Capture Feedback and Automate Follow-Ups With Declined Documents

When families don't move forward with enrollment paperwork, it's important to understand why. The Decline Documents feature in Enrollio helps you capture structured feedback when a contract or agreement isn't accepted. Parents can formally decline documents with a reason, and you can mark them as declined to keep your records accurate.

In this guide, you'll learn how to use the decline option, set up automations, customize email templates, and track all declined documents for better follow-up.

What is the Decline Documents Feature?

The Decline Documents feature applies to contracts, enrollment agreements, and other documents you create and share through the Documents & Contracts tool in Enrollio. Instead of leaving a document unsigned, parents can formally decline it by selecting a predefined reason or adding custom notes. You can also mark a document as declined to keep your records current.

Once a document is declined, its status changes to Declined and it automatically moves to the Archived section. It can no longer be signed, but remains stored with complete historical details—who declined it, when, and why. This gives you actionable insights and helps you follow up more effectively.

Key Benefits

The Decline Documents feature removes uncertainty and creates opportunities for better communication with prospective families:

• Clear parent feedback: Collect predefined reasons or custom notes when a document is declined
• Automation triggers: Set up actions like notifications, follow-up tasks, or nurture campaigns when status = Declined
• Accurate tracking: Automatically archive declined items and view complete decline history
• Personalized communication: Use decline reasons and notes in your email templates
• Operational efficiency: Eliminate guesswork and keep your enrollment pipeline organized

How Parents Decline a Document

Parents have a simple way to decline a document you've sent them. This ensures you receive accurate feedback directly from families.

Parent's view:

1. Open the document link you sent
2. Click Decline Document from the top-right menu
3. Select a predefined reason or add a custom note
4. Submit the decline action

[SCREENSHOT: Parent view of document with Decline Document button highlighted in top-right menu]

[SCREENSHOT: Decline reason selection modal showing predefined options and custom note field]

How You Mark a Document as Declined

You can mark documents as declined after sending them, especially when a parent tells you by phone or text that they're not moving forward. Recording the outcome ensures accurate tracking across all your enrollment records.

To mark a document as declined:

1. Go to Documents & Contracts in Enrollio
2. Locate the document under Waiting for others
3. Click the three-dot menu next to the document
4. Select Mark as Declined
5. Add a reason or custom note to document why

[SCREENSHOT: Documents & Contracts list view with three-dot menu open showing Mark as Declined option]

[SCREENSHOT: Mark as Declined modal with reason field]

Set Up Automations for Declined Documents

Automations ensure declined documents trigger the right actions automatically. You can send notifications to your team, assign follow-up tasks, or start a re-engagement campaign when a family declines.

To create a declined document automation:

1. Go to Automations and create a new automation
2. Add a trigger: Documents & Contracts → Status → Declined
3. Define what happens next:
   • Send a notification to your enrollment team
   • Create a follow-up task to call the family
   • Start a nurture sequence to re-engage them
   • Update the enrollment opportunity status

[SCREENSHOT: Automation builder showing Documents & Contracts status trigger set to Declined]

Use Decline Data in Email Templates

You can personalize your follow-up emails by including the specific reason a family declined. This makes your outreach more relevant and shows you're paying attention to their concerns.

To add decline data to an email template:

1. Open the Email Builder
2. Create or edit a template
3. Click the Custom Values dropdown
4. Navigate to Documents & Contracts
5. Select either:
   • Document Decline Reasons: Inserts the specific reason chosen
   • Document Decline Reasons Body: Inserts any detailed notes provided

These values pull the actual feedback from the decline action directly into your emails, making your messages feel tailored to each family's situation.

[SCREENSHOT: Email Builder with Custom Values dropdown open, highlighting Documents & Contracts decline fields]

Track Declined Documents

Declined documents automatically move to the Archived section where they can no longer be signed. A detailed decline history shows you who declined, when it happened, and their reason or notes.

To view declined document history:

1. Go to Documents & Contracts → Archived
2. Find the document you want to review
3. Click the three-dot menu
4. Select View History
5. Review all details of the decline action

This complete visibility helps you make data-driven decisions about follow-up strategies and understand why families aren't moving forward.

[SCREENSHOT: Archived documents list showing declined status]

[SCREENSHOT: Document history modal showing decline details including timestamp, reason, and notes]

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What happens when a document is declined?
Its status changes to Declined, it moves to Archived, and all decline details are logged for your records.

Q: Can parents provide custom feedback?
Yes, they can select from predefined reasons you set up or add their own custom notes.

Q: How do I view decline history?
Go to Documents & Contracts → Archived, open the document, and click View History.

Q: Can automations be triggered when a document is declined?
Yes, set up an automation trigger for Documents & Contracts → Status → Declined.

Q: Can I mark documents as declined myself?
Yes, you can mark documents as declined after sending them to accurately record the outcome.

Q: How do the email custom values work?
The values {{Document Decline Reasons}} and {{Document Decline Reasons Body}} pull the selected reasons and notes directly into your email templates.