DocSignerHub
Complete User Guide & FAQ

Everything You Need to Get Started

Step-by-step instructions for every feature — from creating your account to downloading signed certificates. No jargon, no guessing.

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Jump to:01. Create Your02. Set Up03. Send a04. How Signers05. Track Envelope06. Download Signed07. Use &08. In-App Notifications09. Signer Contacts10. Subscription &11. Resend &12. Webhooks &13. Security &FAQs
Step-by-Step Guide

How to Use DocSignerHub

Follow these steps in order for the smoothest experience. Each section is self-contained — jump to any step using the navigation bar above.

STEP 01

Create Your Account

Register in under 30 seconds — no credit card needed.

  1. 1Navigate to the home page and click Get Started Free or go to /register.
  2. 2Enter your full name, email address, and a strong password.
  3. 3You will receive an email verification link — click it to activate your account.
  4. 4Once verified, log in and you will land on your dashboard.
💡 Tip:

If the verification email does not arrive within 2 minutes, check your spam folder or use the Resend link on the login page.

STEP 02

Set Up Your Merchant Account

Your Merchant account is the signing identity tied to every envelope you send.

  1. 1From the dashboard, click Merchant in the left sidebar.
  2. 2Fill in your business or personal name and save.
  3. 3You will receive an API Key — this is used to authenticate all API calls and is shown in the dashboard.
  4. 4Your subscription plan controls how many envelopes you can send. The Free plan gives you a fixed monthly credit.
  5. 5To upgrade, go to Merchant → Subscription and pick a plan.
💡 Tip:

Keep your API Key private. If compromised, regenerate it immediately from the Merchant page.

STEP 03

Send a Signing Envelope

An Envelope groups your documents and signers into a single tracked workflow.

  1. 1Click Send Envelope from the dashboard or sidebar.
  2. 2(Optional) Pick a pre-built template by clicking Start from a Template at the top of the form. The envelope title and signers will auto-populate.
  3. 3Enter an Envelope Title that identifies the agreement (e.g. "Employment Contract — Alice Smith").
  4. 4Upload one or more documents (PDF, DOC, or DOCX — up to the size limit shown).
  5. 5Add each signer: type their email (auto-complete will suggest your saved contacts), then confirm their name and role (e.g. Employee, Client).
  6. 6Optionally set a Signing Order — signers with order 1 are emailed first; order 2 only receive their link after order 1 completes.
  7. 7Add a personal message for each signer (default: "Please review and sign the document.").
  8. 8Click Send Envelope. Each signer instantly receives a unique, tamper-proof signing link by email.
💡 Tip:

You can send up to the documents limit per envelope. Each signer gets their own unique token — they cannot see other signers' links.

STEP 04

How Signers Sign

Signers need no account — they click the link and sign on any device.

  1. 1The signer receives an email with a Sign Now button.
  2. 2They click the button and land on the signing portal — no login required.
  3. 3They review the document preview, then scroll to the signature section.
  4. 4They can draw their signature with a mouse/finger or type it in a handwriting-style font.
  5. 5Clicking Submit Signature triggers the stamping process — the signature image is embedded into the PDF and a SHA-256 hash is recorded.
  6. 6The signer receives a confirmation email with their signed copy attached.
  7. 7If a signer needs to reject the document, they click Reject and optionally provide a reason — the envelope is marked Rejected and the merchant is notified.
💡 Tip:

Signing links expire after 7 days. If a signer's link expires, use the **Resend Invitation** button on the envelope detail page.

STEP 05

Track Envelope Status

Monitor every signer's progress in real time from your dashboard.

  1. 1Go to Envelopes in the sidebar. Active envelopes are under the Active tab.
  2. 2Status badges tell you exactly where each envelope stands: Processing → Sent → Signed → Completed.
  3. 3Click View on any envelope to open the detail page.
  4. 4The detail page shows each signer's individual status (Pending / Signed / Rejected / Expired), the activity timeline, and all attached documents.
  5. 5Use the Resend Invitation button next to any Pending signer to re-send their link.
  6. 6To cancel an envelope still in progress, click Cancel Envelope at the top of the detail page.
💡 Tip:

The dashboard auto-refreshes every 30 seconds. You will also receive in-app notifications (bell icon) when a signer completes signing.

STEP 06

Download Signed Documents & Certificate

Once all signers complete, download the stamped documents and a Certificate of Completion.

  1. 1Completed envelopes appear under the Closed tab in the Envelopes list.
  2. 2Click Download to save the signed PDF.
  3. 3Click Certificate to download the PDF Certificate of Completion — this document lists every signer, their email, role, and the UTC timestamp of when they signed.
  4. 4You can also access these from the envelope detail page using the Certificate button in the header.
  5. 5The Certificate of Completion can be used as proof of execution in legal proceedings.
💡 Tip:

The Certificate is generated on-demand and always reflects the latest signing state of the envelope.

STEP 07

Use & Manage Templates

Templates save you time by pre-defining document signers and roles for repeated workflows.

  1. 1Go to Templates in the sidebar.
  2. 2Click New Template and enter a template name, description, and a default envelope title.
  3. 3Add signer rows — each row defines an email (with contact autocomplete), name, role, signing order, and a default personal message.
  4. 4Save the template. It will appear in the template picker when sending a new envelope.
  5. 5To use a template: on the Send Envelope page, click Start from a Template, pick the template, and click Apply. The form will auto-fill the title and all signers — you still attach your document(s).
  6. 6Edit or delete templates from the Templates page using the action buttons on each card.
💡 Tip:

Templates do not store documents — only the signer configuration. You always upload the actual file when sending.

STEP 08

In-App Notifications

The bell icon in the top bar keeps you informed of all signing activity.

  1. 1A red badge on the bell icon shows how many unread notifications you have.
  2. 2Click the bell to open the notification panel and see recent events.
  3. 3You are notified when: an envelope is sent, a signer completes signing, all signers complete (Completed), a signer rejects a document.
  4. 4Click Mark all as read to clear the badge.
  5. 5Each notification links directly to the relevant envelope detail page.
💡 Tip:

The bell polls for new notifications every 30 seconds automatically.

STEP 09

Signer Contacts

Your contacts book auto-builds from every envelope you send — saving you time on repeat signers.

  1. 1Every time you send an envelope, the signer's email, name, and role are automatically saved to your Contacts.
  2. 2When adding signers (in an envelope or template), type an email in the email field — matching contacts will appear in a dropdown.
  3. 3Select a contact to auto-fill the name and role fields.
  4. 4Manage your contacts manually from Settings → Signer Contacts: add, edit, or deactivate contacts.
💡 Tip:

Contacts are scoped to your user account and are not shared with other merchants.

STEP 10

Subscription & Credits

Each envelope sent uses one credit from your plan's monthly allowance.

  1. 1Your current plan and credits remaining are shown on the Dashboard (Credits Remaining card) and the Merchant page.
  2. 2When you reach 0 credits, sending new envelopes is blocked until the next billing cycle or an upgrade.
  3. 3To upgrade or change plans, go to Merchant → Subscription and select a tier.
  4. 4Cancelled envelopes do not refund credits.
💡 Tip:

If you need unlimited sends, look for a plan with a 0 request limit — this is treated as "unlimited" in the platform.

STEP 11

Resend & Cancel Envelopes

Forgot a signer or need to start over? You have full control.

  1. 1To resend a signing invitation: open the envelope detail page, find the signer with Pending status, and click Resend Invitation.
  2. 2A fresh signing link is emailed to the signer — the old link is not revoked (both are valid until expiry).
  3. 3To cancel an envelope: click Cancel Envelope from the detail page header. This works for envelopes in Processing, Sent, or Signed state.
  4. 4Cancelled envelopes move to the Closed tab with status Cancelled — they cannot be reactivated.
💡 Tip:

You cannot cancel an already Completed or Rejected envelope.

STEP 12

Webhooks & API Integration

Integrate DocSignerHub into your own systems using the REST API and webhook events.

  1. 1Your API Key is shown in the Merchant page. Include it as `X-Api-Key: ` header on all API requests.
  2. 2Full API documentation is available at /docs.
  3. 3Register a webhook from Settings → Webhooks: enter your endpoint URL and select the events you want (envelope.sent, envelope.signed, envelope.completed, etc.).
  4. 4Each webhook delivery is retried up to 3 times with exponential backoff if your endpoint returns a non-2xx response.
  5. 5Test a webhook immediately using the Test button on the Webhooks page.
💡 Tip:

Validate the `X-Webhook-Signature` header on your endpoint to verify the payload is genuinely from DocSignerHub.

STEP 13

Security & Compliance

DocSignerHub is built with security-first architecture and eIDAS awareness.

  1. 1All documents are stored with AES-256 encryption. Signed documents include a SHA-256 content hash.
  2. 2Every signing action is recorded in an immutable audit log with IP address, user agent, and timestamp.
  3. 3Signing tokens are cryptographically signed (HMAC-SHA256) and expire after 7 days.
  4. 4Passwords are hashed with bcrypt. JWT tokens are short-lived and refreshed on activity.
  5. 5eIDAS Simple Electronic Signature (SES) level — suitable for most commercial and employment agreements.
  6. 6Admins can view the full audit log under Admin → Audit Logs.
💡 Tip:

For workflows requiring Advanced or Qualified Electronic Signatures (AdES/QES), contact support to discuss certificate-based signing options.

Frequently Asked Questions

Got Questions?

Quick answers to the most common questions about DocSignerHub.

Do signers need a DocSignerHub account?

No. Signers receive a unique link by email and can sign directly in their browser — no registration, no app download required.

What file formats are supported?

PDF, DOC, and DOCX. All formats are converted and stamped as PDF for the signed output.

How long does the signing link remain valid?

Signing links expire after 7 days. You can resend a fresh link any time from the envelope detail page.

Can I have multiple signers on one envelope?

Yes. You can add as many signers as needed. Use the Signing Order field to control the sequence — signer 2 will only receive their link after signer 1 completes.

What happens after all signers complete?

The envelope status moves to Completed. You get an in-app notification and email. The signed PDF and Certificate of Completion are immediately available to download.

Is the signed document legally binding?

Yes. DocSignerHub produces eIDAS Simple Electronic Signatures (SES). Each signed document includes the signer's name, timestamp, IP address, and a cryptographic hash — forming a complete audit trail.

What is the Certificate of Completion?

A PDF document generated by the platform that summarises the envelope: title, envelope ID, merchant name, and a signatory table showing each signer's name, email, role, status, and the UTC timestamp they signed. It serves as proof of execution.

Can I cancel an envelope after sending?

Yes, as long as the envelope is still in Processing, Sent, or Signed state. Once Completed or Rejected, cancellation is not possible.

How do templates work?

Templates store a signer configuration (names, emails, roles, signing order) that you can apply to new envelopes instantly. They do not store documents — you still upload the file each time you send.

How do I integrate DocSignerHub into my own application?

Use the REST API with your X-Api-Key. Full documentation is at /docs. You can also register webhooks to receive real-time event notifications to your own endpoint.

What if a signer rejects the document?

The envelope is marked Rejected and you receive an in-app notification and email with the signer's reason. You can review the rejection on the envelope detail page. To restart, send a new envelope.

Is my data encrypted?

Yes. All documents are stored encrypted at rest. Signing tokens are cryptographically signed and expire. All activity is recorded in an immutable audit log.

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