How to Create a Signable Document with Canva
Learn how to make a professional-looking, signable PDF using Canva. Perfect for freelancers & entrepreneurs using SELISE Signature. No design skills needed.
This guide is for solo entrepreneurs and freelancers who need to spin up a quick, informal contract — like an NDA or service agreement — where you're already familiar with the clauses, or your legal advisor has sent you the content. You just need to make a clean, professional-looking PDF version of it for electronic signing.
We’re demonstrating this with Canva, a popular and accessible tool, but any properly formatted PDF will work with SELISE Signature.
Why Use Canva for Document Creation?
Canva offers:
- A free, user-friendly editor
- Flexible layouts and fonts
- The ability to export high-quality PDFs
Best of all, your Canva-created documents — just like any PDF — work seamlessly with SELISE Signature’s electronic signing process.
Step-by-Step: Creating a Signable Document in Canva
Start from the Canva Homepage
- Go to canva.com
Click the purple Create button in the left sidebar
OR
Select the Doc icon directly in the center panel.
We’re using the "Create" button in this walkthrough.
2. Choose “Doc – Auto Size”
From the popup, under Create New, select:
- Doc
- Then choose Doc – Auto Size so your content adjusts automatically as you write.
This gives you a clean, flexible canvas to draft your document.
3. Add Your Content
You can either:
- Paste an existing agreement (like an NDA), or
- Start writing directly in the editor.
Canva’s text editor supports styling, formatting, and is intuitive even for non-designers.
4. Use Placeholders Strategically
Make sure to leave blank lines or space for:
- Signatory names
- Company names
- Dates
- Signature areas
This prevents overlapping when you later add signature fields in SELISE Signature.
Example:
Leave lines like ____________________ for Name, Date, and Signature.
Making Your Contract Reusable
If you plan to send this contract to multiple recipients:
- Leave fields like recipient name, company name, and date blank
- Don’t add fixed personal or business details yet
Keeping your document generic lets you reuse the same version for many recipients, saving time.
Before You Export: Final Checks
Before uploading to SELISE Signature, make sure to:
✅ Finalize content: No filler text or tracked changes
✅ Proofread: Spelling, formatting, and alignment
✅ Export properly: Save as PDF — no password protection, no scanned images
✅ Rename your file clearly: e.g., NDA_ClientName_2025.pdf