Link a Signed Date Field to a Signature or Initials Field

Add the special server-populated Signed Date behavior, link it to the appropriate Signature/Initials field, and understand when the date is populated.

This guide applies to All plans; sender and follows the accepted QC Digital Signature 2.0.7 implementation. Where older walkthrough language differs from the current interface or source behavior, use the current QCDS state as the authority.

Before You Begin

  • Open the current Template draft in the visual builder and confirm the PDF page you are editing is visible before placing or moving fields.
  • Decide which fields are signer-interactive, which are fixed creator content, and which values should be entered at Request time.
  • Keep assignment and required-state decisions intentional; the builder can publish reusable unassigned fields, but Send Now requires all interactive fields to resolve correctly.

Step-by-Step Workflow

  1. Select or right-click the Signature or Initials field that should control the date.
  2. Choose Add Signed Date / Add linked date field.
  3. Confirm QCDS creates a read-only Signed Date beside the signing field and inherits the same signer assignment.
  4. Move or resize the date field if necessary without breaking its link.
  5. Validate the Template and verify the date fills only when that exact linked Signature or Initials field is completed.

Add the special server-populated Signed Date behavior

Signature and Initials are interactive signing fields. The current signer experience supports typed or drawn completion, and QCDS keeps the rendered result within the intended field rectangle. Signed Date is different: it is a read-only server-generated date linked to one exact Signature or Initials field and fills when that linked field is completed, preserving the relationship between the signing action and its date.

For Link a Signed Date Field to a Signature or Initials Field, verify this behavior using the actual object involved rather than a generic assumption. A global administrator setting, a sender-workspace preference, a reusable Template, and a sent Request have different ownership and history rules. QCDS is intentionally designed so changes for future work do not silently rewrite the evidence of an already-sent transaction.

Link it to the appropriate Signature/Initials field

Signature and Initials are interactive signing fields. The current signer experience supports typed or drawn completion, and QCDS keeps the rendered result within the intended field rectangle. Signed Date is different: it is a read-only server-generated date linked to one exact Signature or Initials field and fills when that linked field is completed, preserving the relationship between the signing action and its date.

For Link a Signed Date Field to a Signature or Initials Field, verify this behavior using the actual object involved rather than a generic assumption. A global administrator setting, a sender-workspace preference, a reusable Template, and a sent Request have different ownership and history rules. QCDS is intentionally designed so changes for future work do not silently rewrite the evidence of an already-sent transaction.

And understand when the date is populated

Signature and Initials are interactive signing fields. The current signer experience supports typed or drawn completion, and QCDS keeps the rendered result within the intended field rectangle. Signed Date is different: it is a read-only server-generated date linked to one exact Signature or Initials field and fills when that linked field is completed, preserving the relationship between the signing action and its date.

How This Fits into the QCDS Workflow

Field choice determines both the signer experience and the evidence rendered into the final artifact. Use the current streamlined palette for new Templates; legacy registry types may remain readable for compatibility but are not the design target for new work.

Field properties should communicate a clear signer task. Required fields should be discoverable, signer-information fields should reflect the participant snapshot, and fixed creator content should not masquerade as editable signer input.

Verify the Result

  • The Template validates and a new test Request renders the expected field/content behavior without changing older Requests.
  • A direct follow-up test confirms the change affects future/current workflow behavior without rewriting historical sent Request evidence.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Publishing before running Validate and resolving actual configuration problems.
  • Assuming a later Template edit will update a Request that was already sent.

Troubleshooting

  • If the result differs from this guide, capture the current QCDS version, Status message, owning object ID/reference, and exact reproducible action before opening a support request.

Operational Best Practice

Test meaningful changes with controlled data before relying on them in production. Keep QCDS, Joomla mail, Scheduled Tasks, and entitlement health observable; preserve successful Requests and completed evidence; and make the smallest change that solves the actual problem. For handoff or support, record the QCDS version, relevant Request/Template reference, the exact action taken, and the visible result without including secrets.

Community Discussion

Want to compare workflows, share practical tips, or discuss how you use this QCDS feature? Visit the QC Digital Signature Community. For private support, bug reports, account-specific issues, or feature requests, use the QuantaCade support system.