Collect signatures in parallel

Parallel signing lets people complete their tasks within the same stage when one decision does not need to wait for another. It can fit a request that requires independent department reviews before a final approval.

Choose a parallel stage deliberately

Use parallel signing only when the people can review the same request independently. If finance needs a manager's signed decision before making its own decision, those actions belong in sequence instead.

A parallel group is still part of the larger workflow. All required actions in that stage must be accounted for before the process can move forward. Giving several people a link does not automatically configure a parallel stage.

Review the configured group

Open Setup workflow and inspect the signers grouped at the same stage. Existing grouped rows can appear as child rows under the stage, with numbering such as 2.1 and 2.2. Check the group membership, role names and actual recipients.

The ordinary Move up and Move down controls change sequential parent stages. Do not assume that moving a role near another role creates parallel behavior. Use the workflow's available grouping/rule configuration for the form, and have the owner or support check the setup if the group is unclear.

Check the completion rule

Use a sample request with two independent signers. Inspect the owner's status after only one person finishes, then after both required actions finish. Confirm that the final reviewer becomes active at the intended time.

Check optional signers separately. A workflow signer marked optional is skipped when the response has no recipient email for that role; when an email is present, that role behaves as required. Optionality does not mean a supplied recipient can always be ignored.

Keep follow-up specific

A completed task in the group should not be confused with a completed stage. Follow up with the person whose action remains pending, using the actual response and signer status. Review the recipient address before resending an invitation or creating another request.

For a straightforward ordered process, use sequential signing. For response-dependent roles, see conditional and optional steps. Progress tracking explains how to inspect unfinished work and the associated record.