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Advanced Data Tag Parameters

Once you feel comfortable with the basics of Data Tags, you can start to use additional field parameters to create text boxes, check boxes, or radio buttons to add to your documents. You can also add the parameters to specify the field size, appearance, and options for each data field.

Tag Format

The base format for tags is [[SFLD:FieldName:parameter1=value,parameter2=value]]

The parameter fields correspond to the following:

  • SFLD - the required prefix of the data tag.

  • FieldName - the name you want to assign to the data tag.

  • Parameter (optional) - Refer to the following table for parameter types, descriptions, and values

Note

Each parameter must be separated by a comma.

Parameter Reference Table

Parameter

Description

Available Values

T

Tag Type

Choose from the following values:

  • T for a textbox

  • C for a checkbox.

  • R for a radio button.

The default value for this property is T.

O

Option name for checkboxes

Use Yes or True to automatically check the box. If you use any other value here, the box remains unchecked until a signer selects it during signing. For example, O=Yes

O

Option name for radio buttons

Use any value for this property, depending on how you want to label a particular radio button. For example, O=Chicago

E

Export value for checkboxes

Use any value for this property depending on how you want to label a particular checkbox. For example, E=Pay Later.

H

The height of the data tag, in pixels

Use a whole number greater than 0. For example, H=12

W

The width of the data tag, in pixels.

Use any whole number values greater than 0. For example W=10.

M

The maximum number of characters for a field.

Use a whole number greater than 0. For example, if you want to limit a signer's to only entering 10 characters for a textbox field, enter M=10.

Mi

The minimum number of characters for a field.

Use a whole number greater than 0.For example, if you want to ensure that a signer enters at least four digits for an expiration date, enter Mi=4.

R

Designate a field as required (or not)

Use Yes or True to make a field required. For example, R=Yes.

S

Designate a field as secured

Use Yes or True to make a field secure. If you make a field secure, whatever information is entered into the field will be masked on a signed document. For example, S=True.

SL

Designates a level for the signer.

Use whole numbers 1–10 to select a signer level. For example, SL=2 for a second level signer.

SO

Determines the signer order.

Use whole number 1–16 to determine the signer order. For example, SO=3 to designate someone as the third person to sign.

ML

Wraps text added to text fields.

Use True to wrap text added to text fields by a signer on multiple lines. For example, ML=True.

RS

Automatically applies a field name to a field.

Use True to create unique field names for all fields. For example, RS=True.

VD

Date format validation.

Enter the date format that your signers will use in a text field. Available formats are:

  • MM/DD/YYYY

  • MM/DD/YY

  • M/D/YYYY

  • M/D/YY

  • YYYY-MM-DD

  • YY-MM-DD

  • YYYY-M-D

  • YY-M-D

V

Creates a field validation.

Enter the following values to collect a certain kind of information. Choose from:

  • Z – Zip code or Zip Code +4

  • P – phone number

  • S – Social Security number

  • St – State with two letter abbreviation (TX, IL, NY, CA, etc)

Textbox Field Templates & Best Practices

Refer to the following list for templates of common textbox field configurations.

  • [[SFLD:FieldName]] - a standard textbox

  • [[SFLD:FieldName:M=10]] - a textbox with a 10 character limit

  • [[SFLD:FieldName:W=100,H=15]] - a textbox with a custom size

  • [[SFLD:FieldName:W=300,H=15,R=True]] - a required textbox with a custom size

  • [[SFLD:FieldName:SL=2,W=100,H=15]] - a textbox that creates a signer at the second level

  • [[SFLD:FieldName:SL=1,SO=2,W=100,H=15]] - a textbot that creates a second signer at the first level

Textbot Tag Best Practices

Use the following best practices when adding textbox tags to your documents:

  • Use size parameters; the standard textbox field without specified size parameters tends to be too small for most cases.

  • Use descriptive names for your fields; the field name is used in the document database output and can be difficult to recognize without a descriptive or unique name.

  • Use a small font size (as small as 1 pt) when entering text in textbox fields to help maintain document formatting. This doesn't affect the size of the field itself when sent to the signer.

  • Use white font for fields so they don't appear when the document is used outside of Sertifi.

Checkbox Tags and Best Practices

Refer to the following list for templates of common checkbox tag configurations.

  • [[SFLD:FieldName:T=C]] – a pre-checked standard checkbox

  • [[SFLD:FieldName:T=C,O=yes]] – a filled-in checkbox

  • [[SFLD:FieldName:T=C,O=no]] h- a null checkbox, or a checkbox that is left blank by default

  • [[SFLD:FieldName:T=C,O=no,R=yes]] - a required checkbox

  • [[SFLD:FieldName:T=C,O=No,E=True]] - a custom output checkbox

  • [[SFLD:FieldName:T=C,O=Credit Card,W=9,H=9]] - a custom size checkbox

Checkbox best practices

Use the following best practices when adding checkbox fields to your documents:

  • Remember that the standard checkbox (without the O= parameter) will appear as selected by default.

  • Remember that if the O= parameter to anything other than Yes or True, it will appear empty.

  • Use descriptive names for your export value. The export value is used in the document database output and can be difficult to recognize without a descriptive or unique name.

  • Use size parameters of W=9,H=9 to hide the box outline on the signing page.

  • Use a small font size (as small as 1 pt) when entering text in textbox fields to help maintain document formatting. This doesn't affect the size of the field itself when sent to the signer.

  • Use white font for fields so they don't appear when the document is used outside of Sertifi.

Radio Button Templates and Best Practices

Refer to the following list for templates of common radio button configurations.

  • Default Radio Buttons - fields must share the same name to enable the selection of only one radio button in a group. In the following example, the field is named Test.

    • Option 1 [[SFLD:Test:T=R,O=Opt1]]

    • Option 2 [[SFLD:Test:T=R,O=Opt2]]

    • Option 3 [[SFLD:Test:T=R,O=Opt3]]

  • Required Selection Radio Button

    • Coffee [[SFLD:Drink:T=R,R=Yes,O=Coffee]]

    • Tea [[SFLD:Drink:T=R,R=Yes,O=Tea]]

  • Custom Size Radio Button

    • Coffee [[SFLD:Drink:T=R,R=Yes,O=Coffee,W=9,H=9]]

    • Tea [[SFLD:Drink:T=R,R=Yes,O=Tea,W=9,H=9]]

Best Practices

Use the following best practices when adding radio button tags to your documents:

  • Remember that the option value appears as the field value in the document database when the button gets selected.

  • Use size parameters of W=9, H=9 to hide the button outline on the signing page.

  • Use a small font size (as small as 1 pt) when entering text in textbox fields to help maintain document formatting. This doesn't affect the size of the field itself when sent to the signer.

  • Use white font for fields so they don't appear when the document is used outside of Sertifi.

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