OmniDocHow to edit and modify the contract online before signing it online
Before a contract is sent out for signing, the amount, date, or certain terms often need to be changed. This article explains the complete method of selecting the editing method according to the contract format, checking item by item after modification, and then initiating online signing.
Key points of this article
- Editable Word contracts can be modified in the editor and then converted to PDF, so the layout is not easily messed up.
- You can directly change paragraphs of text in a PDF with Chinese characters, which is faster than retyping the entire contract and less likely to miss changes.
- The scanned copy must be OCRed first, and then the identified amount, date and name of the person must be checked item by item.
- Requests for signature should be initiated after the draft is finalized, revised after being sent, and usually resent and re-signed.
Before a contract is signed online, it is often found that the amount is written incorrectly, the date needs to be extended, or a certain liability for breach of contract needs to be adjusted. At this time, if you send it directly and the other party signs it, you will have to go through the process again if you make any changes. If you want to modify the contract before sending it out, you need a way to directly edit the contract text instead of copying the content into the chat window and modifying it back and forth.
This article is written for individuals, small teams, and business people who need to draft or revise contracts themselves. After reading it, you will be able to judge which editing method is suitable for the contract in your hand, know where to check after making changes, and know when to initiate signing.
How to sign and edit a contract online? One sentence conclusion
Let me talk about the conclusion first: edit the Word contract in a Word-compatible online editor, and then export it as PDF; if it is already a PDF, use the PDF editor of the desktop client to change the paragraph text; scan the contract first and then OCR it. After making the changes and verifying that they are correct, initiate online signing.
| your situation | Recommended practices | reason |
|---|---|---|
| In hand is editable Word contract | Open the modification in the UniDoc web editor, save it as .docx, and then convert it to PDF | Changes occur in the source document, and paragraphs, tables and numbers are not easily misaligned |
| I have a PDF in my hand that allows me to select text. | Use the desktop client's PDF editor to directly modify paragraph text | There is no need to re-layout the entire contract, changes are concentrated where needed |
| Scanned copy or contract taken with mobile phone | First use OCR to identify the text, then modify it paragraph by paragraph, and finally check. | The scanned document does not have an editable text layer and cannot be modified directly. |
| Just need to fill in the name, date and amount | Fill in the blanks using the form fill function | Only the blank space is touched and other terms are not affected. |
| There are many changes and need to be confirmed by multiple parties. | First finalize the draft in the editing tool, and then initiate a signing request. | If you change it after signing, you need to resend it and may also ask the other party to reconfirm it. |
Before you start: Confirm these points first
First confirm what kind of file you have. If you can use the mouse to select a piece of text, it means it is a PDF with a text layer; if you cannot select it, it is probably a scan or photo. The modification methods of the two files are completely different. If you choose the wrong one, you will waste time or even modify the wrong version.
First determine who has the final right to make changes. Contracts often have two versions for Party A and Party B. Before making any changes, confirm with the other party which version is the original draft to avoid making two copies each and making them inconsistent when signing.
Original version ready. Keep an original copy before modification. You can refer back to it if you make mistakes. Save a copy of the original, with the file name marked with "before modification" or the date. This step is simple, but it can save a lot of trouble.
Confirm scope of changes. The workload of checking is very different between changing only a few numbers and rewriting a certain clause. The more changes there are, the more important it is to compare and check the two versions after finalization.
Decide how to sign in advance. If the contract is to be signed online, it must be finalized before uploading. The signature request is to send the PDF to the other party for online signature, so the file sent is the final version.
Steps to modify PDF contract in OmniDoc
The following is an example of a PDF contract with optional Chinese text. If your contract is a Word file, you can directly open and modify it in the UniDoc web editor (app.unidoc.top). After modification, save it as .docx, and then use office software to export it as PDF.
- Open the desktop client: Go to download.omnidoc.top to download and install the desktop client, and then open the contract PDF that needs to be modified.
- Switch to PDF editing function: Enter PDF editing mode, and the text on the page will become clickable to modify.
- Modify paragraph text: directly change the amount, date or terms text in the original paragraph. Keep the original paragraph structure to make it easier for others to compare.
- Fill in the blanks: If there is a name, address or date that needs to be filled in in the contract, use the form filling function to fill it in, do not cover it with a text box.
- Deal with content that needs to be blocked: If there is sensitive information in the contract that does not need to be seen by the other party, use the blackout function to block it instead of just changing the words to white.
- Adjust pages: When you need to delete extra pages or add attachments, use page operations to insert, delete or merge pages, and then check whether the page numbers are continuous.
- Compare with original: Use the PDF comparison function to put the modified file and the original copy together to confirm that only the planned changes were made.
- Export backup: If you need the Word version for the other party to modify, you can export it as a Word file. The final signature is still the final PDF.
How to edit the scanned document? OCR first and then change
The text in the scanned document is in the form of an image and cannot be modified directly. OmniDoc's PDF editor provides an OCR function, which can recognize the text in the scanned document and then modify it according to the above steps.
OCR recognition results may contain errors, especially in terms such as numbers, amounts, personal names, ID numbers, and small fonts. After recognition, check each item against the original, not treat it as final. For machine-recognized content, manual verification of important information is required, and only after confirmation does the signing process begin.
If the quality of the scanned document is poor, such as tilted, blurry, or heavily shadowed, recognition performance will significantly decline. In such cases, it is recommended to first ask the other party to provide clear originals or re-enter key clauses according to the originals.
After completion, check each item one by one
After the modifications are complete, do not rush to initiate signing. Check each item item according to the table below.
| Inspection items | How to see it | What should you do if there's a problem? |
|---|---|---|
| Amount, date, and deadline | Compare them one by one with your modification instructions or the numbers confirmed by both parties | Return to the editing interface to correct and compare with the original again |
| Name and ID information of both Party A and Party B | Check word by word, paying special attention to homophones and abbreviations | After the amendment, confirm again against the business license or a copy of the certificate |
| Paragraphs and numbering | Flip to each page to check if the clause numbers are continuous, and whether there are any gaps or misalignments | After adjusting the paragraphs, export again to ensure the version is consistent |
| Page count and attachments | Check page numbers and attachment lists to ensure no missing or multiple pages are missing | Use page operations to complete or delete the page, then check the page number |
| Alter the traces | Use the comparison function to see the differences between the two versions, keeping only the planned changes | Undo unexpected changes, confirm and save the new version |
| Obscuring content | Check if the blacked-out areas are completely covered and if the duplicated text can still be selected | Recolor the pages, and if necessary, handle sensitive pages separately |
If you find many issues, it means there may have been omissions in the revision process. The safest approach is to go back to the original and redo the changes step by step, rather than continuing to patch the problematic version.
📝 Summary
The key to online contract signing and online editing is to first determine the document format, then select the correct editing method, check each item after revisions, and finally initiate signing. Putting the final draft before signing reduces rework and allows both parties to confirm the same version.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. Can the contract be sent directly to the other party for signature after modification?
Yes, but it is recommended to first check each item and confirm the final version with the other party. After the signing request is sent, the document content is fixed, and later modifications usually require resubmission.
2. What should I do if the scanned copy is not recognized accurately after OCR?
Priority should be given to correcting amount, date, name, and ID number, and checking item by item against the original. If the recognition quality is poor, you can ask the other party to provide clearer scans or manually enter key terms.
3. If you only want to change one or two numbers, do you need to change the entire contract?
No need. You can directly edit the PDF of the selected text to the corresponding paragraph. After editing, use the comparison function to confirm that only this is the correct part.
4. How can you ensure that the revised contract version is new to the other party?
Before initiating signing, distinguish between the final PDF and the pre-amendment version, and explain which terms have been changed during communication. This way, both parties have a consistent understanding of the version, making it less likely to be mistaken when signing.
5. If the contract contains information you don't want the other party to see, how should you handle it?
Use the blackout feature to mask, then check if the masked text can still be selected or copied. For sensitive information, it is recommended that the person review it again before sending it.
