Document Status Workflow

Every document in Docu Ninja has a status that reflects where it is in its lifecycle. Understanding these statuses helps you manage your documents effectively.

Status overview

Status	Description
Draft	The document is being prepared. You can upload files, place fields, and invite signatories.
Pending Approval	The document has been submitted for internal review before sending.
Approved	The document has been approved and is ready to send to signatories.
Rejected	The document was rejected during the approval process.
Sent	The document has been sent to signatories and is awaiting signatures.
Completed	All signatories have signed. The final signed PDF and audit log are generated.
Expired	The document's expiration date has passed. No further signing is possible.
Voided	The document was manually voided by the owner. No further signing is possible.

Status flow

                    ┌──────────────┐
                    │    Draft     │
                    └──────┬───────┘
                           │
              ┌────────────┼────────────┐
              ▼                         ▼
    ┌──────────────────┐         ┌─────────┐
    │ Pending Approval │         │  Sent   │
    └────────┬─────────┘         └────┬────┘
             │                        │
        ┌────┴────┐              ┌────┴────┐
        ▼         ▼              ▼         ▼
  ┌──────────┐ ┌──────────┐ ┌──────────┐ ┌─────────┐
  │ Approved │ │ Rejected │ │Completed │ │ Expired │
  └────┬─────┘ └──────────┘ └──────────┘ └─────────┘
       │
       ▼
  ┌─────────┐      ┌─────────┐
  │  Sent   │─────▶│ Voided  │
  └─────────┘      └─────────┘

Status details

Draft

Every document starts as a Draft. In this status you can:

• Upload and manage files
• Place and edit signing fields
• Add and remove signatories
• Set an expiration date
• Send the document directly or submit it for approval

Pending Approval

If your organisation requires documents to be reviewed before sending, you can request approval:

1. Click Actions > Request Approval.
2. The document moves to Pending Approval status.
3. An approver can then Approve or Reject the document.

info

The approval workflow is optional. You can send documents directly from Draft status if approval is not required.

Approved

Once approved, the document is ready to be sent to signatories. Click Send to move it to Sent status.

Rejected

If a document is rejected during approval, it returns to a state where it can be edited. Fix any issues and re-submit for approval, or reset the document to Draft.

Sent

The document has been sent to signatories. In this status:

• Signatories can view and sign the document via their secure link.
• You can track who has viewed, opened, and signed.
• The document cannot be edited.
• You can void the document to cancel it.

Completed

All signatories have signed. When a document is completed:

• A final signed PDF is generated with all signatures embedded.
• An audit log PDF is created with a complete signing timeline.
• All parties receive a completion notification email.
• The document is read-only and cannot be modified.

You can download both the signed document and audit log.

Expired

If a document has an expiration date set and the deadline passes, it moves to Expired status automatically. No further signing is possible.

Voided

You can manually void a document to cancel it:

1. Click Actions > Void.
2. Provide a reason for voiding.
3. All parties are notified that the document has been voided.

warning

Voiding is irreversible. The document cannot be sent or signed again. Consider cloning the document if you need a fresh copy.

Resetting a document

You can reset a document back to Draft status:

1. Click Actions > Reset.
2. The document returns to Draft.
3. All existing signatures and invitation tracking data are cleared.
4. Files and signing fields are preserved.

This is useful if you need to make changes to a document that has already been sent.