To send and sign an NDA online, prepare the final agreement, enter the parties and signers, confirm the deal-specific terms, choose the signing order, send a secure signature request, review the agreement, collect every required signature, and save the completed copy with its key dates.

An online workflow can keep the agreement, negotiation history, signature status, and final PDF together. It does not replace the need to understand the terms before signing.

What you need before sending an NDA

• The final NDA or an approved NDA template
• Each party’s legal name
• The recipient’s name and email address
• The internal signer and any required approval
• The purpose, dates, confidentiality period, and dispute terms
• A decision about whether negotiation will be allowed

1. Prepare the NDA

Start with a form that fits the exchange. A mutual NDA covers both parties when each side may disclose confidential information. A unilateral NDA covers a one-way disclosure. Complete the variable terms and check the legal names before sending.

If the agreement is not ready, use Common Paper’s NDA setup guides to work through the deal-specific fields.

2. Add the recipient and signer

Enter the recipient’s current email address, full name, and organization. Select the person in your organization who has authority to sign. If another teammate should receive updates without acting on the agreement, add them as an informed contact rather than a signer.

Common Paper lets a recipient reassign an agreement when it was sent to the wrong person. Checking the recipient first still prevents delays and confusion.

3. Confirm the terms

Review the purpose, Effective Date, NDA term, confidentiality period, governing law, jurisdiction, and any changes to the Standard Terms. If you started from a saved template, confirm that its defaults fit this relationship.

For a clause-by-clause reference, review the Common Paper Mutual NDA Standard Terms.

4. Choose the signing and negotiation settings

Before sending, decide how the agreement should move through review and signature. Common Paper’s guide to creating and sending agreements explains these settings.

Setting	What to decide
Signing order	Choose whether your organization must provide the final signature.
Negotiation	Decide whether the recipient can propose changes in the online workflow.
Reminders	Set automated reminders if the agreement is not signed.
Expiration	Choose whether the signature request should stop accepting action after a set date.
Standard Terms	Choose whether the Standard Terms should appear in the generated documents.

5. Preview and send the signature request

Preview the agreement as the recipient will see it. Check the party names, terms, signature blocks, and email message. Sending creates the agreement, stores it in Common Paper, and emails the recipient a link to review it.

If you want to introduce the agreement from your own email, Common Paper also supports manual sending. You can create the agreement without the initial automated email, then share its link or download a DOCX or PDF.

6. Review the NDA before signing

A recipient should read the full agreement and check at least these items:

• The correct legal parties are named
• The purpose matches the planned conversations
• The definition of confidential information fits the exchange
• The NDA term and confidentiality period are acceptable
• The Effective Date covers the intended disclosures
• Any changes to the standard language are visible
• The governing law and jurisdiction are understood

Ask questions or propose changes before signing.

7. Sign electronically

Follow the secure link in the signature request, confirm your name and title, and apply your electronic signature where prompted. Complete every required field. If the agreement requires signatures in a set order, follow the platform’s prompts when it is your turn to sign.

Do not share a private signing link. If the wrong person received the request, use the reassignment process or ask the sender to correct it.

8. Save and track the completed NDA

After all parties sign, save the fully executed PDF and confirm that everyone who needs a copy received it. Record the agreement owner, Effective Date, end date, and any confidentiality deadline. This makes it easier to answer later questions about whether the NDA is active and which duties continue.

Can you upload an existing NDA for signature?

Yes. Common Paper accepts unsigned DOCX and PDF files for signature collection. The file must be finalized before upload because its content cannot be edited in Common Paper. After upload, identify whether it completes an existing agreement, select the signers, place the signature fields, and send the request.

If an uploaded agreement needs a content change after sending but before anyone has signed, cancel the signature request, revise the source document, and upload the corrected version. Save a separate copy before canceling an uploaded agreement because canceling can permanently delete that uploaded file. See editing an uploaded agreement for the steps that apply at each stage.

Common online NDA signing mistakes

• Sending a draft that still contains unresolved comments or blanks
• Using an incorrect legal party or recipient email
• Assuming the person reviewing the NDA is authorized to sign it
• Skipping the final preview
• Saving a copy before every required signature is complete

Create and sign a Mutual NDA with Common Paper

The Common Paper Mutual NDA provides a configurable Cover Page and standardized terms. Use it in Common Paper to negotiate online, collect electronic signatures, track status, and keep a completed agreement record. You can get started for free, subject to the free plan’s agreement limits.

Common Paper is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. Common Paper forms are not customized for any particular user and are not a substitute for advice from a lawyer.

Frequently asked questions

Can an NDA be signed electronically?

NDAs are commonly signed electronically. Whether a particular electronic signature is legally effective depends on the circumstances and applicable law, so get legal advice for unusual or high-risk situations.

Who should sign an NDA for a company?

A person with authority to bind the company should sign. The right signer depends on the company’s approval rules and the importance of the agreement.

Does an NDA need both parties’ signatures?

A mutual NDA ordinarily requires both parties to sign. A unilateral NDA may also be signed by both parties, depending on its form and the applicable requirements.

Can I send an NDA as a PDF?

Yes. You can send a final PDF through a signature platform or upload an unsigned PDF to Common Paper for signature collection. Common Paper currently supports DOCX and PDF uploads under 10 MB.

What happens after an NDA is signed?

Each party should keep the completed agreement and follow its confidentiality and use restrictions. Track the Effective Date, NDA end date, and any duties that continue after the NDA ends.