Procurement request template

Vendor onboarding form signing request template

A vendor onboarding form captures a new supplier's details, banking, and compliance information so they can be set up and approved for trading.

Send a vendor onboarding form request Browse all templates

What is a vendor onboarding form?

A vendor onboarding form is the document a business sends to a new supplier to collect the information needed to add them to its accounts payable and procurement systems. It typically gathers business and contact details, banking instructions, tax registration, insurance evidence, and agreement to the buyer's standard terms. Capturing this once, accurately, prevents downstream payment errors and compliance gaps.

Getting onboarding right matters because incomplete or unverified vendor data is a common source of fraud, duplicate payments, and delayed invoices. A signed onboarding form confirms the supplier has reviewed and accepted the buyer's requirements, and creates a dated record of who provided which details. This is especially useful when finance, procurement, and audit teams all need a single source of truth for each supplier.

When to use a vendor onboarding form

Adding a new supplier to your accounts payable or ERP system
Re-verifying an existing vendor's banking or contact details
Onboarding a contractor or service provider before first invoice
Collecting compliance evidence before approving a purchase order

What to include in a vendor onboarding form

Business details: legal name, trading name, ABN/ACN, and registered address for accurate records.
Banking instructions: account name, BSB, and number used to pay invoices, ideally with verification.
Tax and GST status: registration confirmation so invoices and withholding are handled correctly.
Insurance and compliance: evidence such as public liability or workers' cover where relevant.
Terms acceptance: confirmation the vendor agrees to your standard purchasing and payment terms.

Pros and cons of sending a vendor onboarding form as a signing request

Pros

Tracks when the vendor opens and signs, so setup is not held up
Creates a dated, signed record of the details supplied
Password protection keeps banking details from casual exposure
Reminders chase incomplete onboarding without manual follow-up

Cons and things to watch

Signing does not verify the banking details are genuine on its own
You still need a separate process to confirm bank account ownership
Out-of-date forms can reintroduce stale supplier information
A signed form is not a substitute for procurement due diligence

How to send a vendor onboarding form with Cosign

Upload your vendor onboarding form to Cosign and preview it to confirm all fields and instructions are correct.
Add the vendor contact as the signer and enter their email address for the private link.
Set a 14-day expiry and apply password protection given the banking and tax details involved.
Send the request, then track opens and signing, and keep the completion receipt for your records.

Vendor onboarding form request details

Email subject

Vendor onboarding approval

Default message

Please review and sign this vendor onboarding document so setup can continue.

Signer setup

Vendor contact

Suggested expiry

14 days

Button label

Complete vendor onboarding

Best fit

Procurement teams

Vendor onboarding form FAQs

Is an electronically signed vendor onboarding form legally valid in Australia?

In general, Australian law recognises electronic signatures for most business documents, provided the signer consents and is identifiable. A signing tool like Cosign records when and by whom a document was signed, but it does not replace professional legal advice for your situation.

Can the vendor see the onboarding form before signing?

Yes. Cosign lets the vendor preview the full document through their private link before they sign, so they can review every field and term first.

Is the onboarding form kept private?

Yes. Cosign sends each vendor a private link and the document is not published or indexed by search engines. Only people you send the link to can open it, and you can add password protection for extra control.

How do I confirm the vendor actually received and opened the form?

Cosign tracks status events including opens, previews, and signatures. You can see whether the vendor has viewed the form and send a reminder if they have not acted before expiry.

What happens if the vendor does not complete onboarding in time?

You can set an expiry, such as 14 days, after which the link no longer works. Cosign can send reminders beforehand, and you can resend a fresh request if onboarding lapses.