Your guide to DocuSign eSignature for Salesforce

Author: Jessica Stern, Senior Marketing Manager, 4C

A 21st Century solution to upgrade your Salesforce experience

When you create a contract in Salesforce that needs a signature from a customer, you have two choices. The traditional approach is to print the document and send it to the customer through the mail, so they can add their signature and mail it back to you. 

From here, you would most likely scan the document to have a digital copy that can be stored in your system. This entire process is likely to take a minimum of five days to complete. Perhaps more if the customer isn't able to sign and return the document right away.

Your second option is to go into your Salesforce AppExchange marketplace and implement DocuSign. A solution that enables you to accelerate the process of signing documents. These documents can be signed within the Salesforce platform using DocuSign eSignature, and it is a far quicker and easier way to go. 

Empowering your business

This solution enables you to send agreements electronically from within the Salesforce user interface, in a highly secure way, that the recipient can review and sign. If necessary, you can even set up a series of recipients. 

Once a recipient signs the document, it then automatically moves onto the next recipient along with all previous signatures. Once all parties sign the contract, the full list of recipients is notified, and the final document can be accessed directly within Salesforce.

This solution eliminates the processes of printing, mailing, manually signing, returning and, finally, scanning a document. By digitising the entire chain, there will be fewer delays in acquiring the necessary signatures so that all parties can move forward. You can automatically write completed agreements back to Salesforce, along with any data collected as part of the signing process, such as PO numbers. 

It's a 21st Century solution that any business using Salesforce should be taking advantage of. Without it, you are at a disadvantage against your competition.

Once you set up and implement DocuSign, you will see for yourself how easy it is to send documents for signature. And, with the right support, you can be up and running the same day.

Want to know more about electronic signatures? Read our blog, electronic signatures: almost everything you need to know. 

What are the key advantages of DocuSign eSignature for Salesforce?

Here are a few benefits that can be experienced right away:

• Get results quicker: Complete documents and receive signatures, with no errors, in a matter of minutes. You can merge data from any Salesforce object into an agreement. 
• Cut down your operating costs: You won't have to pay employees to handle and track documents. Eliminate costs like ink, paper, printing, faxing and posting.
• Accuracy and security: Automate workflows and update existing systems automatically. Agreements in DocuSign eSignature for Salesforce are secure and legally binding, providing a comprehensive trail for audits. 
• Impress your customers: Your customers will love being able to sign your documents no matter where they are, or what device they’re using.

Is it easy to get set up?

DocuSign eSignature for Salesforce needs to be configured before you can use it. Configuration means integrating your Salesforce with DocuSign and adding a few core features to Salesforce layouts. This needs to be done before you can send any documents or manage any accounts.

The process itself is fairly simple, and your IT department may be able to configure everything for you. However, the support of a DocuSign implementation partner can be a big help. There are various details to understand, and it's important to configure the right features to get the most out of your implementation. 

You know your business, and the implementation partner knows DocuSign. By collaborating, you can customise your DocuSign and Salesforce installation to meet the needs of your business most effectively.

More than just electronic signatures

DocuSign eSignature, which is part of the DocuSign Agreement Cloud, is a solution that simplifies workflows, securely. And, in addition to collecting signatures from customers, you can also apply it to things like onboarding new hires. There has never been a simpler method of signing contracts inside Salesforce.

Get real-time status updates to learn the status of an envelope. See what stage of the signing process a document reaches and find out exactly who still needs to sign. 

What’s more, you can use many additional products alongside DocuSign eSignature. DocuSign CLM is available to help organisations streamline the contract lifecycle via the automation of manual tasks, saving time, money and increasing customer experience. 

A streamlined, future-proof must-have

In an age when everything is done quicker than ever before, and customers demand everything instantly, you need to keep up. If you are using Salesforce, but still rely on old-fashioned processes to collect signatures for critical documents, it's time to embrace something new. 

DocuSign eSignature is the way to go, and once you get it configured and running you'll never look back. Interested? Sign up for a free 30-day trial.