Skip to main content
No items found.
logo dropboxsign
Why Dropbox Sign?
Expand or collapse accordion

What you can do

Sign documents online
Create electronic signatures
Choose or create templates
Fill and sign PDFs
Complete online contracts
Document management
Explore features
icon arrow right

Use Cases

Sales and business development
Human Resources
Start-ups
Financial technology
Property
On-demand services
Products
Expand or collapse accordion
icon dropbox
Sign
Make it easy to send and sign
icon dropbox
Sign API
Integrate eSign in your workflow
icon dropbox fax
Fax
Send faxes without a fax machine
icon dropbox integrations
Integrations
We meet you where you work
Resources
Expand or collapse accordion
Blog
Workflow expertise & product news
Customer stories
Real-world stories with real results
Help Centre
In-depth guidance for our products
Resource library
Reports, videos and info sheets
Developers
Pricing
Expand or collapse accordion
Dropbox Sign pricing
Find the right plan for you
Dropbox Sign API pricing
Real-world stories with real results
Contact sales
Sign up
Contact sales
Sign in
Expand or collapse accordion
Dropbox Sign
Dropbox Forms
Dropbox Fax
Free trial
Blog
/
Developers

5 Questions to Ask to Determine If an eSignature API Is Right For You

by 
Nadia De Ala
March 1, 2016
6
minute read
5 Questions to Ask to Determine If an eSignature API Is Right For You
icon tooltip

New look, same great product! HelloSign is now Dropbox Sign.

icon close

Every day at Dropbox Sign, I have the opportunity to connect with our diverse mix of awesome customers. I work with folks in all different departments – from C-level roles to experts in Engineering, HR, Legal, Marketing, Sales, and Support. 

‍

A lot of the customers I work with use Dropbox Sign to fill a basic eSignature need. But many others want to take it a step further by integrating eSignatures right into their workflows or web apps using our API.  

‍

This post will go through 5 common questions people can ask to determine if an eSignature integration is the next step for them. 

(And if you’re more technical, you might be interested in checking out our documentation. You can start testing here!)

‍

1. "Why would I need an eSignature API?"

‍


One of the first things customers want to figure out is how they can benefit from an eSignature API. The first thing I recommend doing is to envision how you see your company or team growing in six months, a year, two years, etc. 

‍

One of the biggest benefits of an eSignature API is the opportunity to scale the solution as time goes on. As your company grows, more employees, departments, and paperwork will be added. You’ll want to look for the infrastructure that can scale and streamline your operations.  

‍

Here are a few other things to consider: 

‍

  • Look closely at the volume of your company agreements. You might find that your teams are already overwhelmed with the number of documents they need to process each week! Having high volume of contracts or documents without the resources to handle them can lead to clerical errors that take time to resolve. This could make you a good candidate for the API, which can handle high volumes of documents quickly. 
  • Review your existing paperwork flows. Look for any inefficiencies or missing pieces that put a pause in your contracts being completed and returned. Once you know what challenges you face, imagine your dream agreement flow. Is it online? Is it fast? Is it easy? An eSignature API could be the missing piece to creating a seamless agreement flow. 
  • Figure out what metric you want to solve for. There are typically three things that companies are trying to do each time they consider getting a new service or solution: 1) save money, 2) save time, or 3) increase revenue. It's helpful to figure out what’s going to be important to you as you grow your company (it might be all three!). Understanding the metrics you'd like to improve makes it easier to see how you can benefit from an eSignature API. 

‍

If you aren’t super familiar with APIs, here are a few resources I’ve found to be really helpful: “What is an API, and Why Does It Matter?”, “Do You Need an API,” and “5 things you need to stay current”

2. "What does the Dropbox Sign API look like when implemented?"

‍


This might be one of the hardest questions to answer because we’ve seen hundreds of unique implementations of the Dropbox Sign API. Seriously, the sky’s the limit! 

‍

I help many customers start their blueprints with a few more targeted questions like these:

‍

  • Do you need to send agreements straight from an existing tool you use, such as an applicant tracking system or CRM software?
  • Should your clients be able to request, sign, and complete agreements straight on your brand website, without ever clicking through to another site or wait for an e-mail link?
  • Do you envision eSignatures being a crucial part of your product for your customers?

‍


Once you have an idea of what you want to do with an eSignature integration, you can start bringing your vision to life. For instance, you might want to use the API to create a way for your customers to fill out vendor applications directly on your website. 

‍

That's doable!

‍

3. "Will using an API give me a competitive advantage?"

‍


A lot of times, companies invest in APIs so they can stay nimble and move faster. A lot of our customers have implemented our API specifically to stay competitive in the market. It’s amazing to see the results, like Openlegal increasing efficiency by 30-50% and Trxade streamlining their application process from 90+ fields to a few simple clicks for over 4000+ independent pharmacies.

‍

By overthrowing time-sucking paperwork processes with an eSignature API, companies save time that’s better spent focusing on their expertise and goals. Investing in an API (rather than building one) can also save you the engineering resources. 

‍

"5 Ways an API is More than an 'API'" has a great breakdown of how to understand the value of APIs and they are changing the way we do business.

‍

4. "What is my budget to improve operations?"

‍


Many cringe at the word “budget,” but I’ve found it’s helpful to lay a budget on the table early on so you can be realistic in your project planning. 

‍

As you think about your budget, there are a few things to consider. Aside from your API subscription, take a step back to go over the total cost of ownership. You'll want to determine how much you are currently spending per document, which includes cost of supplies and time spent sending and awaiting completion. Then determine the time it would take to implement an eSignature and the payback period you expect. You might find you’re already spending way more on paper products and paper management than you would on an API subscription. 

‍

Another thing to consider as you budget is how many resources you'll have to put into testing out an API. This is actually something we’ve thought a lot about here at Dropbox Sign. 

‍

All of the Dropbox Sign API functionality and all API features are free to use in the sandbox – which is an environment to “play” and develop the API in a test mode. This helps you see what works best for your project before going live. If you need some help along the way, you also have access to Dropbox Sign API Support. 

‍

5. “Do I need a developer?”

‍


Yes! … And sometimes no, not necessarily. 

‍

APIs do require planning and technical effort to set up. If you have developer resources or even limited developer resources, that’s fantastic. We provide SDKs in multiple languages for an easy implementation and care deeply about the overall developer experience (DX). 

‍

No developer? No problem! I’ve worked with loads of customers who set up integrations with ZERO developer background with Zapier, an easy way to integrate Dropbox Sign with hundreds of your other apps that you can view here.

‍

We're here for you!

‍


It can be stressful to evaluate a new solution for your company. I hope we've made it a little bit easier for you to get a sense of whether the Dropbox Sign API is right for you. And when you’re ready to take the next steps, don’t be a stranger. We’re here to help at any time. We’re looking forward to getting to know you!

 

Stay in the loop

Done! Please check your inbox.

Thank you!
Thank you for subscribing!

Lorem ipsum

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

Lorem ipsum
icon arrow right
icon close

Up next:

Close-up illustration of a handwritten signature, representing modern digital signing solutions.
Developers
15
minute read

Integrating Dropbox Sign with Ruby on Rails: A Step-by-Step Tutorial

Close-up illustration of a handwritten signature, representing modern digital signing solutions.
Developers
15
minute read

Dropbox Sign vs. SignNow for developers

eBook

5 Sales Hiring Bottlenecks (And How to Avoid Them)

Products
Dropbox SignDropbox Sign APIDropbox FaxIntegrations
Why Dropbox Sign
Electronic signaturesSign documentsSign and Fill PDFsOnline contractsCreate electronic signaturesSignature editorSign word documents
Support
Help CentreContact salesContact supportManage cookiesGetting started: Dropbox SignGetting started: Dropbox Sign API
Resources
BlogCustomer storiesResource CentreLegality guideTrust centre
Partners
Strategic PartnersPartners locator
Company
CareersTermsPrivacy
icon facebookicon youtube

Accepted payment methods

Mastercard logoVisa logoAmerican Express LogoDiscover logo
CPA Compliance BadgeHIPAA compliance badgeSky High Enterprise Ready badgeISO 9001 Certified badge

Dropbox Sign electronic signatures are legally binding in the United States, European Union, United Kingdom and in many countries around the world.
For more information, please view our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy