Enable Electronic Signatures For Your Coworking Space with OfficeRnD

Electronic signatures are standard now in coworking and flex spaces. Operators send lease and membership agreements for signing in a few clicks, and members sign from a phone before they ever set foot in the building. The benefits of going paperless go well beyond convenience.

An electronic signature is a legally binding way to sign a document online from any device, with an audit trail that records who signed, when, and where. In a flex space, that means contracts get signed faster and stay organized in one place.

This post covers why electronic signatures matter for coworking operators, then walks through how to enable them in OfficeRnD Flex using our Dropbox Sign integration.

What are the benefits of electronic signatures for coworking spaces?

The main benefits of using electronic signatures in your space are faster contracts, stronger security, lower costs, and a better member experience. Dropbox Sign reports that contracts are signed up to 80% faster than paper-based ones.

Faster contract turnaround

Instead of chasing members around your space with a paper contract and waiting for it to come back, you email everything they need to sign. They can open, review, and sign whenever they can, from wherever they are: at your space, at home, in the gym. Same for you. Digitalizing the contract process makes it faster and more convenient for both sides.

Stronger security and a clear audit trail

Paper documents get damaged, lost, or seen by people who shouldn’t see them. Electronic signature solutions use strong encryption to keep documents secure. They also record who signed, when, and where, so you can track any changes made to the document. That audit trail matters for lease and license agreements, where you may need to prove intent and consent later.

Lower costs

Electronic signatures cut spending on paper, toner, packaging, shipping, and the physical space to store all those documents. Printing 20 pages only to catch a wrong number and reprint the lot is bad for your budget and the environment. Digital signing gives your staff back time they can spend on higher-value work, like following up on leads or selling desks.

Better member experience

Members notice the speed. Signing a contract electronically saves them time and effort, and turning a dull admin task into a couple of clicks improves how people feel about your space and your service.

Here’s how to enable electronic signatures in OfficeRnD Flex through the Dropbox Sign integration.

How to enable electronic signatures in OfficeRnD Flex

Step 1: Select your contract template

Imagine you have a client that is ready to move into an office. They have expressed interest over the phone and are ready to review the legal documentation and sign a contract agreement.

OfficeRnD Flex has three built-in contract types, and you can create your own. Navigate to Community / Contracts to create a new contract.

The Membership Agreement is more common in coworking and puts a framework and structure around the relationship between you and your members.

The License Agreement is built around the specific office provided to the customer. It originated in the UK serviced office industry and has stricter rules about its structure and the data it holds.

The Lease Agreement, also known as a tenancy or rental agreement, is usually signed between a tenant and a landlord. Broadly, it’s a contract between two parties, the lessor and the lessee. A lease agreement usually carries more legal consequences than the other two.

All of these templates can be customized. Contact us at [email protected] to tailor them to your design.

Step 2: Build the contract

For this example, we’ll create a lease agreement for the office. Select the “Add Contract” button and choose your contract type.

The contract will ask for a few key pieces of information:

• Contact Company and Member Name
• Contract Start Date and End Date
• Specific Private Office
• Deposit and Pricing
• Additional Plans

You should also select the “Contract Terms” that will be included as legal verbiage within the contract. These documents can be created and modified in the “Terms and Conditions” section.

Once the details have been selected, click “Add” to create the contract.

Step 3: Generate the contract for eSign or PDF

After the contract has been created, click the cogwheel next to it to pull up quick actions. You can edit the contract, send it for eSign, generate a PDF, cancel, or delete it.

First, click “generate a PDF” to preview how the contract will look with the client’s information.

Once you’re happy with it, click “Send for eSign” to send the document to the customer.

eSignatures is a paid add-on in OfficeRnD Flex that the OfficeRnD team activates for you. Email [email protected] to request access. OfficeRnD charges a set amount per document sent, and the same charge applies to any contract you resend. You can track these charges under Settings > Account Details > Subscription Details.

Step 4: What the customer sees

Your customer Sarah gets an email with your branding letting her know a contract is ready to sign. She clicks the link in the email to sign the document.

The customer is guided through a series of prompts and asked to sign.

Step 5: Final contract and membership review

After Sarah signs, you get notified and are asked to sign from your end. As a rule, wait for the customer to sign their side before you sign as an admin, so you can still decline the contract if you need to make edits.

Once both parties have signed, the contract status becomes E-Signed and the member receives a “Contract Completed” email with a link to download the signed PDF.

You also get a notification that the contract stage changed, and the memberships are applied to the account.

That’s it. You’ve sent a document for eSign, collected a legally binding signature, and applied the membership without printing a page. If you have any questions about this process, reach out to [email protected]. We’re happy to help.

Frequently asked questions

Are electronic signatures legally binding for coworking contracts?

Yes. In the US, the ESIGN Act gives electronic signatures the same legal recognition as handwritten ones, and the EU and UK recognize them under eIDAS. Dropbox Sign records an audit trail showing who signed, when, and where, which supports the validity of the agreement.

How do I turn on eSignatures in OfficeRnD Flex?

eSignatures is a paid add-on that the OfficeRnD team activates for your account. Email [email protected] to request access, then configure who is responsible for signing contracts under Settings > Platform Modules > Contracts.

Does OfficeRnD charge for electronic signatures?

Yes. There’s a set charge for every contract sent for signing, and the same charge applies each time you resend one. You can review your charges under Settings > Account Details > Subscription Details.

Can I assign different signers for different locations?

Yes. If your locations are separate billing entities or have different people responsible for contracts, go to Space > Locations, open a location, and set the name and email of the signer in the eSign tab.

What happens if a member declines a contract?

The member can decline and give a reason, and you’ll receive a notification based on your email settings. Make your edits, generate a new PDF, then resend the contract for signing. Always regenerate the PDF first, or you’ll send the old version.

Which electronic signature tool does OfficeRnD Flex use?

OfficeRnD Flex uses Dropbox Sign (formerly HelloSign), a tool for sending, receiving, and managing legally binding electronic signatures directly from your contracts.