---
title: Field Types
description: Placeholder types for capturing signatures, text, dates, and selections during signing.
---

import { Callout } from 'fumadocs-ui/components/callout';

## Field Types Overview

| Field Type | Description                                       | Auto-filled |
| ---------- | ------------------------------------------------- | ----------- |
| Signature  | Recipient's signature (drawn, typed, or uploaded) | No          |
| Initials   | Recipient's initials                              | No          |
| Email      | Recipient's email address                         | Yes         |
| Name       | Recipient's full name                             | Yes         |
| Date       | Date the field was completed                      | Yes         |
| Text       | Free-form text input                              | No          |
| Number     | Numeric input with optional validation            | No          |
| Radio      | Single selection from a list of options           | No          |
| Checkbox   | Multiple selections from a list of options        | No          |
| Dropdown   | Single selection from a dropdown menu             | No          |

## Signature

![Signature field in the document editor](/document-signing/signature-field-document-editor-view.webp)

The signature field captures the recipient's legally binding signature. Recipients can:

- **Draw** their signature using a mouse or touchscreen
- **Type** their name and select a font style
- **Upload** an image of their signature

### Configuration Options

| Option    | Description                                        |
| --------- | -------------------------------------------------- |
| Required  | Whether the field must be completed before signing |
| Read-only | Lock the field with a pre-filled value             |
| Label     | Display text shown above the field                 |

### Common Use Cases

- Contract execution
- Agreement acceptance
- Authorization approvals

<Callout type="info">Each signer must have at least one Signature field assigned to them.</Callout>

## Initials

The initials field captures abbreviated signatures, typically used to acknowledge individual pages or clauses.

### Configuration Options

| Option         | Description                            |
| -------------- | -------------------------------------- |
| Required       | Whether the field must be completed    |
| Read-only      | Lock the field with a pre-filled value |
| Label          | Display text shown above the field     |
| Text alignment | Left, center, or right alignment       |

### Common Use Cases

- Page acknowledgment
- Clause acceptance
- Change or amendment approval

## Email

The email field displays the recipient's email address. This field is automatically populated with the email address used to send the signing request.

### Configuration Options

| Option         | Description                                         |
| -------------- | --------------------------------------------------- |
| Required       | Whether the field must be completed                 |
| Read-only      | Lock the field (recommended for auto-filled values) |
| Label          | Display text shown above the field                  |
| Text alignment | Left, center, or right alignment                    |

### Common Use Cases

- Contact information sections
- Identity verification
- Record keeping

## Name

The name field captures the recipient's full name. When the recipient has a name on file, the field can be auto-populated.

### Configuration Options

| Option         | Description                            |
| -------------- | -------------------------------------- |
| Required       | Whether the field must be completed    |
| Read-only      | Lock the field with a pre-filled value |
| Label          | Display text shown above the field     |
| Text alignment | Left, center, or right alignment       |

### Common Use Cases

- Signature blocks
- Party identification
- Contact details

## Date

The date field records when the recipient completed the field or signed the document. By default, it auto-fills with the current date.

### Configuration Options

| Option         | Description                            |
| -------------- | -------------------------------------- |
| Required       | Whether the field must be completed    |
| Read-only      | Lock the field with a pre-filled value |
| Label          | Display text shown above the field     |
| Text alignment | Left, center, or right alignment       |

### Common Use Cases

- Signature date
- Agreement effective date
- Timestamp records

## Text

![Text field in the document editor](/document-signing/text-field-document-editor-view.webp)

The text field accepts free-form text input from recipients. Use this for any information that doesn't fit other field types.

### Configuration Options

| Option          | Description                                |
| --------------- | ------------------------------------------ |
| Required        | Whether the field must be completed        |
| Read-only       | Lock the field with a pre-filled value     |
| Label           | Display text shown above the field         |
| Placeholder     | Hint text shown when the field is empty    |
| Default value   | Pre-filled text that recipients can modify |
| Character limit | Maximum number of characters allowed       |
| Text alignment  | Left, center, or right alignment           |
| Line height     | Spacing between lines of text              |
| Letter spacing  | Spacing between characters                 |

### Rules

- A field cannot be both required and read-only at the same time
- A read-only field must have a default text value (it cannot be empty)
- The field is inserted automatically into the document if there is a default text value
- The text field character count cannot exceed the character limit
- The signer cannot modify a read-only field

### Common Use Cases

- Address input
- Company names
- Job titles
- Custom information

## Number

The number field accepts numeric input with optional validation constraints.

### Configuration Options

| Option         | Description                                  |
| -------------- | -------------------------------------------- |
| Required       | Whether the field must be completed          |
| Read-only      | Lock the field with a pre-filled value       |
| Label          | Display text shown above the field           |
| Placeholder    | Hint text shown when the field is empty      |
| Default value  | Pre-filled number that recipients can modify |
| Minimum value  | Lowest allowed number                        |
| Maximum value  | Highest allowed number                       |
| Number format  | Display format for the number                |
| Text alignment | Left, center, or right alignment             |

### Rules

- The value must be a number
- A field cannot be both required and read-only at the same time
- A read-only field must have a default number value
- If a default number and a maximum value are set, the default must be less than the maximum
- If a default number and a minimum value are set, the default must be greater than the minimum
- The value must match the number format if a number format is set

### Common Use Cases

- Quantities
- Pricing
- Phone numbers
- Employee IDs

## Radio

The radio field presents a list of options where the recipient can select exactly one.

### Configuration Options

| Option            | Description                              |
| ----------------- | ---------------------------------------- |
| Required          | Whether a selection must be made         |
| Read-only         | Lock the field with a pre-selected value |
| Label             | Display text shown above the field       |
| Options           | List of selectable values                |
| Default selection | Pre-selected option                      |
| Direction         | Vertical or horizontal layout            |

### Rules

- A field cannot be both required and read-only at the same time
- A read-only field must have at least one option
- The field auto-signs if there is a default value
- The signer cannot select a value that's not in the options list
- Only one option can be selected at a time

### Common Use Cases

- Yes/No questions
- Single-choice selections
- Status indicators
- Plan or tier selection

## Checkbox

![Checkbox field in the document editor](/document-signing/checkbox-field-document-editor-view.webp)

The checkbox field presents a list of options where the recipient can select multiple items.

### Configuration Options

| Option             | Description                                 |
| ------------------ | ------------------------------------------- |
| Required           | Whether at least one selection must be made |
| Read-only          | Lock the field with pre-selected values     |
| Label              | Display text shown above the field          |
| Options            | List of selectable values                   |
| Default selections | Pre-selected options                        |
| Validation rule    | Rules for minimum/maximum selections        |
| Direction          | Vertical or horizontal layout               |

### Rules

- A field cannot be both required and read-only at the same time
- A read-only field must have at least one checked option
- The field auto-signs if there are default values
- The validation rule enforces selection counts: "At least", "At most", or "Exactly" a specified number of options
- The signer cannot select a value that's not in the options list

### Common Use Cases

- Terms and conditions acceptance
- Multiple acknowledgments
- Feature selection
- Preference lists

## Dropdown

![Dropdown field in the document editor](/document-signing/dropdown-field-document-editor-view.webp)

The dropdown field presents a list of options in a collapsible menu. Recipients select one option from the list.

### Configuration Options

| Option        | Description                              |
| ------------- | ---------------------------------------- |
| Required      | Whether a selection must be made         |
| Read-only     | Lock the field with a pre-selected value |
| Label         | Display text shown above the field       |
| Options       | List of selectable values                |
| Default value | Pre-selected option                      |

### Rules

- A field cannot be both required and read-only at the same time
- A read-only field must have a default value
- The default value must be one of the options
- The field auto-signs if there is a default value
- The signer cannot select a value that's not in the options list

### Common Use Cases

- Country or state selection
- Department selection
- Category classification
- Status selection

## Common Configuration Options

All field types share these base configuration options:

| Option    | Description                                         | Default |
| --------- | --------------------------------------------------- | ------- |
| Required  | Recipient must complete the field to finish signing | `false` |
| Read-only | Field value cannot be changed by the recipient      | `false` |
| Label     | Text displayed above or near the field              | None    |
| Font size | Size of the text in the field (8-96px)              | 12px    |

## Validation

Fields validate input based on their type and configuration:

- **Required fields** must be completed before the recipient can finish signing
- **Read-only fields** display pre-filled values that cannot be modified
- **Number fields** validate against minimum and maximum values when configured
- **Checkbox fields** can enforce a minimum or maximum number of selections

If validation fails, the recipient sees an error message and must correct the input before proceeding.

## Related

- [Add Fields to Documents](/docs/users/documents/add-fields) - Learn how to place fields on your documents
- [Recipient Roles](/docs/concepts/recipient-roles) - Understand who can be assigned fields
- [Fields API](/docs/developers/api/fields) - Programmatically add fields via the API
