zipForm 101: Getting Started with Transactions

BY WILLIAM THOMPSON, DIRECTOR OF TECHNOLOGY

Transactions (zipForm Edition) is the preferred transaction management system of NJ Realtors®. This Member Benefit includes the ability to create, fill out, and save all forms in the NJ Realtors® Library of Forms, access to unlimited e-Signature transactions, and more.

Accessing zipForm

NJ Realtors® has a single-sign-on integration with zipForm ensuring you only need one set of credentials for all NJ Realtors® benefits. To log in, go to njrealtor.com/zipform and click the “Log in to zipForm Plus!” button. If you’re not already logged in, you’ll be prompted to do so with your NJ Realtors® email address and password. If you’ve forgotten your password, or never created an account, you can use the “Forgot Password” tool to get started.

Create a Transaction

A transaction in zipForm is simply a collection of details and documents for one real estate transaction. Your first step should always be to create a transaction, which ensures changes are automatically saved. For most accounts, you will be brought to the transaction section by default, however, this can be changed in your account settings, where you’ll find a list of all transactions by their status i.e., active, pending, closed, or inactive. To create a new transaction, click on the “New” button in the second navigation bar, select the transaction type, and enter the basic details. For the transaction’s name, I recommend entering the client’s name and the street address; this field is meant to be an identifier for the transaction, and since working with the same client and even the same property is common, I recommend a combination of the two. Once saved, you’ll be brought to the summary page, which lists more in-depth property details that will be automatically populated as you fill out forms.

Completing Forms

Now it’s time to start completing the forms required in a transaction. From within a transaction, switch to the “Documents” tab on the second navigation bar. This area is for you to store any files pertaining to a transaction. Therefore, your first step will be to add the forms you wish to fill out, click on “Add Doc” in the third navigation bar, and select the “Add Form” menu option. This will open the form libraries side panel, where you can choose the appropriate library using the top drop-down menu and see a list of forms available. Click on the name of each form you’d like to include in your transaction, and they’ll be automatically added. Once you’re done adding forms, click anywhere outside the menu to close the form libraries panel and view the forms added. Click on the name of the form to open it for editing, I recommend starting with the longest form first (e.g., Contract of Sale or Residential Lease) since the fields you enter on one form will automatically populate in others. Page by page, you can enter the contract details into each editable field. zipForm will automatically save your progress, however, you can always click the “Save” button on the right side of the top bar to save on demand. Additionally, on the top bar, you’ll see options to print, download as PDF, and send for e-signature.

Quick Tip:

Upload documents completed outside of zipForm, such as a Seller Property Condition Disclosure Statement that is typically completed by hand. Select “Browse for Document” from the Add Doc menu options. Storing all transaction files in zipForm will ensure compliance with document retention policies and help keep you organized.

Sending for Signature

Using the new Authentisign service, sending for a signature is easier than ever. Once all forms are completed, click on “Prepare Signing,” and proceed to create a new signing session, click the “Add Participants” button, then “Add from Transaction” to select the signers. Once selected, click on each participant’s name to enter additional signer details (e.g., email address). All forms in the

NJ Realtors® Library of Forms are pre-mapped to each signer; however, if you’ve added any of your own documents, you can drag-and-drop signature, initials, date fields, and more by selecting the “Tools” panel from the right-side menu bar. Once prepared, click the “Next” button at the top-right to finalize and send. Once all participants have signed, you’ll receive an email with the final copy, which will automatically be saved to your zipForm transaction.

There’s so much you can do with Transactions (zipForm Edition), and we’ve only scratched the surface. Click on the help button at the top right and head to the Learning Center to see an extensive training calendar or watch helpful videos on the many features of zipForm.