> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.emsigner.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.emsigner.com/initiate-and-sign-envelopes/using-templates/creating-and-managing-templates/configure-a-fixed-form-template/adding-participants.md).
# Adding Participants
The **Add Participants** step is the second stage in setting up a Fixed Form template. This step defines who will participate in the signing workflow, in what order they will act, and how each participant's access and signing experience is configured.
***
#### Screen Layout
The Add Participants screen is divided into two panels:
* **Left panel** — Lists all participants added to the workflow, with search and add controls at the top.
* **Right panel** — Displays the configuration settings for the selected participant. When no participant is selected, a guided prompt is shown: *Select participant → Configure settings → Move forward*.
> **Note:** Each participant must be fully configured before you can proceed to the next step.
***
#### Adding Participants
Participants can be added in either of the following ways:
**Option 1: Add Signatories**
1. Click the **Add Signatories** button at the top of the left panel.
2. Use the **Search & Add participants** bar to find existing users — enter a minimum of 4 characters to search by name or email.
3. The search returns both internal organisation users and previously added external participants. External participants are identified with an **External** badge.
4. Select the user to add them to the workflow.
**Option 2: Add External Participant**
1. Click the **Add external participant** button to add a signer who is not an existing user in the system.
2. The **Add External Participant** dialog appears. Fill in the following fields:
| Field | Required |
| ----------------- | -------- |
| Participant name | Yes |
| Participant email | Yes |
| Mobile Number | No |
| Company | No |
| National ID | No |
3. Click **Add Participant** to confirm, or **Cancel** to close without saving.
Once added, participants appear in the left panel as **Signatory 1**, **Signatory 2**, and so on, in the order they were added. Each row includes an **Assign Signatory** link to map a specific user to that position.
***
#### Configuring Workflow Type
The **Workflow Type** toggle is available at the top of the participant list. Select the appropriate signing flow for the template:
| Workflow Type | Description |
| ------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Serial** | Signatories sign one after another, in the defined order. |
| **Parallel** | All signatories can sign simultaneously, irrespective of order. |
| **In-person** | Signing is facilitated in a face-to-face setting. |
The workflow type applies to the entire template and governs the signing sequence for all participants.
***
#### Configuring Settings for Each Signatory
Click on any signatory in the left panel to open their **Configure settings** panel on the right. The panel is headed **Configure settings for Signatory \[N]**.
**Workflow Type**
Select the workflow type for this individual signatory if it differs from the template-level setting.
**Role**
Assign the participant's role in the workflow:
| Role | Description |
| ---------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| **Signer** | The participant is required to sign the document. |
| **Reviewer** | The participant reviews the document but does not sign. |
| **CC Recipient** | The participant receives a copy of the document for information purposes only. |
**Signatory Settings**
Expand the **Signatory Settings** section to configure the following:
**Configure Attachment Profile**
Select a **Profile Name** from the dropdown to define the type of attachments the signatory is required to submit as part of the signing process.
**Access Controls**
* **Allow to add exceptional users and define access controls** — Enable this toggle to permit the addition of users outside the standard participant list and to define custom access rules for this signatory.
* **Don't Allow to download documents** — Enable this toggle to restrict the signatory from downloading the document during the signing process.
**Attachment and Comment Visibility**
A table at the bottom of the settings panel lists all other signatories in the workflow. For each, you can control:
| Setting | Description |
| -------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Hide Attachments** | Prevents this signatory from viewing attachments submitted by the listed co-signatory. |
| **Hide Comments** | Prevents this signatory from viewing comments added by the listed co-signatory. |
Once all settings are configured for a signatory, click **Save Details** to apply the configuration before moving to the next participant.
***
#### Key Notes
* Each participant must be configured and saved before you can proceed to the **Set Signature** step.
* The workflow type and participant roles defined here are locked into the template structure and will apply each time the template is used to initiate a signing transaction.
* External participants added during this step are saved to the system and will appear in future participant searches with an **External** badge.
***
#### What Happens Next?
Once all participants are added and configured, click **Next** to proceed to the **Set Signature** step, where signature placeholders will be placed on the uploaded document(s) and mapped to the respective signatories.
