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The DocuSign setup guide

Everything you need to get DocuSign API access and send your first envelope — the exact steps, in order. Works whether you use SignFlow or build it yourself.

What you'll end up with: a DocuSign developer account, an integration (OAuth) app, and a sent envelope you can sign. If you use SignFlow's cloud edition you can skip the key-handling in steps 4–5 — you just click “Connect DocuSign” and we handle the OAuth.
1

Create a DocuSign developer account

Go to developers.docusign.com and sign up for a free developer (demo) account. This is separate from any paid account and is where you build and test.

Log in to the admin console at admindemo.docusign.com.

2

Confirm your plan includes API access

The demo account always has API access. For production, your paid DocuSign plan must include API access — not every plan does. Check with DocuSign before go-live so you aren't blocked at the finish line.

3

Create an integration (OAuth app)

In the admin console open Settings → Apps and Keys and click Add App and Integration Key. Give it a name (e.g. “SignFlow connection”).

You'll see three identifiers you'll need later:

  • Integration Key (your OAuth client ID)
  • User ID and API Account ID (top of the page)
4

Choose how you'll authenticate

There are two ways apps talk to DocuSign:

Authorization Code Grant (recommended)

A user clicks “Connect”, logs in to DocuSign, and approves. Your app gets tokens — no private keys to store. This is what SignFlow's cloud edition uses. Add a Secret Key and a redirect URI to your app for this.

JWT Grant

Server-to-server with an RSA private key you generate and store. Powerful, but you are now responsible for a private key. Good for a single-tenant self-hosted setup; avoid holding other companies' keys.

For Authorization Code Grant, set the redirect URI to your app's callback (for SignFlow that's /api/docusign/callback) and request the scopes signature extended.

5

Grant consent once

The first time, an account admin approves the requested scopes. With Authorization Code Grant this happens automatically the first time a user connects. With JWT you paste a one-time consent URL in a browser and click Accept (a localhost error page afterward is normal).

6

Send your first envelope

Every envelope needs three things:

  • A document (a PDF)
  • At least one recipient (name + email)
  • At least one tab (where to sign)

Set the envelope status to sent and DocuSign emails each recipient a secure link. That's a full send. In SignFlow you just upload the PDF, type the recipients, and click send — single or bulk.

7

Going to production

Demo accounts require a short Go-Live review before you can switch to production: make ~20 API calls to build history, then submit from Apps and Keys → your app → Start Go-Live Review. DocuSign usually reviews within a day or two. Then swap your base path from the demo host to the production host.

Common errors, quick fixes

consent_required
Redo the consent step for your app's scopes.
invalid_grant
Wrong User ID / key / OAuth host.
UNKNOWN_ENVELOPE_RECIPIENT
Recipient name/email mismatch (embedded signing).

Skip the plumbing

SignFlow does steps 4–6 for you. Connect your DocuSign with one click and send single or bulk envelopes from a clean dashboard.

Try SignFlow