How Consent Forms Work
Understand templates vs instances, what gets stored, and what changes after signing.
Digital consent forms in TatTool are based on two concepts:
- Templates – reusable consent form designs you build once and reuse
- Consent forms – an instance created for one booking/consultation and one client
The Lifecycle (End-To-End)
- You create a template in Extensions → Digital Consent Forms.
- You create a consent form instance from a booking/consultation → Consent tab.
- The client opens the link (or scans a QR code) and fills out the form.
- When the client signs/submits, TatTool generates a locked PDF, encrypts it, and stores it securely.
- The consent form either becomes Awaiting approval for staff review, or goes directly to Approved if auto-verify is enabled in consent settings.
Templates vs Instances (Important)
Templates are reusable. Instances are tied to:
- A specific booking/consultation (the appointment)
- A specific client
- A unique public link token
Key concept
TatTool stores the signed result as an encrypted PDF. That PDF is the record you keep.
Locked PDF After Signing
When a client signs/submits:
- The form becomes a locked PDF snapshot
- The PDF is stored encrypted
- The instance status changes from Pending → Awaiting approval by default
- If Auto-verify signed consent forms is enabled, the status changes from Pending → Approved
Signed consent forms are not editable and cannot be re-signed. If you need a new version, create a new consent form instance.
Storage must be configured
Signing generates and uploads an encrypted PDF. If your deployment’s secure storage (S3) is not configured, clients won’t be able to submit the form.
Client Link Behavior
Each consent form instance has a unique public link like:
/consent/<token>
The link is fillable only while the status is Pending. After submission, the page shows an “Awaiting approval”, “Approved”, or “Rejected” state instead of the form.
When auto-verify makes sense
Auto-verify is useful for low-review forms, for example a consent structure with only informational text and a signature field at the end, with no question inputs that staff need to review manually.