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Configure a Workflow for PowerForms

Owned by Frank Gonzales
Last updated: May 28, 2024
6 min read

The Adobe Sign PowerForm is a custom application created here at Cal Poly to provide a solution for self-service forms. It was created to fill an Adobe Sign gap where multiple signers need to be defined by the individual requesting the form. The PowerForm application is provided as-is for use by the Cal Poly community without user support from Adobe Sign.

An example would be a self-service form that requires supervisor approval. The supervisor would be dependent on the individual initiating the form.

Visit these useful links to help familiarize/prepare before you begin…

https://helpx.adobe.com/sign/adv-user/send-workflow/create.html

https://youtu.be/vtFoeMJTHX4?si=7pQ4ANJm_ZxtfQFK&t=84

What do I need to know about PowerForms?

  • Individuals initiating the form can supply the appropriate email address(es).

  • They're launched via a unique URL, and there are no restrictions on who may use it. However, provisioned Cal Poly staff and faculty will need to authenticate with their Cal Poly Portal credentials to launch the form, while everyone else will be taken to directly to the signing session.

  • Once a PowerForm has been successfully submitted, the first recipient will receive an email to the address submitted with a link to the Adobe Sign form.

  • Any valid email is accepted by PowerForms. There is no validation against the Cal Poly Directory.

Who Can Configure Workflows?

Document Unit Coordinators (DUCs) with group administrator privileges can configure PowerForms via Workflow Designer in Adobe Sign.

What do I need to know about the Adobe Sign Workflow Designer? (Sections/Settings/Functions)

The sub-topics below are divided into sections matching those of the Workflow Designer. Make sure to review each section for additional considerations required to ensure your workflow settings can be correctly interpreted by the PowerForm.

See Troubleshooting Adobe Sign Powerform if you encounter an error creating your Workflow/Template.

Workflow Info

Workflow Name

Displays at the top of the PowerForm in the banner

Instructions for the Sender

Displays at the top of the PowerForm under the workflow name.

As of 6/15/2022, HTML tags cannot be used to customize instructions for PowerForms. 

Agreement Info

Agreement Name

  • Displays in the subject line of emails and in Adobe Sign for the sender & signers.

  • Displays in the "Agreement Name" section of the PowerForm if it is not hidden via the WFSetting_HideAgreementName setting.

  • Replacement variables can be added with “${variable}” where "variable" is replaced with the merge field document field name or recipient role name.

Message

  • Displays in the email body to all recipients and as a message from the sender within each signing session.

  • Replacement variables can be added with “${variable}” where "variable" is replaced with the merge field document field name or recipient role name.

Cc

  • Displays on the PowerForm after the "Recipients" section if marked as "Editable" and the "Maximum" value entered exceeds the number of default email addresses entered.

  • Use for recipients who always need to receive a copy as there is no role for "Receives a Copy" in the "Recipients" section of the workflow designer.

  • To remove CCs from the PowerForm:

    • Set the minimum & maximum number to “0”

  • To allow the requester to add CCs:

    • Check "Editable"

    • Set both a minimum & maximum number

    • The number of default emails entered will be deducted from the minimum and maximum number of CCs shown on the PowerForm.

    • Example: Entered value = "test1@calpoly.edu;test2@calpoly.edu", minimum = 3, & maximum = 8. This will result in 6 CC's showing on the PowerForm with the first one required.

  • To enter emails and not allow requester to add CCs:

    • Check "Editable"

    • Set a minimum & maximum number that matches the number of email addresses entered

    • Example: Entered value = "test1@calpoly.edu;test2@calpoly.edu", minimum = 1, & maximum = 1. This will result in 0 CC's showing on the PowerForm.

  • Entered emails will not be shown on the PowerForm.

  • To send to more than one email, use a comma or semicolon between each address.

Send Options
Set password to open downloaded PDF

  • This setting should never be used. The password is not retrievable in any way and will prevent your department from accessing the signed agreement as well.

Send Options
Completion deadline

  • A completion deadline sets the maximum number of days that all recipients have to sign the agreement before it expires.

Send Options
Allow authoring of documents prior to sending

  • This setting should never be used. It does not work with PowerForms.

Recipients

Use the diagram below to help you determine the participant number when designing workflows with parallel routing.

 

Recipient Routing, 1 - Signer, 2- Department A, 3 - Department B, 4 - Approver.

 

Role Name

  • All role names must be unique

  • Role name can be edited by clicking the pencil at the top of the recipient popup

Recipient (Email)

  • Entry required if "Editable" is not checked

  • If entering multiple addresses separated by comma:

    • Make sure to check the “Mark as recipient group” box

    • Make sure to uncheck the “Editable” box

      • Editable Recipient Groups are not supported

Add Recipient Group

  • Select this option to use a Reusable Recipient Group

  • Make sure to uncheck the “Editable” box

    • Editable Recipient Groups are not supported

This recipient is the sender

  • This must be left unchecked as it is not supported with PowerForms

Mark as recipient group

  • Check this box if entering a comma-separated email list for the recipient email; otherwise, leave it unchecked

Required

  • If checked the requester will be required to fill in an email address before they can submit the PowerForm

Editable

  • If unchecked, it will not be visible on the PowerForm

  • This must be left unchecked if using a Reusable Recipient Group or entering a comma-separated email list

Add Private Message

  • Select this option to include private messages

    • Variables can be added with “${variable}” where "variable" is replaced with the merge field document field name or recipient role name in the message. Do not include variables that contain level 1 data.

Role

Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)

  • "None" must be checked and all others must be unchecked

What do I need to know about Documents?

  • All document titles must be unique.

  • All documents must be set with a Template Type of “Both” or “Reusable document”.

  • All library documents selected must be owned by or shared with the sending account.

  • Documents are shown on the PowerForm with the "Document Title" unless one file is selected and it is required.

  • Multiple documents can be added to a single Workflow. Per row configuration:

    • If no file is selected:

      • It will allow the end-user to upload a file which becomes part of the agreement and must be less than 6MB.

      • If "Required" is checked the end-user will be required to upload a file before they can submit the PowerForm.

    • If only one file is selected:

      • If required, the document will not appear on the PowerForm.

      • If not required, a drop-down will appear on the PowerForm with a drop-down list that contain "-- None --" and the "Document Name".

    • If more than one file is selected:

      • It will be shown on the PowerForm as a drop-down with each file's "Document Name" (in alphabetical order).

      • If required, "-- Select a document --" is shown at the top of the drop-down list and one of the files must be selected before the end-user can submit the PowerForm.

      • If not required, "-- None --" is shown at the top of the drop-down list.

What is the purpose of Sender Input Fields?

"Sender Input Fields" serves multiple purposes with PowerForms:

  1. To supply settings to the PowerForm application:

  2. As “merge fields” which can be used for:

    • Variable replacements in the "Agreement Name", "Message", and “Private Message” fields of the Workflow Designer

    • Pre-filling form fields on documents

Merge Fields

Field Title

  • Enter the title for display on the PowerForm in the "Fields" section.

  • Cannot start with "WFSetting"

Document Field Name

  • Enter the name of the form field

  • Note: Form field name may not have spaces

Default Value

  • Blank: PowerForm end-user can enter a value

  • Any Value: hides the "Fields" section

Required

Checked

Editable

Checked

WFSetting_SendingAccount

Purpose: Sets the account the agreement will be sent from.

Field Title

"WFSetting_SendingAccount"

Document Field Name

"WFSetting_SendingAccount"

Default Value

  • Email address of the AdobeSign account that will send the agreement

  • User must be in the same group that the workflow is built in

Required

Unchecked

Editable

Unchecked

WFSetting_HideAgreementName

Purpose: Override the default PowerForm setting and either show or hide the "Agreement Name" section on the PowerForm.

Field Title

"WFSetting_HideAgreementName"

Document Field Name

"WFSetting_HideAgreementName"

Default Value

  • "false": show the Agreement Name section

  • "true": hide the Agreement Name section

Required

Unchecked

Editable

Unchecked

WFSetting_Reminder

Purpose: Controls the Reminder options on the PowerForm. If a default value is set and not editable the agreement will always be sent with the configured reminder setting.

Field Title

"WFSetting_Reminder"

Document Field Name

"WFSetting_Reminder"

Default Value

  • No default value: No reminder is set by default

  • Possible default values:

    Value: Description

    “DAILY_UNTIL_SIGNED”: Every Day
    ”WEEKLY_UNTIL_SIGNED”: Every week
    ”WEEKDAILY_UNTIL_SIGNED”: Every business day
    ”EVERY_OTHER_DAY_UNTIL_SIGNED”: Every other day
    ”EVERY_THIRD_DAY_UNTIL_SIGNED”: Every third day
    ”EVERY_FIFTH_DAY_UNTIL_SIGNED”: Every fifth day

Required

Unchecked

Editable

  • Unchecked: hides the reminder section

  • Checked: the requester can edit the reminder section

Important Final Steps - Testing

Test your Workflow in Adobe Sign and test the PowerForm

Activate the workflow to use it within Adobe Sign and make it available for the PowerForm.


Upon successful testing of the workflow within Adobe Sign, follow the steps listed here to test the PowerForm.

  1. Confirm the PowerForm service account - adobesign@calpoly.edu - is a member of the group the templates and workflow are shared with.

  2. Open a new browser window or tab and enter the following URL: https://adobesign.calpoly.edu/PowerForm/

  3. Open Adobe Sign and navigate to your workflow and copy the “ID”.

  4. Add the ID from Step 3 to the end of the URL from Step 2 to create your PowerForm URL.

  5. Publish the PowerForm URL when testing is complete for your intended audience.

 

 

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