In SignNow, there are three ways to control what appears in a field before a signer types:
Labels link identical Text fields within the same document. When a signer fills one field, all fields with the same Label auto-fill too—great for names, IDs, or repeating data. This works per recipient and per session.
Pre-filled field settings allow you to prefill the fields for the signer but leave them editable. Use them to auto-populate known information before sending, so signers don’t have to enter what you already know. Some fields (e.g., contact-linked fields like Full Name and Email) pull data from your Contacts, and you do not have to manually prefill them.
Pre-filled Text—formerly Smart Fields—areused with Bulk Invite. The value is populated from your CSV and is read-only during signing (signers can’t edit it).
Depending on different scenarios, you might want to use a different type of field setup.
How to choose
Need repeated editable input → Labels (Text fields only).
Have known data, still editable → Pre-filled field settings.
Need locked, per-recipient values from CSV → Pre-filled Text (Smart Fields).
📝 Pre-filled Text/Smart fields are only available starting with Enterprise plan. Check our pricing page for more details.*}
Labels
Labels for Text fields (mirror repeated input)
Use Labels to auto-populate identical Text fields within the same document. When a signer types in one Text field, every other Text field with the exact same Label fills in automatically—per recipient, per session.
Example:
Use First Name on every Text field that should show the signer’s first name (e.g., header and signature block).
Use Last Name on every spot that should show the last name.
Don’t reuse the same Label for different values (e.g., don’t label both first and last name as “Name”).
Why it helps: Cuts duplicate typing, reduces errors, and speeds completion—especially on multi-page packets.
Labels for other field types (clarify & report)
For fields like Date/Time, Attachment Request, Checkbox, Radio Button, Dropdown, Signature/Initials, Calculated, the Label works as the field’s title/instruction and data name—it guides the signer and improves reporting/export/audit clarity. It does not auto-fill across fields.
Examples:
Date/Time: “Date of Birth (DD/MM/YYYY)” — clarifies format and purpose.
Attachment Request: “Upload ID (front)” — tells the signer exactly what to attach.
Checkbox: “I agree to the Terms” — clear consent language.
Radio Group: “Delivery Method” with options “Email / Mail.”
Dropdown: “Country of Incorporation.”
Signature/Initials: “Authorized Signer” for clean audit trails.
Calculated: “Invoice Total (auto)” to signal it’s system-computed.
The Label setting is located in the Advanced Settings of th field configurations on the right-side panel in the edit mode.
📝 Match exactly: Label mirroring for Text fields is exact-match and case-sensitive. Be specific: Use distinct Labels for distinct values (e.g., first_name, last_name, company_name).
Stay consistent: Adopt a naming pattern (snake_case or Title Case) for cleaner reports.
Pre-filled field settings
Pre-filled field settings let the sender place known information into fields before sending—without locking the value. Unlike Pre-filled Text (Smart Fields) used in Bulk Invite, these values are not sourced from a CSV and remain editable during the signing session. They’re ideal when you already know a recipient’s details (e.g., company name, address, PO number) and want to save them time while still allowing corrections.
Use re-filled field settings whenever you want a fast, accurate starting point without sacrificing flexibility. They reduce typing, cut down on errors and back-and-forth, and keep your templates reusable across recipients. This is especially helpful on mobile: fewer empty fields mean quicker, more confident completion. For multi-recipient documents, assign the field to the correct role first, then prefill per recipient so each person only sees—and edits—the information that applies to them.
📝 Keep in mind that pre-filled field settings are per document and per recipient; they don’t lock the value (signers can edit), and they’re distinct from Pre-filled Text (Smart Fields) used for bulk, read-only CSV values.
If you need repeated, editable input across multiple Text fields in a single document, consider using Labels; if you need fixed, non-editable data at scale, use Pre-filled Text (Smart Fields).
To prefill the information for the signer, locate the Pre-filled Text configuration in the Text Settings in the right-side panel in the edit mode.
Pre-filled Text (formerly Smart Fields)
Pre-filled Text is designed for templates and the Bulk Invite flow only. Instead of typing values yourself or pulling them from Contacts, you upload a CSV and map its columns to Pre-filled Text fields on the template. When you send in bulk, each row in your CSV populates those fields for its recipient. During the signing session, these values are read-only—signers can’t change them—so you get consistent, accurate data at scale.
Use Pre-filled Text when you need to personalize documents for many recipients while locking critical information, such as account IDs, plan tiers, renewal dates, promo codes, or region tags. Because the values are fixed at send time, they reduce errors, keep audit trails clean, and eliminate manual prep. If you need the same locked value to appear in multiple places, add multiple Pre-filled Text fields on the template and map all of them to the same CSV column. Note that Labels don’t apply to Pre-filled Text, and they can’t be combined.
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