Workflow Automation with Electronic Signatures

Digital document workflows and electronic signature technology can save hundreds of hours a year in contract management. If your organisation is still creating documents from scratch and then relying on signers in a workflow to manually forward the document to the next signer, it might be time for an upgrade.

With a best-in-class system, an automated document signature workflow is easy to set up. Once it’s ready, any approved user can create a new document by entering key details into a form. The document is then automatically sent to the first person who needs to sign off, and to each subsequent person once a signature is received. It will also create a record of who signed and at what time, so you will always know a document’s status.

Workflow automation with electronic signatures

Bulk document distribution for signatures

You don’t compose your organisation’s most important documents by hunting and pecking, one key at a time. So why distribute them one recipient at a time? The right digital document management system has the ability to send to hundreds or even thousands of recipients at once. It will also allow you to authenticate each user via SMS, email, or phone. Each document will have a record made at each step of the process, from opening to signing. And once the signing process is complete, a copy of the final document will be sent to the recipient and stored internally.

Bulk document distribution is essential for streamlining workflows. Here are just a few examples of processes that will benefit from bulk distribution:

• HR notices that require acknowledgement
• Sending promotional offers to multiple organisations
• Distributing tenant forms

Create documents faster with templates 

Not every document needs to be a unique work of art. In fact, it’s usually better if they aren’t. To save time and money, skip to the end of the line with a template. The right electronic signature system should provide you with a large library of document templates.

Templates make document drafting quick and easy. All you need to do is customise a few key fields and you’re ready for signing. A few examples of template use cases are:

• Statement of Work (SOW)
• Non Disclosure Agreement
• Nonprofit event budget approval requests
• Attorney legal engagement letters
• HR department COVID-19 declaration of symptoms

Automate payment collection 

What if you could get paid for a deal as soon as the contract was signed? A best-in-class electronic signature system can incorporate an online payment processor to include the option to proceed directly to payment. It will also automate reminder emails to make sure your customers remember to pay on time. 

With the right electronic signature and electronic payment combination, signers can pay immediately with credit cards, debit cards, ACH payments, SEPA payments, Apple Pay or Google Pay. You are also able to configure which payment types you accept depending on your business needs.

Leverage platform integrations 

A best-in-class digital document management system does not exist in a vacuum. It is set up to seamlessly integrate with dozens of useful applications and systems to allow you to consolidate data and take action no matter which application or system you’re currently using. With the right system in place, you can:

• Integrate with Microsoft products to allow you to conduct business from within your favourite Microsoft applications, including Outlook, Word, and SharePoint 
• Integrate with Salesforce to distribute, sign, and manage sales agreements without leaving Salesforce
• Integrate with Google to sign, send, and manage documents with the Google products you are already using

See how DocuSign offers pre-built integrations with over 350 commonly used business systems and tools including Salesforce, Microsoft, Oracle, Google, Slack, SAP and more. 

Learn from the experts

With these six upgrades in place, you will have more time to move mountains a little faster.