Launching Direct Links

Jun 17, 2024

TLDR; We are launching direct links to templates. With direct links, a document is created from a template every time anyone signs the link. Links can be public.

Sync or Async?

Quick refresher on Sync vs. Async: Sync means everyone has to wait for me until they can continue their work. Async means everyone can and does their work at the time that fits best.

Digital signing has become almost as normalized as email when doing business. While not 100% of companies are onboarded on digital signatures yet, hardly anyone is surprised when receiving a link to sign something digitally. As we got used to the user experience of sending emails, we also got used to the experience of sending document signature requests, with all the downsides:

I have to become active each time before anything can happen: I need to send a signature request
My counterpart has to wait for me to send: "Did you send the signing link yet?"
I need to monitor the requests I started for completion: "I sent you a link yesterday; please check it out."

Introducing Direct Links

Today, we are introducing a new paradigm to signing: Async Direct Signing Links. Direct links are attached to a template and can be used anytime by anyone using the link. You set up the signature experience and flow once using all existing template mechanisms and you are done. You can provide anyone with the link so they can sign whenever they need to. You can even post the link publicly if you want to maximize its reach, i.e. for sales contracts.

Embrace Async

So, how does this help anyone? You may still need to send a signature request to people, but in the cases you don't, you are not forced to anymore. Need an NDA? Check out our standing NDA link. A customer needs an updated Form W-9? Just use the company W-9 Link; it always has the most up-to-date form. You can even go as far as publicly posting a link to a software development or design contract any potential customer can sign anytime. Can they talk to you first? Sure, but if they don't need to or already have to, they go straight to the link. The process of actively sending has gotten us used to using a sync paradigm (I send, you receive and sign, and I get the result), whereas an async one (you sign whenever it suits you, and I become active only then, if at all) is way better suited. Adding more approval and signature steps makes sure you still control the outcome, but the process becomes a lot more efficient. For example, you can grab your own copy of the early adopter's pledge here if you missed it: documen.so/pledge.

Take a minute to think about every signing request you send and whether they really require you to be part of the transaction. Could they be outsourced to the recipient and only reviewed once their part is done?

Coming Soon: Profiles

The best place to put your public links will be your Documenso profile, which is also close to launching. We want to get a feel for how links are used and move on to profiles shortly after. Want to try out direct links? Grab a free account here to get started: documen.so/free.