Signing is what creates a version. Until somebody signs, there is no v1 — only a working draft that you and the participant can see.
Before you send
Move the goals you have agreed on into the Goals column of the Planning Board. The send button sits at the foot of that column, not in the page header — it is deliberately at the end of the work rather than at the top of the screen.
It reads Review and send for signing for a first plan, or Send v2 for signing for a revision.
What stops a plan being sent
Four things block signing. Each is checked when you press the button and again on the server, so they cannot disagree.
| What is wrong | What to do |
|---|---|
| No goals in the Goals column | A plan with no goals has nothing to sign. |
| A goal has no education route | Choose a route, or record why it needs none — click the goal's "no programme needed?" link and write the reason, e.g. "They already hold the qualifying degree." The reason prints on the plan as a visible decision. |
| The participant's completed education level is not recorded | Every route would start from zero. Add it from the profile header. |
| A goal the participant marked Not interested | It cannot be signed. Talk it through or take it out. |
Unsure does not block signing. Goals the participant is unsure about start unticked in the dialog — hesitation is a reason to talk, not a default signature. You can tick one to include it anyway.
You will also be warned, without being blocked, if a goal has no step yet, or if you are sending more than three goals. Agreed plans usually commit to one to three and keep the rest on the working list.
Send it
- Press the send button at the foot of the Goals column.
- Tick the goals you have agreed on. The participant signs exactly this list.
- Optionally fill in the five written fields: when you will look at this again, anything that might stand in the way and the support agreed, who provides that support, your summary of the discussion, and how you will both know it is working.
- Press Send n goals for signing.
The review date cannot be in the past. Leaving a field untouched keeps whatever it said before — it does not blank it.
What happens on their side
The participant sees a banner — "Your plan is ready to sign" — in their Counseling Center, reads the whole document, and signs at the end. They sign in their own language.
Signing is typing their own full name. There is no drawn signature and no uploaded file: they type their name, it has to match, and then the button enables. They can also add a statement in their own words, which prints on the plan exactly as written.
They have a second option: "Let's talk about it first". That is not a refusal — it withdraws the proposal and sends you a message titled "About the proposed plan" saying what they want to discuss.
Tell them it is waiting
No email is sent when a plan is ready to sign. The participant gets an in-app notification and nothing else. If they are not in the habit of opening the platform, say something in your next contact — otherwise a plan can sit unsigned for weeks.
After seven days the counselor view starts telling you how long it has been waiting, and suggests asking whether they have questions.
You can also take it back at any time with Take vn back from signing.
What signing does to the rest of the board
When a version is signed, everything still in Suggestions or The shortlist is set aside — marked as not part of this agreement, with the reason recorded.
They are parked, not deleted. They can be brought back at your review session.
Related
- Your Counseling Desk — the whole surface this sits on
- The plan document — what gets produced
- Revising a signed plan — changing it afterwards
- Working on the Planning Board — where goals come from