Saved contacts in SignZA store a client's name, email address, and WhatsApp number so you can auto-fill their details the next time you send them a document — no retyping required. If you regularly send to the same clients, saved contacts eliminate repetitive data entry entirely.
What are saved contacts?
A saved contact is a record in your SignZA account that stores a signer's first name, last name, email address, and WhatsApp number. The first time you send a document to someone and toggle “Save as contact” during the send flow, SignZA writes those details to your Contacts list. On every subsequent send, SignZA surfaces that record as an auto-complete suggestion the moment you start typing the signer's email address.
Contacts are associated with your account, not with any specific document. They persist indefinitely — there is no expiry. You can view, edit, or delete any contact from the Contacts tab in your dashboard at any time.
There is no limit to how many contacts you can save. Whether you have 5 regular clients or 500, the auto-complete system searches your full list as you type, so finding the right person takes a single keystroke. Contacts are available on both the free plan and Pro plan.
How to save a contact when you send
The easiest way to build your contacts list is to save each person the first time you send them a document. It adds zero extra steps — just make sure the toggle is enabled before you send.
- 1From your dashboard, click "Send document" to open the send flow.
- 2Proceed to Step 2 — the Signer details screen.
- 3Enter the signer's first name, last name, email address, and WhatsApp number.
- 4Confirm the "Save as contact" toggle is switched ON (it is enabled by default). Then click Continue and send your document.
SignZA saves the contact automatically in the background when the document is sent. You do not need to visit the Contacts tab to confirm — the record is available immediately for your next send.
If you are sending to someone for the first time but do not want to save their details — for example, a one-off recipient you will never send to again — simply toggle “Save as contact” off before clicking Continue.
How do you use a saved contact on your next document?
Once a contact is saved, using them on a subsequent send takes a single click. SignZA auto-completes their details as soon as you start typing in the email field.
- 1Open the send flow and proceed to Step 2 (Signer details).
- 2Begin typing the contact's email address or first name. A dropdown appears showing matching contacts from your list.
- 3Click the correct contact. Their first name, last name, email address, and WhatsApp number all fill in instantly.
From that point you continue the send flow as normal — selecting a template or uploading a PDF in Step 1, reviewing field placement, and sending. The time saved is small per send, but across dozens of recurring documents it removes a meaningful source of friction and eliminates typographical errors in signer email addresses.
How do contacts and templates work together for South African businesses?
Saved contacts deliver the most value when paired with SignZA templates. Templates are a Pro feature (R99/month) that store a PDF and its field layout so you never have to re-upload or re-place fields on a recurring document.
When you combine the two — select a template in Step 1, then select a saved contact in Step 2 — the entire send flow takes under 30 seconds for a recurring document. There is no uploading, no field placement, and no manual data entry. You arrive at the Confirm screen in three clicks and the document is on its way.
This is the workflow that professional practices rely on for high-volume recurring sends:
- Accountantssending monthly management accounts or financial statements to the same 20 clients each month — one template, 20 saved contacts, done in minutes.
- HR managerssending offer letters and NDA packs to new hires — two templates per hire, contact saved once and reused for the NDA send after the offer is accepted.
- Property agentssending recurring lease renewals to long-term tenants — the lease renewal template is pre-loaded, the tenant's contact fills in one keystroke.
- Attorneyssending monthly status updates or retainer renewals — saved contacts ensure client email addresses are always correct, which matters when the signed PDF goes to a legal record.
Even on the free plan, saved contacts work with manual uploads — you still skip the retyping step even if you upload the PDF fresh each time. If you upgrade to Pro and add templates, the workflow becomes nearly instant.
How do you manage and edit saved contacts?
All your saved contacts are available in the Contacts tab of your SignZA dashboard. From there you can:
- View all saved signers with their name, email, and WhatsApp number
- See the date each contact was last sent a document
- Edit a contact's details if their name, email, or phone number changes
- Delete a contact you no longer need
- Click a contact to immediately open the send flow pre-filled with their details
If a client's email address changes, the safest approach is to edit the existing contact record rather than saving a new one. Editing preserves the contact's history and prevents duplicate entries appearing in your auto-complete suggestions.
Deleting a contact removes it from your auto-complete list going forward but does not affect any documents already sent to that person — those remain in your document history as normal. If you accidentally delete a contact, you can re-save them the next time you send them a document.
For teams with a shared list of recurring clients, note that contacts are currently private to each account. If two team members both send to the same client, each will build their own contact record. Team-shared contacts are on the SignZA product roadmap. In the meantime, the send flow itself is fast enough that the manual entry for a first-time send is no more than 20 seconds.
Frequently asked questions
Are my contacts shared with my team?
Not currently. Saved contacts are private to the account that created them. If your organisation has multiple SignZA users, each person maintains their own contacts list. Shared team contacts are planned for a future release.
Can I send to a contact who doesn't have an email?
SignZA requires an email address to save a contact — it is the primary identifier used for auto-complete. If your signer only communicates via WhatsApp and has no email address, you can still send them a document (the signing link works via any channel), but you will not be able to save them as a contact. A WhatsApp-only contact option is under consideration.
Does SignZA import contacts from my phone or email?
No. SignZA does not connect to your phone contacts, Gmail, Outlook, or any external address book. Contacts are built organically — each person is added to your list the first time you send them a document with the “Save as contact” toggle enabled. Bulk CSV import is planned for a future update.
How do I delete a saved contact?
Go to the Contactstab in your dashboard, find the contact you want to remove, and click the Delete option on their row. You will be asked to confirm before the record is permanently deleted. Deletion only removes the contact from your address book — it has no effect on documents already sent to that person.
Are documents sent to saved contacts ECT Act compliant in South Africa?
Yes. Every document sent through SignZA — whether to a saved contact or a new recipient — includes a full ECT Act 25 of 2002 audit trail. The audit certificate embedded in the signed PDF captures the signer's name, email address, IP address, timestamp, and explicit consent declaration. This applies to all signings regardless of how the recipient's details were entered. See our guide to e-signature validity under South African law for the full legal context.