"href":"/help/en-us/","label":"Help Center"},{"href":"/help/en-us/#get-started","label":"Get started"},{"label":"Send your first Envelope"}],"eyebrow":"Get started · Sender","headline":"Send your first Envelope","summary":[{"kind":"text","value":" Create an Envelope from a PDF, add Signers, place their fields, complete the Sender step, and prepare each Recipient invitation. "}],"role":"sender","plan":"free basic","platform":"web","categoryId":"get-started","metadataHeadingId":"applies-heading","metadataHeading":"Applies to","metadata":[{"kind":"element","tag":"ul","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"element","tag":"li","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"element","tag":"strong","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"Role"}]},{"kind":"text","value":" Sender"}]},{"kind":"element","tag":"li","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"element","tag":"strong","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"Plans"}]},{"kind":"text","value":" Free, Basic Monthly, Basic Yearly"}]},{"kind":"element","tag":"li","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"element","tag":"strong","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"Platform"}]},{"kind":"text","value":" Web"}]}]}],"sections":[{"headingId":"outcome-heading","title":"Outcome","content":[{"kind":"element","tag":"p","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":" Your Envelope reaches "},{"kind":"element","tag":"strong","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"Waiting for recipients"}]},{"kind":"text","value":", and each Recipient can receive the private signing link assigned to them. "}]}]},{"headingId":"before-heading","title":"Before you start","content":[{"kind":"element","tag":"ul","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"element","tag":"li","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"Sign in to your Sign For Free account."}]},{"kind":"element","tag":"li","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"Prepare one local PDF smaller than 5 MB."}]},{"kind":"element","tag":"li","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"Collect the email address of at least one Recipient."}]},{"kind":"element","tag":"li","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":" Decide which Signature, Date, Text, or Stamp fields each person must complete. Every Recipient must have at least one assigned field. "}]}]}]},{"headingId":"steps-heading","title":"Steps","content":[{"kind":"element","tag":"ol","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"element","tag":"li","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"Open your Dashboard and start a new Envelope."}]},{"kind":"element","tag":"li","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"Enter a title that will help you recognize the Envelope on the Dashboard."}]},{"kind":"element","tag":"li","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"Upload a PDF from your device."}]},{"kind":"element","tag":"li","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"Add each Recipient by email address."}]},{"kind":"element","tag":"li","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":" Place each required Signature, Date, Text, or Stamp field on the PDF and assign it to the Sender or a specific Recipient. Assign at least one field to every Recipient. "}]},{"kind":"element","tag":"li","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":" Continue to the Sender signing page, complete every field assigned to you, review the consent shown on the page, and finish the Sender signature. "},{"kind":"element","tag":"aside","attributes":{"ariaLabel":"Open beta note"},"children":[{"kind":"element","tag":"strong","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"Open beta:"}]},{"kind":"text","value":" If you see "},{"kind":"element","tag":"strong","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"Skip ad viewing (open beta)"}]},{"kind":"text","value":", select it before you sign as the Sender. "}]}]},{"kind":"element","tag":"li","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":" Review the invitation delivery screen. Basic sends invitations automatically by default after the Sender signs. On Free, use your email app or device share option to send each Recipient their own private signing link. "}]}]},{"kind":"element","tag":"figure","attributes":{"id":"first-envelope-invitation-screen"},"children":[{"kind":"element","tag":"img","attributes":{"src":"/help/assets/screenshots/first-envelope-private-links.png","alt":"Conceptual invitation step showing a different private signing link for each Recipient.","width":1440,"height":900,"loading":"lazy","decoding":"async"},"children":[]},{"kind":"element","tag":"figcaption","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":" Conceptual mockup — final interface will change. Staging use only: send each Recipient their own private signing link. "}]}]}]},{"headingId":"next-heading","title":"What happens next","content":[{"kind":"element","tag":"p","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":" The Dashboard shows the Envelope as waiting for Recipients. Each Signer opens their private link and enters the email address that received the invitation. When all Recipients sign and completion succeeds, the Sender and all Recipients receive the completed PDF and audit certificate by email. "}]}]},{"headingId":"warnings-heading","title":"Warnings and limitations","content":[{"kind":"element","tag":"ul","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"element","tag":"li","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"Send each private signing link only to the Recipient email assigned to that link."}]},{"kind":"element","tag":"li","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":" You can add up to five Recipients on Free or ten on Basic. The Sender does not count toward this limit. "}]},{"kind":"element","tag":"li","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"An Envelope expires 72 hours after it is created. Completion does not restart the clock."}]},{"kind":"element","tag":"li","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":" Sign For Free does not provide a long-term Dashboard archive for completed files. Save both email attachments as soon as they arrive. "}]},{"kind":"element","tag":"li","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":" Each uploaded file becomes eligible for automatic deletion when its provider-recorded object age reaches 3 days. Processing is asynchronous. "}]}]}]},{"headingId":"troubleshooting-heading","title":"Troubleshooting","content":[{"kind":"element","tag":"ul","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"element","tag":"li","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":" If the PDF is rejected, review "},{"kind":"element","tag":"a","attributes":{"href":"/help/en-us/articles/upload-a-pdf-and-fix-upload-errors/"},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"Upload a PDF and fix upload errors"}]},{"kind":"text","value":". "}]},{"kind":"element","tag":"li","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":" If you cannot continue after adding people, confirm that you added at least one Recipient and assigned at least one field to every Recipient. "}]},{"kind":"element","tag":"li","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":" If a Recipient did not receive an invitation, use the delivery method for your plan or review the available resend action on the Dashboard. "}]}]}]},{"headingId":"related-heading","title":"Related articles","content":[{"kind":"element","tag":"ul","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"element","tag":"li","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"element","tag":"a","attributes":{"href":"/help/en-us/articles/upload-a-pdf-and-fix-upload-errors/"},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"Upload a PDF and fix upload errors"}]}]},{"kind":"element","tag":"li","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"element","tag":"a","attributes":{"href":"/help/en-us/articles/add-recipients-and-assign-fields/"},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"Add Recipients and assign fields"}]}]},{"kind":"element","tag":"li","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"element","tag":"a","attributes":{"href":"/help/en-us/articles/sign-as-the-sender-and-send-invitations/"},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"Sign as the Sender and send invitations"}]}]},{"kind":"element","tag":"li","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"element","tag":"a","attributes":{"href":"/help/en-us/articles/understand-envelope-statuses/"},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"Understand Envelope statuses"}]}]}]}]}],"footerMeta":[{"kind":"element","tag":"p","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"element","tag":"strong","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"Last reviewed:"}]},{"kind":"text","value":" July 22, 2026"}]},{"kind":"element","tag":"p","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"element","tag":"strong","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"Product version:"}]},{"kind":"text","value":" dev snapshot — July 22, 2026"}]}]}
