Key concepts

Signature Request

This is the core resource of the Yousign API. A Signature Request represents the object that you send to a recipient to sign. A Signature Request can have one or many Documents and one or many Signers.

There are three different levels of electronic signature (eSignature):

• Simple eSignature, useful for online signatures for your daily work
• Advanced eSignature, to secure signatures for your sensitive documents
• Qualified eSignature, which is the legal equivalent of a handwritten signature

Signature requests can have different statuses, according to their state of completion. Find more details in the dedicated page.

Documents

PDF files that can be added to Signature Requests.

A Document is a signable_document if it is going to be signed by Signers (ex: a contract).
On the contrary, an attachment is not meant to be signed, but rather just added to the Signature Request (ex: annexes).

Signers

The individuals you are asking to sign the Documents (signable_document).

Fields

Inputs from the Signers on the Documents. The most common field type is a signature field, but you can also add text fields, mention fields, or checkbox fields.
A signable_document must have at least one signature field.

Approvers

Any person who needs to validate the content of a Signature Request before it can be signed, including the content of the document and the information (first name, last name, email address, etc.) of the signers. It can be, for example, a manager or a member of the legal department.

Followers

A person with no action to take on the Signature Request (neither a Signer nor an Approver), who wishes to be notified by email when an event occurs within the Signature Request flow.