Your champion at the prospect's company is ready to sign. Procurement wants to add their template terms; legal wants to review; the CFO wants to see what they're authorising. Each step adds days. Your end-of-quarter is Friday.
A cleanly prepared order form turns multi-week loops into multi-day ones.
Build a maintained template
Your order form should be a polished PDF template with all standard commercial terms locked. Customise only the customer details, products, quantities, term, and price. Convert from Word once and reuse. Bespoke order forms invite negotiation; standard ones close faster.
Send for signature
Use sign PDF to drop signature, name, title, and date fields. Send to the authorised signatory — usually the buyer's CFO or finance lead, sometimes the champion if they have signing authority. The audit trail proves who signed and from where.
Handle procurement gracefully
When procurement requests their template terms or specific changes, negotiate quickly. Have pre-approved fallback positions on payment terms, liability caps, and termination. Update the order form, re-send for signature. Each round should be hours, not days.
Counter-signature and onboarding
Once the customer signs, counter-sign and circulate the fully executed copy. Trigger onboarding immediately — kickoff call scheduled, access provisioned, success team introduced. The customer's enthusiasm is highest in the first 48 hours; capitalise on it.
FAQ
Are e-signed SaaS order forms enforceable?
Yes — order forms are commercial contracts and electronic signatures are universally valid. Audit trails strengthen enforceability.
What if the buyer wants to use their paper process?
Offer both. Most modern buyers prefer electronic; some procurement teams still default to paper. Accommodate without making it your default.
Should I include terms in the order form or reference an MSA?
For repeat customers under an MSA, reference and include only commercial specifics in the order form. For new customers, include full terms in the order form.
Can I send a single order form for multi-year deals?
Yes — multi-year order forms are common. Include clear renewal terms (auto-renewal? manual?) to avoid disputes later.
End-of-quarter closes same-day with the right tool. Send via Flint and Friday's number lands.