Many organizations already have contract templates in Word or completed PDF documents. These files usually do not have to be rebuilt in a new contract editor before they can be signed electronically. Existing documents can continue to be used if their content, format, and signing workflow are reviewed before they are sent.

Three questions should be considered separately: Which document is being signed? What type of electronic signature is appropriate? And how will the complete process be recorded in a traceable manner?

PDF and DOCX serve different purposes

DOCX files are well suited to drafting and editing contracts. Text, tables, clauses, and placeholders can be changed in Word or compatible applications. That same flexibility becomes a disadvantage once the final version is ready for signature.

PDF is generally more suitable for the signing stage. Page breaks, font sizes, and element positions remain stable, and recipients can view the document without using the same word processor. PDF also supports established methods for embedding cryptographic signatures.

A typical process therefore looks like this:

1. Create the contract as a DOCX file or generate it from an existing template.
2. Complete the review of the content, attachments, and contracting parties.
3. Convert the approved version to PDF.
4. Define signature fields and signers.
5. Send the PDF through the designated signing process.
6. Store the signed document together with its supporting records.

The DOCX file remains the editable template. The PDF becomes the authoritative version sent and completed for signature.

Reusing existing PDF contracts

An existing PDF can usually be uploaded and prepared for signing without rebuilding its content. This also applies to documents originally exported from Word, an ERP system, or legal practice software.

Before sending the file, check the following:

• Is the document complete and legible?
• Are all attachments included and clearly identified?
• Are names, addresses, amounts, and dates correct?
• Are there blank pages or unwanted comments?
• Is the PDF password-protected or restricted against editing?
• Have fonts been embedded correctly?
• Does the file already contain signature fields or previous signatures?

A visible line or text such as “Customer signature” is only a graphical placeholder. The electronic signature itself is created during the signing process. Existing PDF signature fields may be retained by some platforms, although the required fields are often positioned again when the document is prepared for sending.

Uploading DOCX or converting it first

Some signing platforms accept DOCX files directly. In that case, the document is normally converted in the background to a fixed display format, commonly PDF. The generated version is signed, not the Word file that remains freely editable.

The converted document should be inspected before it is sent. Missing fonts, external links, complex tables, formulas, or macros can affect its appearance. Tracked changes, hidden text, and comments should also be resolved or removed before upload.

For recurring contracts, it is useful to maintain an approved DOCX template and a defined PDF output. This makes it possible to determine which template was used and which specific version the parties signed.

Defining fields and signing order

Every transaction should clearly specify who must enter information or sign. In addition to signature fields, the document may require date, text, checkbox, or selection fields.

Consider a supply agreement that must first be signed by the supplier and then by the purchasing department. The workflow assigns separate fields to each person and sends the second invitation only after the first signer has completed the document. Parallel signing may be more appropriate if the order is irrelevant.

Important questions include:

• Who signs in which capacity?
• Is a fixed order required?
• May a signer delegate the task to another person?
• Which fields are mandatory?
• When do invitations expire?
• Who receives the completed version?

A scanned handwritten signature or an inserted image does not, by itself, provide reliable information about who added it. A structured signing process supplements the visible representation with identification, integrity, and event data.

Choosing between SES, AES, and QES

The eIDAS Regulation distinguishes simple, advanced, and qualified electronic signatures. The appropriate level depends on the document, the associated risk, statutory form requirements, and the parties’ arrangements.

• Simple electronic signature (SES): for example, a confirmation within a documented online process. It may be suitable for many transactions that are not subject to a prescribed form.
• Advanced electronic signature (AES): must be uniquely linked to the signer, be capable of identifying that person, and make subsequent changes to the signed data detectable, among other eIDAS requirements.
• Qualified electronic signature (QES): is based on a qualified certificate and created using a qualified signature creation device. Under eIDAS, it has the equivalent legal effect of a handwritten signature across the EU.

A QES is not automatically required for every contract. Conversely, an arbitrary click confirmation does not necessarily satisfy a statutory written-form requirement. National rules, sector-specific requirements, and exclusions for particular transactions may also apply. If the required form is uncertain, the specific contract type should be assessed from a legal perspective.

Audit trails and document integrity

A completed contract consists of more than a visible signature image. An audit trail or completion record may document elements such as:

• sending and completion times,
• workflow status changes,
• authentication steps used,
• assignment of fields and roles,
• technical events during signing,
• hash values or other integrity evidence.

The audit trail is not the same as the electronic signature. It provides supplementary evidence about the process. For cryptographically signed PDFs, suitable validation software may also indicate whether the document was modified after signing and whether the certificate can be validated.

For future verification, the contract, signatures, certificate information, and process records should be retained together. A printed copy does not preserve all of this technical information.

Addressing GDPR requirements

Contracts regularly contain personal data. Organizations should therefore determine what information the signing platform processes, where it is stored, and which service providers are involved.

Practical review points include:

• a data processing agreement where required,
• the roles and responsibilities of the parties,
• retention and deletion periods,
• internal access permissions,
• encryption in transit and at rest,
• subprocessors and possible third-country transfers,
• data minimization in authentication and event logging.

Not every employee needs access to every contract. Role-based permissions and separate workspaces can prevent documents from being made available more widely than necessary.

Common issues with existing files

Problems often arise before the signature process begins. Typical examples include unresolved tracked changes, missing attachments, illegible scans, or the replacement of individual pages after approval.

Changes made after one party has already signed are particularly important. If the contract content needs to be corrected, a new version should generally be created and sent for signature again. The previous version and its status should remain in the archive rather than being silently overwritten.

Scanned legacy contracts require another distinction. A scan represents a paper document that was signed previously. Adding a new electronic signature to the scan does not automatically verify the origin or validity of the original handwritten signatures.

Practical example: NDA from a Word template

A company has used the same DOCX template for non-disclosure agreements for several years. The responsible employee inserts the other party’s details, purpose, and term, removes internal comments, and exports the approved version as a PDF. Two signature fields are then assigned, and both parties are invited to sign in parallel.

After completion, the signed PDF and audit trail are stored under the same contract reference. The Word file remains available as a template but is not treated as the signed contractual record. This allows the organization to keep using its existing agreement without recreating it in another system.

Concise pre-send checklist

Existing contract files can be reused reliably when the transition from editing to signing is clearly defined:

• Finalize the content and attachments.
• Resolve tracked changes and remove comments.
• Convert DOCX into a stable PDF version.
• Select the signature level based on form and risk.
• Verify signers, roles, and signing order.
• Configure mandatory fields and authentication.
• Test the document display on different devices.
• Archive the signed PDF together with process records.

The technical upload is only one part of the process. The essential point is to ensure that the approved version is the version actually signed and that the complete transaction can be reviewed later.