Sending a contract is the formal "we are working together" moment. Here's the flow.
Where to send
Contracts → New contract, or from a client's Contracts tab.
The form
- Pick a client — connected or managed.
- Pick a template — must be an active template.
- Set the total fee — this fills the
{{total_fee}}placeholder. - Set a start date and end date if your template uses those (some do, some don't).
- Toggle Require partner signature if both signers need to sign before the contract is considered complete.
- Preview — read what your client will see, placeholders filled in.
- Send.
What happens when you send
- Cradled emails the client with a link:
cradledapp.com/sign/<token>. - The contract status moves to Sent.
- A Contract pending action badge appears on the client's card.
- On connected clients, a Pending Contract card appears on their mobile home screen with an in-app signing flow.
What the client sees
Connected client (mobile app): A card titled "[Your name] sent you an agreement" with a tap-to-sign button. Opens a modal showing the full contract with a signature pad. She can draw her signature or type her name. Taps "I agree" to sign.
Any client (email link): The same flow in a browser via cradledapp.com/sign/<token>. No login needed.
Partner signature
If you enabled Require partner signature, both the client and her partner need to sign before the contract is marked Signed. The first person to sign gets a confirmation screen; the second signer uses a separate link or the same link on their own device.
If the client hasn't signed yet
You can resend the email from the contract detail page, or copy the signing link and send it via any other channel.
Cancelling a sent contract
If the engagement falls through or you need to re-issue with different terms, click Cancel on the contract. The signing link stops working. Create a new contract if needed.