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Basic Signing Workflow

A complete, end-to-end example of sending a document for signature and handling the response.

Overview​

This example demonstrates:

  1. Creating an envelope with a PDF document
  2. Adding a signer with signature fields
  3. Sending for signature via email
  4. Tracking status via webhook
  5. Downloading the signed document

Prerequisites​

  • Propper API credentials (client ID and secret)
  • A PDF document to send for signing
  • A webhook endpoint to receive events

Complete Code Example​

// sign-workflow.js
import fs from 'fs/promises';
import express from 'express';
import crypto from 'crypto';

const BASE_URL = 'https://api.propper.ai/restapi/v2.1';
const AUTH_URL = 'https://auth.propper.ai';
const ACCOUNT_ID = process.env.PROPPER_ACCOUNT_ID;

// Token management
let tokenCache = null;

async function getAccessToken() {
  if (tokenCache && tokenCache.expiresAt > Date.now()) {
    return tokenCache.token;
  }

  const response = await fetch(`${AUTH_URL}/oauth/token`, {
    method: 'POST',
    headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
    body: JSON.stringify({
      grant_type: 'client_credentials',
      client_id: process.env.PROPPER_CLIENT_ID,
      client_secret: process.env.PROPPER_CLIENT_SECRET,
      scope: 'sign:read sign:write',
    }),
  });

  if (!response.ok) {
    throw new Error('Failed to get access token');
  }

  const { access_token, expires_in } = await response.json();

  tokenCache = {
    token: access_token,
    expiresAt: Date.now() + (expires_in * 1000) - 60000, // 1 min buffer
  };

  return access_token;
}

// API helper
async function apiRequest(path, options = {}) {
  const token = await getAccessToken();

  const response = await fetch(`${BASE_URL}${path}`, {
    ...options,
    headers: {
      'Authorization': `Bearer ${token}`,
      'Content-Type': 'application/json',
      ...options.headers,
    },
  });

  if (!response.ok) {
    const error = await response.json();
    throw new Error(`API Error: ${error.errorCode} - ${error.message}`);
  }

  // Handle 204 No Content
  if (response.status === 204) {
    return null;
  }

  return response.json();
}

// Step 1: Create and send envelope
async function sendForSignature(pdfPath, signerEmail, signerName) {
  // Read PDF and convert to base64
  const pdfBuffer = await fs.readFile(pdfPath);
  const documentBase64 = pdfBuffer.toString('base64');

  const envelope = await apiRequest(`/accounts/${ACCOUNT_ID}/envelopes`, {
    method: 'POST',
    body: JSON.stringify({
      emailSubject: 'Please sign: Service Agreement',
      emailBlurb: 'Please review and sign this agreement at your earliest convenience.',
      status: 'sent', // 'created' for draft, 'sent' to send immediately
      documents: [
        {
          documentId: '1',
          name: 'Service Agreement.pdf',
          documentBase64,
          order: '1',
        },
      ],
      recipients: {
        signers: [
          {
            email: signerEmail,
            name: signerName,
            recipientId: '1',
            routingOrder: '1',
            tabs: {
              signHereTabs: [
                {
                  documentId: '1',
                  pageNumber: '1',
                  xPosition: '100',
                  yPosition: '600',
                  anchorString: '/sig1/', // Alternative: use anchor text
                },
              ],
              dateSignedTabs: [
                {
                  documentId: '1',
                  pageNumber: '1',
                  xPosition: '300',
                  yPosition: '600',
                },
              ],
            },
          },
        ],
      },
    }),
  });

  console.log(`Envelope created and sent: ${envelope.envelopeId}`);
  console.log(`Status: ${envelope.status}`);

  return envelope;
}

// Step 2: Check envelope status
async function getEnvelopeStatus(envelopeId) {
  const envelope = await apiRequest(
    `/accounts/${ACCOUNT_ID}/envelopes/${envelopeId}?include=recipients`
  );

  console.log(`Envelope ${envelopeId}:`);
  console.log(`  Status: ${envelope.status}`);
  console.log(`  Recipients:`);

  if (envelope.recipients?.signers) {
    for (const signer of envelope.recipients.signers) {
      console.log(`    - ${signer.name} (${signer.email}): ${signer.status}`);
    }
  }

  return envelope;
}

// Step 3: Download signed document
async function downloadSignedDocument(envelopeId, outputPath) {
  const token = await getAccessToken();

  const response = await fetch(
    `${BASE_URL}/accounts/${ACCOUNT_ID}/envelopes/${envelopeId}/documents/combined`,
    {
      headers: { 'Authorization': `Bearer ${token}` },
    }
  );

  if (!response.ok) {
    throw new Error('Failed to download document');
  }

  const buffer = Buffer.from(await response.arrayBuffer());
  await fs.writeFile(outputPath, buffer);

  console.log(`Signed document saved to: ${outputPath}`);
}

// Step 4: Webhook handler
function createWebhookServer(port = 3000) {
  const app = express();

  app.post('/webhooks/sign', express.raw({ type: 'application/json' }), async (req, res) => {
    // Verify webhook signature
    const signature = req.headers['x-propper-signature'];
    const payload = req.body.toString();

    const expectedSignature = `sha256=${crypto
      .createHmac('sha256', process.env.WEBHOOK_SECRET)
      .update(payload)
      .digest('hex')}`;

    if (signature !== expectedSignature) {
      console.warn('Invalid webhook signature');
      return res.status(401).send('Invalid signature');
    }

    const event = JSON.parse(payload);
    console.log(`Webhook received: ${event.type}`);

    switch (event.type) {
      case 'document.sent':
        console.log(`Document ${event.data.document.id} sent to recipients`);
        break;

      case 'document.viewed':
        console.log(`Document ${event.data.document.id} viewed by ${event.data.signer?.email}`);
        break;

      case 'document.signed':
        console.log(`Document ${event.data.document.id} signed by ${event.data.signer?.email}`);
        break;

      case 'document.completed':
        console.log(`Document ${event.data.document.id} completed!`);
        // Download the signed document
        await downloadSignedDocument(
          event.data.document.id,
          `./signed-${event.data.document.id}.pdf`
        );
        break;

      case 'document.declined':
        console.log(`Document ${event.data.document.id} declined: ${event.data.reason}`);
        break;
    }

    res.status(200).send('OK');
  });

  app.listen(port, () => {
    console.log(`Webhook server listening on port ${port}`);
  });

  return app;
}

// Main execution
async function main() {
  try {
    // Start webhook server
    createWebhookServer(3000);

    // Send document for signature
    const envelope = await sendForSignature(
      './contract.pdf',
      'client@example.com',
      'John Smith'
    );

    // Check status after a delay (or use webhooks instead)
    setTimeout(async () => {
      await getEnvelopeStatus(envelope.envelopeId);
    }, 5000);

  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Error:', error.message);
    process.exit(1);
  }
}

main();

Environment Setup​

Create a .env file:

PROPPER_ACCOUNT_ID=your-organization-uuid
PROPPER_CLIENT_ID=your-client-id
PROPPER_CLIENT_SECRET=your-client-secret
WEBHOOK_SECRET=your-webhook-secret

Running the Example​

# Install dependencies
npm install express

# Run
node sign-workflow.js

Expected Output​

Webhook server listening on port 3000
Envelope created and sent: abc123-def456-ghi789
Status: sent

Envelope abc123-def456-ghi789:
  Status: sent
  Recipients:
    - John Smith (client@example.com): sent

# When signer opens email:
Webhook received: document.viewed
Document abc123-def456-ghi789 viewed by client@example.com

# When signer completes:
Webhook received: document.signed
Document abc123-def456-ghi789 signed by client@example.com

Webhook received: document.completed
Document abc123-def456-ghi789 completed!
Signed document saved to: ./signed-abc123-def456-ghi789.pdf

Next Steps​