The short answer: If a transaction is stuck because a requirement wasn't fulfilled, you can use Force Complete to move it forward — but it cannot be undone. Transactions uploaded by a signer (retail transactions) cannot be force-completed; those must be restarted with a new upload.
What is Force Complete?
Force Complete is a tool for organization owners and admins when a transaction gets stuck because the Proof platform can't recognize all requirements as completed. This can happen for a few reasons:
- One signer on a multi-signer Sign transaction didn't complete all their assigned fields.
- A signer finished a notarization but never signed the included eNote.
- One signer on a multi-signer transaction didn't attend their meeting, while the other signer completed theirs.
What happens when you force complete
Before you proceed: force-complete cannot be reversed or undone. Here's what changes in the system when you use it:
- The action is logged in the transaction Activity Log.
- Any associated eNotes are finalized in their current state.
- Documents completed this way will display a "rejected" status.
1. Go to Transactions
Select Transactions from the navigation menu on the left.
2. Find and open the transaction
Locate the stuck transaction and select it to open.
3. Open transaction actions
Select Transaction actions in the upper right corner of the Transaction details page.
4. Select Force Complete
Choose Force complete from the dropdown menu.
5. Review and enter a reason
Read through the warnings carefully, then type your reason for force completing the transaction.
6. Confirm
Select Force complete again to confirm. A confirmation message will appear if it was successful.
What updates automatically
Once confirmed, the following changes happen right away:
-
Transaction status updates based on type:
- Notarizations: Complete with rejections
- Sign transactions: Complete
- The signer's status updates to Complete.
- The outcome is recorded in the Activity Log.
If Force Complete Stops at the First Document
If the signer passed Proof ID verification, they received a personal signing certificate automatically. Proof won't apply that certificate without the signer present, and Force Complete runs with no signer in the session. If the signer signed some documents with their certificate, every Force Complete attempt stops at the first document. Choose one of these options:
Option A: The signer comes back and finishes signing +
Ask the signer to return to the transaction and finish signing. Their certificate is applied with their consent.
Option B: Send the unfinished documents again +
Send the unfinished documents again as a new transaction.
Summary Checklist
- Confirm the transaction was not uploaded by a signer — if it was, start a new transaction instead.
- Confirm you're an owner or admin for the organization that sent the transaction.
- Understand that force-complete cannot be undone.
- Navigate to the transaction via Transactions in the left nav.
- Use Transaction actions → Force complete, enter a reason, and confirm.
- Verify the transaction status updated correctly in the Activity Log.
- If Force Complete stops at the first document, ask the signer to finish signing or send the unfinished documents again as a new transaction.
Updated