How to Create a Contract Agreement Form with Digital Signatures in WordPress

Contracts are a critical part of doing business today. According to Forbes, over 85% of all business agreements are contractual in nature. For any freelancer, consultant, agency or company, managing contracts efficiently is essential.

Traditionally, getting a contract signed has been a tedious process of printing, signing, scanning, faxing and emailing documents back and forth. This wastes a tremendous amount of time and resources. A better solution is to create online contract agreement forms that allow digital signatures.

In this step-by-step guide, I‘ll show you how to easily add contract forms with e-signing capabilities to your WordPress website. With over 15 years of experience managing web projects and teams, I‘ve discovered efficient ways to streamline contract workflows.

Let‘s get started!

Why You Should Use Online Contract Agreements

Here are some of the key benefits of using digital contract forms versus traditional paper documents:

• Convenience: Recipients can quickly fill out and sign online without printing or scanning. This significantly speeds up contract turnaround times.
• Legally binding: Digital signatures carry the same legal weight as wet signatures in most jurisdictions when proper processes are followed.
• Highly secure: Cryptographic technology and audit trails in e-signing solutions prevent contract tampering. The signed agreement is recorded and saved digitally.
• Greater speed: Research by Forrester found that companies saw a 10-30% reduction in contract cycle times by going digital.
• Higher productivity: Eliminating manual work reduces bottlenecks and allows you to scale agreement volume quickly. Your team stays lean and focused.
• Better tracking: Digitally signed contracts are easy to organize, search, share and report on. You‘ll always know the latest status.
• Improved compliance: Digital audit trails help ensure proper protocols and legal standards are followed consistently.
• Enhanced professionalism: Online forms create a more polished, impressive client onboarding experience versus traditional paperwork.

As long as the recipient consents and your jurisdiction allows it, digital contracts hold the same legal enforceability as wet signatures in court. However, certain documents still require physical signatures, witnesses, and notarization.

Now let‘s go over two great ways to add digital contract forms to your WordPress site.

Method 1: Create a Form with WPForms Plugin

One of the quickest and easiest methods to add a digital contract form is by using the WPForms WordPress plugin.

WPForms is used on over 5 million websites and offers advanced form building capabilities and integrations. Here‘s an overview of how to create an online contract form with WPForms:

Step 1: Install and Activate WPForms

If you don‘t already have the WPForms plugin, go ahead and download it here. Install and activate it on your WordPress site.

The free WPForms Lite plan is fully functional, but you‘ll need the paid Pro license ($199/year) in order to use the Signature field addon.

After installing, go to the WPForms settings and enter your valid license key to activate the Pro features needed.

Step 2: Install the Signature Addon

Next, navigate to the Addons page under the WPForms menu. Here you can browse all the available addons for the plugin.

Look for the "Signatures" addon and click to install it:

This will enable you to add signature fields to your form.

Step 3: Create a New Form

Now go to WPForms » Add New to open the form builder. This is where you‘ll construct your contract form.

Give your form a name like "Contract Agreement Form" at the top.

Then select a template to start with. The "Blank Form" is a good general purpose template. Click it to load the layout.

Feel free to customize or change the template later if needed.

Step 4: Add Necessary Form Fields

Next, you‘ll want to add all the required form fields that must be filled out by the person signing your contract.

In the left panel, you‘ll see all the available field types you can add. Drag and drop them onto the page canvas to insert into your form.

Some common fields for contracts include:

• Single Line Text: For name, addresses, etc.
• Email Address: To send copy of signed contract to
• Date / Time: For documenting signing date
• Signature: Required to make legally binding

The Signature field can be found in the "Fancy Fields" section. Add it to your form and make sure to mark it as required.

Arrange fields into your preferred order and spacing. You can add section dividers and headings too.

Step 5: Configure Settings

Once your fields are added, the next step is to configure your form settings. Go to the Settings tab:

First, under Emails & Actions, set up your form notifications. You‘ll likely want confirmation emails sent to:

• Yourself upon signing
• The person signing for their records

Click "Add New Notification" and select the [{field:email}] smart tag to include their address dynamically.

Next, under Confirmation, customize the message shown after signing:

Review other settings to your preferences, then click Save when ready.

Step 6: Embed Form on a Page

The last step is to add your form to a WordPress page. Create a new page or edit an existing one.

Add a WPForms block and select your contract form. This dynamically inserts the form into the page.

Preview and publish the page when ready. Your digital contract form is now live!

Method 2: Use a Dedicated E-Sign Service

For more advanced contract management requirements, a dedicated e-signature service can provide helpful functionality beyond basic WordPress form plugins.

SignNow is one of the most popular e-signature solutions designed specifically for legal document workflows.

While more robust than a WordPress plugin, it requires integrating an external service and may have associated costs depending on your usage requirements.

Here is an overview of core features provided by SignNow:

• Upload any document type (PDF, Word, etc)
• Visually add signature fields
• Collect signatures from multiple people
• Remind signers via email
• Configure signing order and permissions
• Legally binding audit trails
• Built-in encryption and security
• Searchable document library
• Contract analytics reporting
• Zapier and API integrations
• Available on web, mobile, and desktop

SignNow offers a range of paid plans, but you can test it free here.

Getting Started with SignNow

Here is a quick walkthrough of how to add digital signatures to a contract in SignNow:

1. Create a free SignNow account
2. Upload your contract document
3. Add signature and form fields
4. Enter signer names and email addresses
5. Hit "Send" to collect legally binding e-signatures

Once all signatures are captured, you can download, share, and search your contracts from one place.

While more involved, this may suit larger teams and legal departments with complex agreement needs.

Recommendations Based on Your Requirements

Here are my recommendations on which solution may be best based on your specific use case:

For individual freelancers or consultants, WPForms is likely the easiest and most affordable option to get started. It can handle basic contract needs without costly monthly fees.

For agencies or companies with high contract volume, SignNow provides more advanced tools to scale your process. The monthly fee pays for itself through staff productivity gains.

For complex agreements that need extensive controls, SignNow has the edge. WPForms signatures work best for simple, straightforward contracts.

In summary:

• WPForms – Simple contracts, low volume, budget solution
• SignNow – Robust features, complex contracts, enterprise use

Evaluate your needs, contract complexity, and budget to decide the best platform for your business.

Get Started with Digital Contracts Today

Handling contracts digitally simplifies processes for all parties involved. According to research by Aberdeen Group, companies can achieve 436% ROI over 3 years by optimizing contract management.

For basic WordPress forms, WPForms + Signatures provides an easy way to get started. To step up to more advanced capabilities, SignNow delivers on robust document management.

No matter which solution you choose, moving your contracts online reduces friction and accelerates business growth. Welcome to the digital future of agreement management!

Let me know if you have any other questions. I‘d be happy to help you implement the right solution for your needs.