This guide provides technical instructions for managing the temporal availability and deactivation protocols of Public Signing Links.
Prerequisites
- Active Solo, Growth, or Enterprise subscription tier.
- Assigned Admin or Owner role.
- An existing Public Signing Link.
Strategic Overview
Public Links are designed for high-exposure distribution, but they must be governed by strict lifecycle policies to prevent unauthorized use, manage document versions, and ensure organizational compliance. IUSign provides multiple mechanisms for Expiring a link, ranging from automated temporal deadlines to manual administrative deactivation. These controls allow organizations to run time-bound campaigns (e.g., a registration window) or immediately revoke access in the event of a document revision or security concern.
Implementation Sequence
1. Automated Temporal Expiration
Configure a specific date and time for the link to become inactive:
- Navigate to the Public Links dashboard and select the target link.
- In the Settings module, locate the Expiration Date field.
- Specify the exact UTC timestamp for deactivation.
- Result: At the specified time, the URL will transition to an "Expired" state, and any users attempting to access it will receive a professional 404 message (customizable by the administrator).
2. Manual Administrative Deactivation
For immediate revocation of access:
- Locate the Active toggle associated with the link.
- Switch the toggle to Off.
- Result: Access is revoked instantaneously across all global nodes. This does not affect any documents that have already been completed via the link.
3. Interaction-Based Expiration (Quotas)
On Growth and Enterprise tiers, you can expire a link based on consumption:
- Protocol: Define a "Signature Quota" (e.g., "Expire after 100 completions").
- Result: Once the 100th document is finalized, the link automatically deactivates. This is ideal for managing fixed-capacity assets (e.g., event registration or limited-availability waivers).
Forensic and Data Impact of Expiration
| Asset Type | Impact of Expiration | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Active URL | Revoked (Returns 404/Expired). | Prevents new sessions. |
| In-Progress Sessions | Allowed to finish* | *Configurable: You can choose to allow users who have already started to finish within a 2-hour grace period. |
| Completed Documents | Fully Preserved | Forensic records are never affected by link expiration. |
| Audit Log | Appends LINK_EXPIRED event. | Maintains the lifecycle record for the link itself. |
Strategic Considerations for Administrators
- Custom Rejection Messaging: Configure a custom message for expired links (e.g., "The 2026 Registration Window is now closed. Please visit our homepage for future updates.") to maintain a professional brand image.
- Version Replacement: When updating a document, it is often better to Expire the old link and generate a new one with a distinct URL, ensuring a clean break between document versions.
- Monitoring: Utilize the Public Link Analytics to monitor how many users are hitting expired links, which may indicate a need to update your public-facing distribution channels (website, QR codes, etc.).
Diagnostic and Resolution Protocols
| System Exception | Probable Cause | Resolution Protocol |
|---|---|---|
| Link expired prematurely | Timezone mismatch | Ensure you are setting the expiration date in UTC or verify your organizational Tenant Settings for timezone alignment. |
| Users still signing | Grace period active | Active sessions are typically allowed to finish. To kill all sessions immediately, you must Void the Source Template, though this is a high-impact action. |
| Cannot re-activate | Subscription tier limit | If your organization has reached its total Public Link limit, you must delete or expire old links before activating new ones. |