Overview
Most clubs need every member to agree to something before they take part — a liability waiver, a code of conduct, a photo-release, a medical consent. Membership Waivers let you write those documents once and have your members read and sign them online, with the signature, the exact wording they agreed to, and a full audit trail recorded against their membership.
There are two parts to it:
- Write the waiver — author a reusable waiver template on the Waivers page.
- Get it signed — either send the waiver to your existing members to sign, or add a "sign this waiver" field to your membership application form so new members sign as they join.
Signatures are captured with a simple draw-your-signature pad — no app, no printing, no scanning.
Who this is for: Clubs and associations on the Premium plan that want members to sign waivers online. (Riding schools have their own client-waiver tools — see Membership waivers vs client waivers.)
Key Features
- 📝 Reusable waiver templates — write once, use for everyone
- ✍️ Online signing — members draw their signature on any device
- 🧾 Sign at join or on request — add a waiver to your application form, or send it to existing members
- 🔒 Full audit trail — who signed, when, which version, from what device
- 👪 Guardian signing for minors — capture a parent/guardian signature where needed
- 🔁 Versioning — update a waiver and the wording each member agreed to is preserved exactly
Before You Begin
- Membership Waivers is a Premium feature. On a non-Premium plan you'll see a paywall: "Waivers is a Premium Feature — Premium subscription is just $5/month and includes all premium features." Upgrade from Organiser → Subscription (
/organiser/subscription). - You need Member Management enabled for your organisation (so there are members to record signatures against).
Riding-school clubs: if your organisation has the Riding School module enabled, the club Waivers menu item is hidden to avoid two "Waivers" links — you'll use the riding-school client waivers instead. See the comparison at the end of this guide.
Step 1: Write a Waiver Template
- Open the Organiser menu → Organisation → Waivers (
/organiser/waivers). - Under Waiver templates, click New Waiver Template (or Create Waiver Template if it's your first).
- Fill in the template:
| Field | Notes |
|---|---|
| Template Name (required) | For example, Membership Liability Waiver. |
| Description | A short note about what this waiver is for. |
| Waiver Type (required) | Choose from General Liability, Photo Release, Medical Consent, Code of Conduct, Equipment Use, or Other. |
| Waiver Content (required) | The full wording members read and agree to. Basic HTML is supported for formatting. |
| Requires annual renewal | When ticked, a signature expires 12 months after signing, so members re-sign each year. |
| Requires guardian signature for minors | When ticked, a parent/guardian signs on behalf of members under 18. |
| Active (available for signing) | Only active templates can be sent or signed. Untick to retire a waiver without deleting it. |
- Click Create Waiver (or Update Waiver when editing).
💡 Pro Tip: There's no separate "require this for membership" switch on the template — how a waiver gets required is up to you. You either send it to members (Step 2) or attach it to your application form (Step 3). Writing the template just makes it available to use.
Step 2: Send a Waiver to Your Members
Use this to collect signatures from members you already have.
- On the Waivers page, use the waiver's Send to members action.
- Horsify emails a secure, personal signing link to members who don't already hold a current signature for that waiver.
- You'll get a summary of what happened — for example "Sent X · skipped (no email) Y · failed Z."
Members who have no email address on file are skipped (there's nowhere to send the link) — you can see those in the summary and collect their signature another way.
You can also send or resend to one member at a time from their Waiver history (see Tracking who has signed).
⚠️ Good to know — updating a waiver doesn't automatically re-collect signatures. Editing a template's wording creates a new version, but it does not invalidate members' existing signatures or automatically ask them to sign again — and a bulk Send to members skips anyone who already holds a valid signature, even of an older version. If you change a waiver and need everyone to re-sign the new wording, that's a deliberate step: contact support or send fresh individual requests, as re-signing isn't forced automatically.
Step 3: Collect a Signature on Your Application Form
Use this so new members sign as they apply — the tidiest option, because the signature is captured at the moment they join.
- Open your membership application form builder.
- Add a field of type "Waiver (sign)" — described in the builder as "Applicant reads and signs a waiver inline — recorded against their membership."
- In the field's settings, choose the waiver under "Waiver to sign". The helper text reads: "The applicant reads this waiver and signs it inline. Their signature is recorded against their membership. A signable alternative to Conditions of Entry."
If you haven't written a waiver yet, the field tells you: "No active waiver templates yet. Create one under Organisation → Waivers first, then add this field."
What happens on approval
When an applicant signs the waiver on your form, the signature is held against their application. The moment you approve the application and their member record is created, Horsify attaches the signed waiver to the new member automatically — so it shows up in their membership profile straight away, with nothing to re-sign.
What Members See When They Sign
Whichever way you collect it, signing is quick and works on a phone:
- From an emailed link, the member opens a secure page that says "As part of your membership with {your club}, please read and sign this waiver."
- They read the waiver, type their full legal name, draw their signature on the signature pad, tick "I have read and understood this waiver…", and press Sign & Submit Waiver (or Sign & Continue on an application form).
- For a member under 18 (when guardian signature is required), a parent/guardian signs on their behalf and records their relationship.
Signatures are drawn on Horsify's own built-in signature pad — there's nothing to install.
Tracking Who Has Signed
Per-member waiver history
Open Organiser → Members (/organiser/members). Each member row has a Waiver button with a Signed (green) or Pending (amber) badge. Click it to open Waiver history for that member, which has two sections:
- Signed waivers — each signed document with its version, the date/time, a status pill (Valid, Expired, or Superseded), who signed (with a Guardian badge if applicable), the IP address and device, and buttons to View document (the exact wording they agreed to) and View signature.
- Signature requests — every request you've sent, its status (Pending / Signed / Expired / Cancelled), the recipient email, and Resend / Cancel actions, plus a Send waiver request button.
Status meanings
- Valid — a current, in-date signature.
- Expired — the annual-renewal period has passed and the member should re-sign.
- Superseded — the member later signed the same waiver again, so this older signature is no longer the current one.
Note: there isn't a single club-wide "who hasn't signed" report page. You see coverage through the Signed / Pending badges on the members list and through the summary counts each time you use Send to members.
Best Practices
✅ Write the waiver before you need it. Create your template first, then decide whether to attach it to the application form, send it to members, or both.
✅ Prefer the application-form field for new members. Capturing the signature at join time means it transfers to the member automatically on approval — no chasing.
✅ Turn on annual renewal for liability waivers. If your insurer wants a yearly waiver, tick Requires annual renewal so signatures expire and you can re-collect each season.
✅ Keep an email on every member. Signing links are emailed — members with no email address are skipped, so tidy your member list first (see Importing and Adding Members).
✅ Re-word carefully. Editing wording creates a new version but doesn't force existing members to re-sign. If a change is material, plan how you'll re-collect signatures.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Issue: I can't see the Waivers menu
Possible Causes:
- Your organisation isn't on the Premium plan.
- Your organisation has the Riding School module enabled — the club Waivers link is hidden in that case (you'll use riding-school client waivers).
Solution: Upgrade to Premium from Organiser → Subscription, or, for riding schools, use the riding-school waiver tools.
Issue: A member didn't get their signing email
Possible Causes:
- The member has no email address on file (they're skipped, and shown in the send summary).
- The email is in spam, or the address has bounced.
Solution: Add or correct the member's email, then resend from their Waiver history → Send waiver request.
Issue: I updated a waiver but members still show as signed
Explanation: That's expected. Editing wording creates a new version but keeps existing signatures valid, and bulk send skips members who already hold a valid signature. To have everyone sign the new wording, send fresh individual requests or contact support.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Do members need a Horsify login to sign? A: No. A signing link opens a secure page they can use without logging in, and applicants sign inline as part of the application form.
Q: Is a typed name enough, or do they actually sign? A: Both — they type their full legal name and draw a signature on the signature pad.
Q: What happens to a waiver signed on an application form if I reject the application? A: The signature stays attached to the application. It's linked to a member only when you approve the application and the member record is created.
Q: Can a parent sign for a junior member? A: Yes, when the waiver has Requires guardian signature for minors ticked — the guardian signs and records their relationship. (Signing on behalf of separate dependant members isn't part of this version — the signature is recorded against the applying/primary member.)
Q: Can I see the exact wording a member agreed to, even after I change the waiver? A: Yes. Each signature stores a snapshot of the content and version as it was when signed — open View document in their waiver history.
Related Features
- Membership Applications — the public join form where you can require a waiver signature.
- Member Management — where each member's waiver status and history live.
- Importing and Adding Members — get members (and their emails) onto your roster so you can send waivers.
- Subscription Management — upgrade to Premium to unlock Waivers.
Support
Need help setting up membership waivers? We're here to help.
- In-app help: Click the Help link in the top navigation.
- Email: support@horsify.com.au
Write your waiver once, collect signatures online at join or on request, and keep a clean audit trail against every member — no paper, no scanning, no chasing.\n\n---\n\nSource: wiki/features/MEMBERSHIP_WAIVERS.md \nLast synced: 2026-09-07 11:51:44 UTC