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Set signature and minimum-deposit requirements

5 min readUpdated 31 Oct 2026Advanced

Set which products need a customer signature or minimum deposit before placement. Check the resulting order requirements before collecting payment or using an exception.

A requirement comes from the product's own choice or its category defaults. One demanding line can determine the requirement for the whole sale.

Before you start

Have catalog access

Setting product and category rules needs Manage the catalog.

Know signing

Get a quote signed covers the customer request.

Know deposit routes

Take a deposit distinguishes a separate deposit order from native Shopify terms.

How requirements are combined

A line uses its product's own setting where one exists. Otherwise, it follows the strictest applicable category setting.

The order needs a signature if any line requires one. Its minimum deposit is the highest percentage required by its lines.

A sent signature request makes signing required even if the products did not. An edit that invalidates an existing signature also requires the new version to be signed.

Missing before order placement lists gaps on the order. POS presents signature as a step before payment and stops with Deposit too low when the native percentage is insufficient.

Signature and deposit gaps before placement
The banner identifies the unmet requirements.

Shopify Plus

Minimum-deposit checks use Shopify's native payment-terms percentage or full payment. Native percentage deposits require Shopify Plus; a separate paid deposit order does not satisfy this rule.

Set the category rules

  1. Step 1: Open the category

    Go to SettingsProductsCategories and edit the relevant category. Find Before an order with these products is placed.

    The fields describe the defaults followed by templates and Shopify products in that category unless they set their own rules.

  2. Step 2: Set signature and deposit defaults

    Choose Customer signature required as needed. Enter Deposit of at least from 0% to 100%.

    An empty or zero deposit means no deposit requirement. Click Update Category to save the category.

    The category's pre-placement requirements
    Category defaults supply rules for products that follow them.

    Use Categories for the category's broader setup. Confirm which products follow it before changing a rule that affects their future sales.

Set a template exception

  1. Step 1: Open the requirement row

    Open the product template's Before an order is placed card. Click Edit beside Customer signature.

    Choose Use category default, Required or Not required. Click Done to return to the card's summary.

  2. Step 2: Choose the deposit rule

    Edit Deposit. Choose Use category default, None, or At least with a percentage from 1 to 100.

    Click Done. The row summarizes the rule and identifies a category default when it is inherited.

    The template's signature and deposit rows
    Template choices can override the category default.

  3. Step 3: Save the template page

    Use the page's save bar. An Unsaved row is not yet a saved template change.

    Manage product templates covers the remaining template controls. Recheck the saved summary before using the product on a sale.

Handle a requirement exception

  1. Step 1: Read the missing requirements

    Open the sale and read the signature or deposit gap. Check whether the customer can complete it normally.

    Use Payment terms and paying later to set an eligible native deposit before placement.

  2. Step 2: Use an authorized placement exception

    If the store intends to proceed anyway, read the placement confirmation and use Place anyway only with bypass permission.

    The exception is recorded in Activity. Turn a quote into an order also explains Force Convert to Order for eligible unsigned records.

What happens next

Customer-facing changes after signing invalidate the previous agreement's current signature. The earlier signed copy remains in Signature records as superseded.

The order shows Re-Sign. The signing page tells the customer the quote changed and asks them to review and sign again.

The Re-Sign badge after a customer-facing edit
The current agreement needs another signature.
ChangeEffect on the signed agreement
Lines, prices or quantitiesCan require signing again
Warranty, fees, shipping or discountsCan require signing again
Options and order fieldsCan require signing again
Payment or quote-to-order conversionDoes not change the signed copy
Adding a payment linkDoes not change the signed copy
Changing the number referenceDoes not reset the signature

Do not assume every internal edit resets signing. Check the resulting badge and activity after the save.

Example: Olivia's sofa requirement

Example · Harlow & Finch Interiors

Require the agreed commitment

The Sofas category requires a signature and at least a 30% deposit.

  1. Sam Ortiz creates Olivia Bennett's Linden Sofa quote.
  2. Sam checks both gaps under Missing before order placement.
  3. Olivia signs the current agreement.
  4. On a Plus shop, Sam uses native 30% deposit terms and verifies payment.
  5. After a later fabric change, Sam checks Re-Sign and requests the new signature.

Important notes and tips

An exception records that the requirement was bypassed. It does not create a customer's signature or prove a deposit was collected.

If something goes wrong

A paid deposit does not satisfy the minimum

Separate deposit orders are not counted by the native percentage requirement.

The template still follows its category

Choose an explicit template override and save the page.

The percentage is refused

Category requirements allow 0–100%; an explicit template minimum allows 1–100% or None.

The customer must sign again

Review the customer-facing edit and send the current agreement.

The exception is unavailable

Check Bypass signature and deposit requirements and the other permissions needed for the placement action.

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