Share a document with Remote Automations

Remote now supports a new automation action: Share a Document.

This action lets you automatically generate and share company documents (e.g., contracts, NDAs, policy acknowledgments, manager guides) as part of your onboarding workflows. Whether a document requires a signature is defined in the template itself. If a signature is required, the document will be routed for company signature first, then sent to the employee to sign. If no signature is required, it’s simply shared with the recipient to review.

When the workflow runs, recipients and signatories receive Remote notifications and email reminders until the document is completed.

Before You Start: Create Your Document Templates

To use Share a Document, you’ll first need to have at least one document template set up in Remote’s Document Editor. These templates determine whether a document requires a signature and what information can be auto-populated using smart fields.

Helpful resources:

• How to create a custom HR document for team members
• Onboarding documentation & contracts
• Using Smartfields in Documents

Once you’ve created your templates, they will appear in the dropdown when configuring the action.

How to Set It Up

1. Go to Workflows → Automations.
2. Create a new automation or edit an existing one.
3. When adding an Action, select Share a Document.
4. Configure the document details:
   • Document: pick from templates created in the Document Editor.
     • If the document requires a signature, Remote will first send it to the company signatory for review and signing. Once completed, it will automatically be routed to the employee to sign.
     • If the document doesn’t require a signature, it will simply be shared with the recipient to review.
   • Recipient: who should receive the document (e.g., the new hire).
     • In most onboarding cases, this is the employee.
     • You can also target another team member (such as the employee’s manager) if the document is meant for them.
   • Due date: choose how long the recipient has to sign or review the document (e.g., 1–90 days).
   • Reminders: set daily or weekly email reminders until the document is signed or reviewed.
5. (Optional) Click Share another document to add more documents in the same action (e.g., a contract and a handbook).
6. Save your changes and Publish the automation.

What Happens Next

• When the workflow is triggered:
  • If the document requires a signature:
    • A draft is generated and assigned to the company signatory.
    • The signatory receives a notification to review and sign (they can adjust details if needed, such as contract information).
    • Once the signatory signs, the document is automatically routed to the employee for their signature.
  • If the document doesn’t require a signature:
    • The draft is generated and shared directly with the recipient.
• Notifications & reminders are sent to signatories and recipients until the document is completed or the due date passes.
• Once completed, the document is stored automatically in the employee’s profile under Documents, with a full audit trail.

Example:

• Event: Self-enrollment completed.
• Action: Share a Document → Employment contract (requires signature) +Company policies (doesn’t require signature).
• Result: The contract is routed to the company signatory first, then to the employee for signing; the handbook is shared directly with the employee. Reminders continue until both are completed.

FAQs

Which documents appear in the dropdown?

Only documents based on templates created in the Document Editor appear. The system automatically detects whether a selected template requires a signature.

How do I know if a document requires a signature?

If a template is set up to require a signature, the workflow automatically routes it to the company signatory first, then to the employee. Templates without a signature requirement are shared for review only.

Who is assigned as the company signatory?

A signatory is not chosen in the automation step. When a document is created from a template, the system assigns a signatory to the document. If you need to change it after generation, open the document in Documents and use the menu (⋮) to Re-assign signatory.

Can I change the signatory after the document is created?

Yes. In Documents, click the document’s menu (⋮) → Re-assign signatory to delegate signing to the appropriate company admin.

What does “Recipient” mean?

The recipient is the person who receives the shared document (e.g., the new hire). You can also target another team member (such as the employee’s manager) if the document is intended for them.

Can I share multiple documents in the same action?

Yes. Select Share another document to add more items in a single action (e.g., send a signature-required contract and a review-only handbook together). This avoids creating multiple separate actions.

What happens if a signatory doesn’t act?

If the signatory doesn’t review or sign, the document won’t be sent to the recipient. The system continues sending reminders to both the signatory and the recipient until completion or the due date passes.

Where do completed documents live?

Completed documents are automatically saved to the employee’s Documents section, with audit trails for compliance.

Do shared documents block the rest of the workflow?

Signature-required documents block that document from reaching the employee until the company signature is complete. Your overall workflow continues according to its configuration and any dependencies you’ve set.