How to Connect DocuSign for E-Signatures in CrmLeaf
All editions. Requires the DocuSignIntegration add-on module to be enabled for your account by an Administrator. Confirm the module is included in your plan.
Availability: All editions. Requires the DocuSignIntegration add-on module to be enabled for your account by an Administrator. Confirm the module is included in your plan.
Overview
The DocuSign integration lets you send contracts and proposals for legally binding electronic signature. CrmLeaf already supports signature capture on public contract and proposal links, but where you need a recognised e-signature provider in the chain, DocuSign handles the signing and returns the signed result to the document in CrmLeaf.
How It Works
An Administrator enables the module and connects the company's DocuSign account. A contract or proposal prepared in CrmLeaf is then sent for signature through DocuSign, the signer completes the envelope in DocuSign, and the signed outcome is reflected against the CrmLeaf document.
Enable module → Connect DocuSign → Prepare contract or proposal → Send for signature → Signed document on record
- Contracts in CrmLeaf are built from types and templates, and can be signed by both the client and your company; proposals are built from proposal and design templates.
- An accepted proposal does not create an invoice, while an accepted estimate does - so signing a proposal is a sales milestone, not a billing event.
- DocuSign is a separate signing route to CrmLeaf's built-in public-link signature capture. Decide which route each document type uses so a contract is not signed twice in two places.
Who Can Use This Feature?
Administrator
- Enable the DocuSign integration module for the account.
- Connect the company's DocuSign account and maintain the connection.
- Decide which document types are signed through DocuSign.
- Confirm that signed documents return to the correct CrmLeaf record.
This functionality is available only to Administrators. Users create and send contracts and proposals according to the permissions their role has.
Prerequisites
- Administrator access to CrmLeaf.
- An active DocuSign account with enough signature capacity for your volume, and administrator rights in DocuSign so you can create credentials or approve the connection.
- Contract types and templates, or proposal templates, already prepared in CrmLeaf.
- Correct signer names and email addresses on the client or vendor record.
- An internal decision on which documents require a DocuSign signature rather than the built-in signature capture.
For Administrators
Step 1: Enable the DocuSign module
What to do: Enable the DocuSign integration module for the account.
What to verify: The integration's settings screen is available.
Step 2: Prepare the DocuSign account
What to do: Sign in to DocuSign as an administrator and obtain what CrmLeaf needs to connect, for example the account credentials or an application registration. Confirm the account is live rather than a demonstration account if you intend to send binding documents.
What to verify: The DocuSign account can send envelopes and has remaining capacity.
Step 3: Connect DocuSign to CrmLeaf
What to do: Open the DocuSign integration settings for your company, complete the connection, and select Save.
What to verify: The settings screen shows the DocuSign account as connected.
Step 4: Send one document for signature
What to do: Prepare one test contract for an internal recipient and send it for signature through DocuSign.
What to verify: The signer receives the request, can sign it, and the signed outcome appears against the contract in CrmLeaf.
Step 5: Agree the signing route per document type
What to do: Document internally which contracts and proposals go through DocuSign and which use the built-in public signing link, and tell the sales team.
What to verify: Users know which route to use, so a single agreement is not signed through both.
Expected Result
Contracts and proposals can be sent from CrmLeaf for legally binding electronic signature through your DocuSign account, and the signed outcome is recorded against the CrmLeaf document.
Service Organisation Context
A statement of work or a services agreement is how a professional services engagement is actually closed, so a recognised signature provider on that document gives the firm a legally binding signature it can rely on when the engagement is later invoiced or questioned. Contracts and proposals in CrmLeaf are the documents a service organisation uses for a master services agreement, an engagement letter or a scope of work, so the signed outcome lands on the record the delivery and billing teams already work from. Firms that want signature and billing to move together typically pair the signed scope with an estimate, since it is estimate acceptance that produces the invoice.
Important Notes
- Menu names and their position can differ between product editions and can be customised for your account, so your sidebar may not match these paths exactly. Use Search or your Quick Access items if you cannot find a screen.
- This is an add-on module. Confirm plan inclusion before promising e-signature to a customer.
- Signature capacity and any per-envelope cost belong to your DocuSign subscription, not to CrmLeaf.
- CrmLeaf's own public contract and proposal links also capture signatures. Choose one route per document type to avoid duplicate signed copies.
- The legal validity of an electronic signature depends on your jurisdiction and your own process. Confirm with your legal adviser.
Common Scenarios
Example: high-value contract. A construction contractor signs small variation orders with the built-in public link but routes the main build contract through DocuSign, because the client's legal team requires it.
Example: countersigned agreement. A contract needs the client's signature and the company's countersignature. The Administrator confirms both signers are set correctly before the document is sent.
Troubleshooting
| Issue | Possible Cause | Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| DocuSign settings cannot be found | The add-on module is not enabled for the account | Enable the module in module settings, or confirm plan inclusion |
| A document cannot be sent for signature | The DocuSign connection is incomplete or its credentials are no longer valid | Reconnect the DocuSign account and resend |
| The signer does not receive the request | The signer's email address on the client or vendor record is missing or incorrect | Correct the contact details and resend |
| The signed document does not appear in CrmLeaf | The signing completion has not been returned to CrmLeaf | Confirm the completion notification configuration with the product team, then re-test |
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I still need DocuSign if CrmLeaf captures signatures already?
Only if your process or your client requires a recognised e-signature provider. The built-in public signing link remains available.
Which documents can be sent?
Contracts and proposals are the documented document types.
Who pays for signatures?
Your DocuSign subscription covers signing capacity.
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