Preferred Names
The Preferred Name field in FuseSign allows you to address recipients by their preferred name instead of their full or legal name in certain communications.
This can make correspondence more personal while still using the contact’s full name where it is legally or professionally required.
What is the Preferred Name Field?
The Preferred Name is an optional contact field that, when populated, is used in certain communications and displays within FuseSign.
If left blank, FuseSign will continue to use the contact’s Name field. For places where FuseSign specifically uses First Names (e.g. email greetings) then the First Name will be calculate from the Name field.
The Preferred Name field will be used as entered. Surnames will not be merged into this field unless explicitly entered.
Where Preferred Name Is Used
If a contact has a Preferred Name, this will be displayed on all system communications to that contact. This includes:
Email greetings – e.g., “Hi Bill” instead of “Hi William” (if an Email Greeting Type is enabled)
Signer UI – e.g., “Hi Bill, Start Signing”
If a Preferred Name is not set, these areas will default to the contact’s Name field.
Where Preferred Name Is Not Used
To maintain legal and compliance requirements, the contact’s Name (typically a full name) is used in:
Signature placeholders
Audit logs (full name is primary; Preferred Name appears only in the “Document Signers” section for reference)
Recipient list in bundle configuration
Searching for Contacts by Preferred Name
You can search for a contact by either their Name or Preferred Name when adding recipients to a bundle or searching the Contact List.
For example, if a contact record is:
Name: William Smith
Preferred Name: Bill
Searching William, Smith, or Bill will return the contact.
How to Add a Preferred Name to a Contact
For Manual Contacts
Edit or create a manual contact record in FuseSign > Contacts
Enter the Preferred Name in the dedicated field (optional).
Save the contact.
For Synced Contacts
Preferred Name sync for Synced Contacts is not enabled by default. Please reach out to support@fuse.work to enable this feature for your business.
Once enabled, FuseSign will import the Preferred Name for a contact from the mapped field in your integration platform (see table below).
Synced contacts are read-only in FuseSign, so Preferred Names for these contacts must be updated in the source platform.
Integration Platform | Field Used for Preferred Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|
XPM | Salutation | This field belongs to client Contact Records in XPM. |
APS | cltSalutation | – |
MYOB | - | Currently not supported; contact support to express interest |
FYI Elite | Salutation | |
CSV Import | PreferredName |
For External Contacts
Preferred Names are not currently supported for External contacts (e.g., from BGL, FYI Docs, etc.). Please contact support to express interest.
Identifying Recipients with a Preferred Name
When a recipient in a bundle has a Preferred Name, they will be identified by with a tag icon in the bundle configuration and review screens.
Preferred names will also be visible in your Contact list, if they exist, by default.
Need Help?
If you’d like to enable Preferred Name syncing for Synced contacts, please contact our support team at support@fuse.work.