# Update a template (/docs/api-reference/sign-templates/update-sign-template)

Changes the fields given. `documents`, `roles` and `fields` each replace the whole list. Requests already made from it don't change.

`PATCH https://api.coss.com/v1/sign/templates/{id}`

Authenticate with your API key as a bearer token (`Authorization: Bearer coss_test_…`). Responses are JSON with snake_case fields; errors are `{ error: { type, code, message, param?, issues?, request_id } }` (https://coss.com/docs/api-reference/errors.md).

## Path parameters

- `id` (string, required): The template's id.

## Request body

- `name` (string, 1-200 characters)
- `title` (string | null, 1-200 characters): Requests' title (a request may set its own). Default: `name`.
- `message` (string | null, at most 5000 characters): Requests' message to signers (a request may set its own).
- `signing_order` ("parallel" | "sequential")
- `documents` (object[], at most 10 items)
  - One of (1):
    - `document_id` (string, required): An uploaded document.
  - One of (2):
    - `filename` (string, required, 1-255 characters): The file's name, ending in `.pdf`.
    - `content` (string, required, at least 1 character): The PDF's bytes, base64-encoded (at most 25 MB decoded).
- `roles` (object[], at most 20 items): Who signs: each request names one signer per role.
  - `key` (string, required): The role's key, e.g. `client`.
  - `name` (string, required, 1-100 characters): Shown in the builder, e.g. `Client`.
- `fields` (object[], at most 500 items): Each role's fields, by position or text anchor (resolved when saved). A template can be used once every role has a `signature` field.
  - One of (1):
    - `type` ("signature" | "initials" | "date_signed" | "name" | "email" | "text" | "checkbox", required): `signature` and `initials` take the signer's adopted signature, `date_signed` is filled with the signing date, `name` and `email` with the signer's, `text` and `checkbox` by the signer.
    - `required` (boolean): Default `true`. A signer can't finish with a required field empty.
    - `label` (string, 1-100 characters): Shown to the signer.
    - `document` (integer, at least 0): Index of the document in `documents` (default 0).
    - `page` (integer, required, at least 1): 1-based page number.
    - `x` (number, required, at least 0): Left edge, in PDF points from the page's left.
    - `y` (number, required, at least 0): Top edge, in PDF points from the page's top.
    - `width` (number, required)
    - `height` (number, required)
    - `role` (string, required): The role's key, e.g. `client`.
    - `merge_key` (string): `text` fields only: filled from the request's `merge_fields[merge_key]` (shown to the signer, not editable). Without a value, the signer fills it.
  - One of (2):
    - `type` ("signature" | "initials" | "date_signed" | "name" | "email" | "text" | "checkbox", required): `signature` and `initials` take the signer's adopted signature, `date_signed` is filled with the signing date, `name` and `email` with the signer's, `text` and `checkbox` by the signer.
    - `required` (boolean): Default `true`. A signer can't finish with a required field empty.
    - `label` (string, 1-100 characters): Shown to the signer.
    - `anchor` (string, required): Place the field over every occurrence of this text in the documents (e.g. `{{signature:signer_1}}`).
    - `width` (number): Default: the anchor text's width.
    - `height` (number): Default: the anchor text's height.
    - `offset_x` (number): Points to move it right.
    - `offset_y` (number): Points to move it down.
    - `role` (string, required): The role's key, e.g. `client`.
    - `merge_key` (string): `text` fields only: filled from the request's `merge_fields[merge_key]` (shown to the signer, not editable). Without a value, the signer fills it.

## Example request

TypeScript (the `coss` package):

```ts
import { Coss } from "coss";

const coss = new Coss({
  apiKey: process.env.COSS_API_KEY,
  baseUrl: "https://api.coss.com",
});

const { data, error } = await coss.sign.templates.update("stpl_01k7c8m4q2f3e9v6t5r1n0p8yz", {
  name: "Mutual NDA (2026)",
});
```

HTTP:

```sh
curl -X PATCH "https://api.coss.com/v1/sign/templates/stpl_01k7c8m4q2f3e9v6t5r1n0p8yz" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $COSS_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
  "name": "Mutual NDA (2026)"
}'
```

## Response 200

The template.

- `object` ("sign_template", required)
- `id` (string, required)
- `name` (string, required)
- `title` (string | null, required)
- `message` (string | null, required)
- `signing_order` ("parallel" | "sequential", required)
- `documents` (object[], required)
  - `id` (string, required)
  - `filename` (string, required)
  - `sha256` (string, required)
  - `page_count` (integer, required)
  - `pages` (object[], required)
    - `width` (number, required): In PDF points (1/72 inch).
    - `height` (number, required)
- `roles` (object[], required)
  - `key` (string, required)
  - `name` (string, required)
- `fields` (object[], required)
  - `id` (string, required)
  - `role` (string, required)
  - `document_id` (string, required)
  - `type` ("signature" | "initials" | "date_signed" | "name" | "email" | "text" | "checkbox", required)
  - `page` (integer, required)
  - `x` (number, required)
  - `y` (number, required)
  - `width` (number, required)
  - `height` (number, required)
  - `required` (boolean, required)
  - `label` (string | null, required)
  - `merge_key` (string | null, required)
- `ready` (boolean, required): It has documents and every role has a `signature` field, so requests can be made from it.
- `sandbox` (boolean, required)
- `created_at` (string, required, date-time)
- `updated_at` (string, required, date-time)

Example:

```json
{
  "object": "sign_template",
  "id": "stpl_01k7c8m4q2f3e9v6t5r1n0p8yz",
  "name": "Mutual NDA",
  "title": null,
  "message": null,
  "signing_order": "parallel",
  "documents": [
    {
      "id": "sdoc_01k7c8m4q2f3e9v6t5r1n0p8yz",
      "filename": "nda.pdf",
      "sha256": "9f2c6c0f0e1d4b7a8c5e3f2a1b0c9d8e7f6a5b4c3d2e1f0a9b8c7d6e5f4a3b2c",
      "page_count": 1,
      "pages": [
        {
          "width": 612,
          "height": 792
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "roles": [
    {
      "key": "client",
      "name": "Client"
    }
  ],
  "fields": [
    {
      "id": "stfld_01k7c8m4q2f3e9v6t5r1n0p8yz",
      "role": "client",
      "document_id": "sdoc_01k7c8m4q2f3e9v6t5r1n0p8yz",
      "type": "signature",
      "page": 1,
      "x": 72,
      "y": 640,
      "width": 160,
      "height": 30,
      "required": true,
      "label": null,
      "merge_key": null
    }
  ],
  "ready": true,
  "sandbox": false,
  "created_at": "2026-10-26T15:04:05.000Z",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-26T15:04:05.000Z"
}
```

## Errors

- `400`: The body is not valid JSON (`invalid_json`). Also when the `Coss-Version` header names an unknown API version (`invalid_api_version`).
- `401`: The API key is missing, invalid, revoked or expired (`authentication_error`).
- `403`: The API key lacks the permission this endpoint needs (`permission_error`), or its organization is suspended (`organization_suspended`).
- `404`: No template with this id exists in the API key's environment (`not_found`).
- `413`: The request body is larger than 40 MB (`payload_too_large`).
- `422`: The body failed validation (`validation_error`), a document isn't a PDF coss.com can read (`invalid_document`) or isn't in the environment (`not_found`), a field doesn't fit or names an unknown role or anchor (`invalid_fields`), or a role is listed twice (`invalid_signers`).
- `429`: Too many requests with this API key (`rate_limited`), or too many requests with invalid keys from this address (`too_many_failed_authentications`). Retry after `Retry-After` seconds. Successful responses carry `RateLimit-Limit`, `RateLimit-Remaining` and `RateLimit-Reset` (seconds until the limit is fully restored).
- `500`: Unexpected server error (`api_error` / `internal_error`).
- `503`: Sign isn't available in this deployment yet (`sign_unavailable`).