Hi @Steonard, welcome to the forum!

Not considering the order, I think that is the expected behavior. The approval role is meant for approving the signature request, so it is triggered before any signer.

Typically I only apply the order to the signer roles. Both the approver and the final copy reader order are pre-set, the approver goes before any signer and the final copy reader after all signers. Also note that a signer is anyone that has an input to the document, and may not include a signature.

I confess I never tried to set an order to the approver or the final copy reader, and there might be some unexpected interaction there. Some testing is required.

Consider this sample code using the Next Gen Python SDK:

def sign_contract_step(


    client: Client,


    document_id: str,


    destination_folder_id: str,


    institution_email: str,


    student_email: str,


    dean_email: str,


    legal_email: str,


) -> SignRequest:


    """Sign contract"""





    # Sign request params


    source_file = FileBase(id=document_id, type=FileBaseTypeField.FILE)


    destination_folder = FolderMini(


        id=destination_folder_id, type=FolderBaseTypeField.FOLDER


    )





    # signers


    institution = SignRequestCreateSigner(


        email=institution_email,


        role=SignRequestCreateSignerRoleField.SIGNER,


        order=1,


    )





    student = SignRequestCreateSigner(


        email=student_email,


        role=SignRequestCreateSignerRoleField.SIGNER,


        order=2,


    )





    dean = SignRequestCreateSigner(


        email=dean_email,


        role=SignRequestCreateSignerRoleField.APPROVER,


    )





    legal = SignRequestCreateSigner(


        email=legal_email,


        role=SignRequestCreateSignerRoleField.FINAL_COPY_READER,


    )





    # create sign request


    sign_request = client.sign_requests.create_sign_request(


        signers=[institution, student, dean, legal],


        parent_folder=destination_folder,


        source_files=[source_file],


        is_document_preparation_needed=True,


    )





    return sign_request

And its usage in a main script:

def main():


    ...


    


    # Multiple signers and steps


    sign_contract_multi_step = sign_contract_step(


        client,


        CONTRACT,


        SIGN_DOCS_FOLDER,


        institution_email=SIGNER_A,


        student_email=SIGNER_B,


        dean_email=APPROVER,


        legal_email=FINAL_COPY,


    )


    if sign_contract_multi_step.prepare_url is not None:


        open_browser(sign_contract_multi_step.prepare_url)

Notice in the example below that the institution is represented by the blue color in the left, and the student by green on the right, both are signers

Neither the approver nor the final copy reader can have inputs associated with them. If you do this, their roles will be adjusted to signer

The signature process goes like this:

• First the dean approves the scholarship



• Next the institution signs the scholarship



• Next the student signs the scholarship



• Finally the legal department receives a copy of the signed document.

Let us know if this was of any use.

Also the above example is detailed in one of our blog articles, you can check it out here:

And it is also part of a sign workshop, if you’re interested, with sample code and exercises (look for sign in the readme.md):

Cheers

Ohh I get it. For some reason I thought approver was after the signer. It works as you talked about thanks so much!

You’re very welcome @Steonard

Could you mark. my answer as the solution for others benefit?

Cheers