How to Add External Documents to a Template
This document explains how to add and configure external documents in templates, including allowed file types and signature fields.
Last updated
This document explains how to add and configure external documents in templates, including allowed file types and signature fields.
An external document is a file slot in a template. A specific role uploads the actual file into that slot in an envelope.
Use an external document when the file must be added later during envelope preparation or completion.
Use a PDF document when you want to upload the PDF to the template itself or leave it empty for later upload.
Examples:
supplier invoice
signed scan from a third-party system
supporting attachments
By default, an envelope can contain up to 50 external and PDF documents in total. Your system admin can change this limit.
Open the Documents panel.
Click the
button.
Select External.
The new document appears under the first structured document. By default, it’s assigned to Sender.

Select the external document in the template.
Update the document properties.
The maximum allowed size is 5 MB per file and 25 MB per envelope in total.
You can configure:
role (who uploads the file)
file name (placeholder shown before upload)
tooltip (optional helper text)
optionality (required or optional)
allowed file type group (restrict file formats)
advanced settings (control who can view the file)

The role that uploads the file cannot be restricted from viewing that document.
Open the template in edit mode.
Select the external document.
Open Advanced settings.
Click Access setting.
Clear the checkboxes for the roles that must not view the document.
Click the
button in the document properties.
Click the
button in the top-right corner to save the template.
Select a file type group to limit what users can upload to this external document.
.pdf, .doc, .docx, .xls, .xlsx, .xlsm, .xlsb, .xml, .dbf, .txt, .rtf, .csv, .xps, .eml, .msg, .emlx, .rpmsg, .crt, .pem, .der, .cer, .ppt, .pptx, .png, .jpg, .jpeg, .tiff, .tif, .zip, .7z, .rar
.pdf, .doc, .docx, .xls, .xlsx, .xlsm, .xlsb, .xml, .dbf, .txt, .rtf, .csv, .xps, .eml, .msg, .emlx, .rpmsg, .crt, .pem, .der, .cer, .ppt, .pptx
.pdf
.png, .jpg, .jpeg, .tiff, .tif
.zip, .7z, .rar
You can place signature fields on an external document after you add it to the template.
Open the external document.
Drag a signature field from the toolbar onto the document.
In the document header, click the Context menu
icon.
Click the
icon.
DocStudio creates a copy of the external document slot with the same settings.
In the document header, click the Context menu
icon.
Click the
icon.
Deleting the external document removes it and its configuration from the template.


Last updated