Signing a contract you received by email

A contract arriving as an email attachment is the most common signing scenario there is, and the one most often rushed. The signing takes a minute; the twenty minutes before it are what stop a bad round trip.

Read the parts that change most often

Before signing, check five things: the parties' names and identifiers, the amounts and currency, the dates and duration, the termination and notice terms, and any annex the text refers to. If the contract mentions an annex that was not attached, ask for it before signing — the annex is part of the agreement, and “it was not attached” is a weak position later.

Sign every place the document asks for

Long contracts often need initials on each page plus a full signature at the end, and sometimes a signature next to a specific clause. Scroll the whole file rather than jumping to the last page. Fill the date field yourself unless the other side has asked to date it on receipt.

Keep both versions and reply clearly

Save the unsigned original alongside your signed copy — if a dispute ever arises about what changed, having both is the entire argument. In the reply, name the file and the version you signed, and say plainly that the attached copy is signed on your side. One sentence prevents the “which version is this?” exchange.