Contract Management

Editing a contract's PDF

Fix a typo, update an amount, or correct a name directly inside an uploaded PDF, without leaving DottSign or re-uploading the document.

3 min read

Overview

The in-app PDF editor (currently in Beta) lets a contract owner click any text in an uploaded PDF, change it, and save — no external editor, no re-upload, no need to restart the signing process from scratch.


Before you start

RequirementDetails
PlanStarter, Pro, or Enterprise
RoleContract owner only
TimingOnly available before any signer has signed, and only on the latest version of the contract
DeviceDesigned for desktop screens — on narrow/mobile viewports the Document tab isn't shown by default

If any signature has already been collected, or the contract's status is Signed, the editor is no longer available on that contract — this protects the integrity of a document parties have already signed.


Step-by-step

  1. Open the contract and go to the Document tab.
  2. Click Edit PDF in the toolbar.
  3. Click any paragraph or text block in the PDF — it becomes editable in place.
  4. Type your change, then press Ctrl+Enter (or click the confirm checkmark) to lock it in. Press Cancel to discard that edit instead.
  5. Repeat for any other blocks you need to change. A counter in the toolbar shows how many edits are pending.
  6. When you're done, click Save changes to apply every pending edit to the actual PDF.
  7. Click the X in the toolbar to exit the editor.

Edited paragraphs stay highlighted after you confirm them — click one again anytime before saving to re-edit it.


Formatting text

Select text inside an active edit to bring up a floating formatting toolbar:

ControlWhat it does
Bold / Italic / UnderlineToggle the style of the selected characters
Font sizeIncrease or decrease in 1pt steps
AlignmentLeft, center, or right for the whole paragraph

Font family isn't changeable — the editor keeps whatever font it detected in the original PDF so edited text still matches the surrounding document.


What happens when you save

EffectDetails
The document itselfThe PDF is replaced under the same contract — it does not create a new version/iteration the way a renewal does
ObligationsAutomatically re-scanned in the background, since wording that drives obligation extraction may have changed
Pending renewal reviewsAny in-progress renewal date scan is reset and re-run against the updated text
Activity tabA "Document edited" entry is recorded automatically, along with who made the change and when

If the "Edit PDF" button is missing or locked

What you seeWhy
No button at allYou're not the contract owner, or a signer has already signed
Button shown with a lock icon and a PRO badgeYour plan doesn't include this feature — clicking it opens the upgrade dialog
Button present but changes won't saveThe contract may no longer be the latest version (e.g. it was since renewed) — open the current version instead

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Editing a contract's PDF · DottSign Help