Question 1

What can I build with the Verdocs API?

Accepted Answer

Verdocs lets developers build embedded eSignature and document workflow experiences directly inside their own applications. You can use Verdocs to create or import templates, map fields and roles, send envelopes for signature, embed signing flows, receive webhook updates, and route completed signed PDFs and audit trails back into your own system of record. Verdocs is especially useful for product teams that want eSignature to behave like a native product feature rather than a separate third-party signing portal.

Question 2

Is Verdocs designed for embedded/OEM eSignature use cases?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Verdocs is built for software companies, vertical SaaS platforms, ISVs, and OEM partners that want eSignature to ship as part of their own product — not as a separate signing portal users must visit. That includes platforms that bundle signing into a workflow, monetize it per envelope, or resell it under their own brand. Verdocs provides the APIs, SDKs, and multi-tenant organization model these business models require. For how signers experience embedded signing in your UI, see the Signer Experience & Embeds section below.

Question 3

Does Verdocs support multi-tenant SaaS platforms?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Verdocs is well suited for SaaS platforms that support multiple customers, workspaces, teams, or end clients. Developers can design workflows where each customer has its own templates, branding, roles, routing, and usage patterns while the host application remains the primary user experience. This is particularly valuable for insurance, financial services, legal, accounting, HR, real estate, and other document-heavy vertical platforms.

Question 4

Does Verdocs have a sandbox or test mode?

Accepted Answer

Verdocs does not use a separate API sandbox environment. Instead, the Basic Plan gives developers access to a production account with full access to most API capabilities, plus unlimited test documents. The Basic Plan includes 25 envelopes per month, 5 templates, webhooks, the web platform, Resource Owner API access, Verdocs Auth, customizable and hosted embeds, embeddable Fill & Sign, embedded search, embedded editor, embedded template preview, and the API Dashboard. KBA and SMS are add-ons that are generally enabled through a paid plan or sales-supported setup.

Question 5

How do I move from development to production?

Accepted Answer

Because Verdocs gives developers access to a production-capable account from the start, moving to production is less about migrating from a sandbox and more about completing your go-live checklist. Before launch, confirm your plan and envelope volume, finalize templates and field mappings, configure embedded signing and post-signing pages, choose your email notification strategy, validate webhook handling, enable any required recipient authentication methods such as SMS or KBA, and confirm where completed PDFs and audit trails will be stored in your application.

Question 6

What SDKs, OpenAPI specs, and developer tools are available?

Accepted Answer

Verdocs provides REST API documentation, an OpenAPI-powered API reference, JavaScript/TypeScript SDKs, Web Components, and framework-friendly front-end components for React, Angular, Vue, and vanilla JavaScript. The JavaScript/TypeScript SDKs are designed for both browser and server-side applications, and Verdocs' SDKs are open source under the MIT license. Developers should use the Developer Center for API reference material, guides, embeds, SDK documentation, and implementation examples.

Question 7

How does usage-based pricing work for API customers?

Accepted Answer

Verdocs is designed around usage-based pricing for software platforms and high-volume workflows. Rather than forcing every customer into seat-based pricing, Verdocs aligns cost to envelope consumption so teams can start small, scale usage over time, and preserve margin when bundling or monetizing eSignature inside their product. For software publishers that want to white-label or resell eSignature, Verdocs also supports platform pricing designed for partner and ISV business models.

Question 8

How do I get API credentials?

Accepted Answer

Create a Verdocs account and use the Developer Center and API Dashboard to start building. Verdocs provides Resource Owner API access, REST API documentation, SDKs, Web Components, and implementation guides for creating and sending templates, embedding signing, and receiving status updates. API credentials should be treated as server-side secrets and should not be exposed in client-side code.

Question 9

How do I authenticate server-to-server API calls?

Accepted Answer

Create an API key in the Developer Center or via the API, then exchange the key's client ID and secret for a short-lived bearer token using the OAuth2 client credentials grant. Send that token in the Authorization: Bearer header on subsequent REST calls. Treat client secrets as server-side credentials only — never embed them in browser code or mobile apps.

Question 10

How do I rotate API keys or webhook secrets without downtime?

Accepted Answer

Create or rotate a new API key, deploy the new client secret to your servers, verify traffic with the new credentials, then revoke the old key. For webhooks, generate a new HMAC secret in the webhook settings, deploy the verifier that accepts both secrets during a short overlap window, then remove the old secret. Rotate on the same cadence as database passwords and CI secrets.

Question 11

Are there API rate limits or upload size limits I should plan for?

Accepted Answer

Verdocs applies plan-level envelope quotas and platform upload limits (for example, multi-megabyte JSON bodies and per-file upload caps on documents and images). Webhook deliveries expect a quick 2xx response within a few seconds. Design integrations to backoff on errors, avoid tight polling loops, and upload large artifacts directly via supported document endpoints rather than inlining binary data in JSON.

Question 12

What is the difference between a user, profile, organization, and recipient?

Accepted Answer

A user is a login identity (email and password). A profile is that user's membership in one organization and determines which templates, envelopes, and settings your API token can see. A recipient is a signer, approver, CC, or preparer on a specific envelope — recipients do not need a Verdocs account to sign. Most API calls are scoped to the organization tied to your active profile, so mixing these concepts is the leading cause of "wrong data" bugs in integrations.

Question 13

Why do my API calls return templates or envelopes from the wrong organization?

Accepted Answer

This usually means your access token is scoped to a different active profile than you expect. Check which profile your API key or session is using, then switch profiles or create a key tied to the correct organization. See What is the difference between a user, profile, organization, and recipient? above for the underlying model. If you are building multi-tenant SaaS, see How should my SaaS map each customer to Verdocs? for the recommended tenant layout.

Question 14

How should my SaaS map each customer to Verdocs?

Accepted Answer

A proven pattern is one child organization per SaaS tenant under your parent platform organization. That isolates templates, branding, usage, and API credentials per customer while you retain parent-level visibility for billing and support. Avoid sending all customers' envelopes from a single shared org unless you intentionally want one shared template library and combined usage.

Question 15

How can I see envelope usage for billing my own customers?

Accepted Answer

Use the organization usage API to read metered activity for your org or child orgs. This helps ISVs reconcile Verdocs consumption with the usage-based fees they charge their own tenants. Combine usage data with entitlement_used webhooks if you need near-real-time dashboards inside your product.

Question 16

Why does Verdocs require a corporate email to sign up or invite teammates?

Accepted Answer

Verdocs enforces a corporate-email safeguard on self-service signup and certain invitation flows to reduce abuse, improve account recovery, and align with how B2B platforms onboard customers. Consumer mailbox domains are rejected. If your team legitimately uses a non-corporate domain, contact Verdocs support for onboarding options.

Question 17

What is the difference between a template and an envelope?

Accepted Answer

A template is a reusable definition: documents, field placements, roles, and default workflow settings. An envelope is a live signing transaction created from a template (or from ad hoc documents) with real recipients, values, and status. Think of templates as your product's "document type" library and envelopes as per-customer executions. Most production apps create envelopes programmatically while templates are authored once in the editor or via API.

Question 18

Can I send a document for signature without creating a template first?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You can create an envelope directly from uploaded PDF or DOCX files, define recipients and fields in the same request or via PDF tags, and send immediately. This is useful for one-off documents, mail-merge style generation, or systems that already produce the final PDF server-side. Templates remain the better choice when business users need a repeatable, governed document type.

Question 19

Does Verdocs support Word (DOCX) documents?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You can upload DOCX files to templates or envelopes and Verdocs converts them to PDF for signing and archival. The legally binding artifact remains a signed PDF, which is standard for eSignature compliance. Validate layout after conversion for complex Word formatting, and keep PDF as the source of truth for pixel-perfect legacy documents.

Question 20

What are dynamic tags or PDF tags for field placement?

Accepted Answer

Dynamic tags let you embed machine-readable placeholders in documents so Verdocs can place signature, initial, date, and text fields automatically at send time. This is ideal for server-generated contracts, mail merge, or documents that are poor fits for a visual template builder. Tags can reduce manual template maintenance when field positions are deterministic from your document generator.

Question 21

How do I prefill fields without removing the signer's ability to edit them?

Accepted Answer

Supply default values when creating the envelope or updating fields before signing begins. Defaults appear in the signer UI as starting values; unless a field is marked read-only in template settings, signers can still change them. Use read-only fields only for data your system must lock down (account numbers, calculated totals, system-generated clauses).

Question 22

When is an envelope actually finished and safe to download?

Accepted Answer

An envelope can show complete in the API or signing UI before cryptographically signed PDFs and the audit certificate are ready. After the last signer submits, Verdocs runs a background finalization step that stamps fields, applies PKI signatures, generates the certificate, and prepares download links. For production integrations, treat the envelope_completed webhook (or an explicit document download after that event) as the signal that signed artifacts are available — not the moment the signer sees a "done" screen.

Question 23

How does signing order work when I have multiple recipients?

Accepted Answer

Verdocs supports sequenced routing. Recipients in the same sequence may sign in parallel; the next sequence is invited only after everyone in the current sequence has submitted. Use sequence and order fields when creating recipients to model approver-then-signer flows, parallel co-signers, or CC/preparer roles. CC recipients are typically notified without blocking completion.

Question 24

How does Verdocs handle signed PDFs, audit trails, and certificates?

Accepted Answer

Completed Verdocs documents are designed to be legally binding, tamper-proof, and supported by a detailed audit trail. Verdocs electronic signatures are E-SIGN Act and UETA compliant, use PKI-based digital signatures, and include an audit log showing when and where a document was signed and by whom. Completed documents and certificates can include document, recipient, and event-history details, helping developers preserve the evidence package required for regulated document workflows.

Question 25

How do I verify a completed Verdocs PDF?

Accepted Answer

Verify the document in the desktop version of Adobe Acrobat or Adobe Acrobat Reader — not in a browser preview. Download the original PDF, open the Signatures panel, and expand the entry labeled Rev. 1: Signed by Verdocs, Inc. Acrobat should show a green checkmark confirming the signature is valid, the document has not been modified since signing, the signer's identity is valid, the signature includes an embedded timestamp, and the signature is LTV enabled. Select Certificate Details to review the certificate and trust chain; Acrobat should show a valid path through the Sectigo document-signing chain.

Question 26

Why doesn't the European Commission DSS validator show my Verdocs PDF as valid?

Accepted Answer

The European Commission DSS website is not the appropriate validation method for completed Verdocs PDFs. Verdocs applies an embedded document-signing certificate trusted through the Adobe Approved Trust List (AATL). Use Adobe Acrobat or Acrobat Reader to verify these documents instead.

Question 27

Why don't individual signer fields appear as separate certificate-backed signatures?

Accepted Answer

For completed Verdocs envelopes, the cryptographic verification point is the Verdocs digital certificate applied to the final PDF — not separate per-signer certificate entries in third-party validators. That certificate confirms the authenticity and integrity of the completed document and whether it has been altered since certification. Individual signer fields should not be expected to appear as separate certificate-backed signatures in tools like DSS.

Question 28

What can cause a Verdocs PDF to fail signature validation?

Accepted Answer

Always verify the original downloaded PDF from Verdocs. Printing the document to PDF, flattening it, or resaving it through another application can remove or disrupt the embedded validation information. If Acrobat still does not show a valid signature after reviewing the original file, contact Verdocs support with the exact PDF under review and your Adobe Acrobat version.

Question 29

Do my signers need Verdocs accounts?

Accepted Answer

No. Signers interact through invite links, embedded signing, or hosted signing flows using an envelope access key. They may receive a lightweight guest signing session without creating a password or joining your organization. Your own team members — the people building and sending envelopes — typically do need Verdocs users and profiles for the Developer Center and API automation.

Question 30

What recipient authentication options does Verdocs support?

Accepted Answer

You can require combinations of disclosure acceptance, private passcode, email OTP, SMS OTP, knowledge-based authentication (KBA), and additional identity checks depending on plan and configuration. Auth methods are configured per recipient on the envelope. Failed verification emits recipient_auth_fail webhooks so your support team can react. KBA and SMS are commonly enabled through paid plans or sales-supported setup rather than the self-serve Basic plan alone.

Question 31

Can a signer decline, delegate, or ask the sender a question?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Signers can decline disclosures or the envelope, delegate signing to another email address, and ask the sender a question without completing the envelope. Each action emits webhook events (recipient_declined, recipient_delegated, etc.) so your application can update CRM records, reopen internal review, or reissue the envelope. Design your UX and support playbooks around these branches — they are normal in regulated workflows.

Question 32

How do I run an in-person signing flow on a tablet or front desk?

Accepted Answer

Use the in-person signing link API to generate a session suitable for handing a device to a signer on site — common in real estate closings, branch banking, and clinic intake. Your staff member stays authenticated as the sender while the signer completes fields in a controlled device context. Pair this with embedded signing UI for the cleanest kiosk experience.

Question 33

Can my users sign documents without leaving my application?

Accepted Answer

Yes. With embedded signing, signers review, fill, and submit documents inside your application's pages — no redirect to a separate signing product. That keeps users in familiar navigation, preserves brand trust, and lets you control what happens before and after signing (prefill, validation, post-sign redirects). Implement embedded signing with Web Components, SDK helpers, or IFRAME embeds; see "What is the difference between embedded signing and hosted signing?" if you are choosing between in-app and hosted flows.

Question 34

What is the difference between embedded signing and hosted signing?

Accepted Answer

Embedded signing renders the signing experience inside your application using Web Components, SDK helpers, or IFRAME embeds, so users never leave your product shell. Hosted signing sends signers to a Verdocs-hosted signing URL (still brandable) via email or your own notification. Embedded signing maximizes UX continuity; hosted signing is faster to launch when you do not control the front end for every signer.

Question 35

When should I use Web Components versus IFRAME embeds?

Accepted Answer

Prefer Web Components in modern React, Vue, Angular, or vanilla apps — they offer tighter styling control and a more native feel. Use IFRAME embeds when your stack cannot load Web Components cleanly (some CMS platforms, legacy portals, or strict CSP environments). Both paths support branded signing; the tradeoff is integration flexibility versus hosting constraints.

Question 36

Does Verdocs support white-label branding?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Verdocs supports white-labeling, but it is important to think of white-labeling as a spectrum rather than a single on/off feature. In an embedded eSignature workflow, branding can touch multiple parts of the signer experience, including the disclosure acceptance flow, email notifications, signing interface, post-signing experience, completed documents, and digital certificate. Verdocs gives software platforms the flexibility to decide how much of the experience should be branded as their own. Some customers may only need an embedded signing flow that matches their application's UI. Others may want deeper control over signer-facing emails, redirect URLs, disclosure language, certificates, and the overall workflow. Verdocs is designed to support these different levels of white-labeling based on the needs of the platform, the use case, and the end-customer experience.

Question 37

What is no_contact, and when should I use it?

Accepted Answer

Set no_contact: true on an envelope when your application, not Verdocs, will send all signer-facing communications. This is common for embedded SaaS products that already email or push notifications from their own domain and template system. Verdocs still runs routing, signing, and completion, but you become responsible for delivering invite links and status updates. Listen for events such as recipient_invited and recipient_invite_failed to drive your own notification pipeline.

Question 38

Can I customize the emails and sender name signers see?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You can override sender display names, configure custom notification templates per event, and apply brand-level email identity as your white-label setup matures. For full control of delivery timing and copy, use no_contact and send notifications yourself. Even with Verdocs-sent email, branding fields and templates let the experience match your product voice.

Question 39

How do webhooks work, and which events are supported?

Accepted Answer

Webhooks are the recommended way to track envelope status — use them instead of aggressive API polling. Verdocs pushes events to your endpoint when signing activity occurs so you can update CRM records, trigger workflows, and retrieve completed PDFs and audit trails. At minimum, handle recipient_submitted, recipient_declined, envelope_completed, and recipient_auth_fail (if using recipient verification); also plan for sent, viewed, expired, canceled, and voided events as your integration matures. Reserve polling for admin dashboards or repair jobs only. Design consumers to be idempotent — delivery is at-least-once.

Question 40

How do I verify that a webhook really came from Verdocs?

Accepted Answer

Configure your webhook endpoint to require either an HMAC signature on the raw JSON body or OAuth client-credentials authentication where Verdocs fetches a bearer token from your token endpoint before delivery. HMAC is the fastest path for most backends; OAuth fits enterprises that already issue machine tokens to partners. Reject requests that fail verification, and rotate webhook secrets on the same schedule as other production credentials.

Question 41

Does Verdocs support HIPAA-aligned workflows?

Accepted Answer

Verdocs supports HIPAA-oriented deployment options for qualifying enterprise customers, including dedicated storage configurations for regulated organizations. HIPAA readiness also depends on your BAAs, access controls, and how you handle signer PHI in your own application. Talk to Verdocs sales or support if your vertical requires HIPAA before go-live.

FAQ

Getting Started & Platform Overview

Authentication & API Keys

Organizations & Profiles

Templates & Documents

Envelopes & Signing Workflow

Recipients

Signer Experience & Embeds

Branding

Notifications

Brands

Webhooks

Entitlements

Compliance & Enterprise

Knowledge-Based Authentication (KBA)

On this page

FAQ

What can I build with the Verdocs API?

Is Verdocs designed for embedded/OEM eSignature use cases?

Does Verdocs support multi-tenant SaaS platforms?

Does Verdocs have a sandbox or test mode?

How do I move from development to production?

What SDKs, OpenAPI specs, and developer tools are available?

How does usage-based pricing work for API customers?

How do I get API credentials?

How do I authenticate server-to-server API calls?

How do I rotate API keys or webhook secrets without downtime?

Are there API rate limits or upload size limits I should plan for?

What is the difference between a user, profile, organization, and recipient?

Why do my API calls return templates or envelopes from the wrong organization?

How should my SaaS map each customer to Verdocs?

How can I see envelope usage for billing my own customers?

Why does Verdocs require a corporate email to sign up or invite teammates?

What is the difference between a template and an envelope?

Can I send a document for signature without creating a template first?

Does Verdocs support Word (DOCX) documents?

What are dynamic tags or PDF tags for field placement?

How do I prefill fields without removing the signer's ability to edit them?

Why are tags in my PDF not creating fields?

Can I use AcroForm detection and Dynamic Tagging together?

Do DOCX uploads respect these settings?

Who can change pipeline settings?

Can I use an existing fillable PDF without modifying it?

Can I assign AcroForm fields to different signers?

Does AcroForm detection work on DOCX uploads?

When is an envelope actually finished and safe to download?

How does signing order work when I have multiple recipients?

How does Verdocs handle signed PDFs, audit trails, and certificates?

How do I verify a completed Verdocs PDF?

Why doesn't the European Commission DSS validator show my Verdocs PDF as valid?

Why don't individual signer fields appear as separate certificate-backed signatures?

What can cause a Verdocs PDF to fail signature validation?

Do my signers need Verdocs accounts?

What recipient authentication options does Verdocs support?

Can a signer decline, delegate, or ask the sender a question?

How do I run an in-person signing flow on a tablet or front desk?

Can my users sign documents without leaving my application?

What is the difference between embedded signing and hosted signing?

When should I use Web Components versus IFRAME embeds?

Does Verdocs support white-label branding?

What is `no_contact`, and when should I use it?

Can I customize the emails and sender name signers see?

Can I customize the SMS body like I do for email?

Will signers get an SMS when I send a reminder?

When integrating your own custom email domain, can I use my root domain, or do I need a subdomain?

What sender do recipients see while DNS is still pending?

What happens if I only add SPF but not DKIM or DMARC?

Why did my domain move from 'verified' to 'suspended'?

How do webhooks work, and which events are supported?

How do I verify that a webhook really came from Verdocs?

Do child organizations need their own entitlements?

Why did my recipient get an email but not an SMS?

Does Verdocs support HIPAA-aligned workflows?

In which countries is an electronic signature created with Verdocs considered legally valid?

What are the eIDAS signature levels?

What is Knowledge-Based Authentication?

How does Verdocs KBA work?

How do I add KBA to a recipient?

Can KBA information be prefilled?

Does KBA require activation?

What happens if a recipient cannot complete KBA?

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