Implement Documenso document creation and recipient management workflows. Use when creating documents, managing recipients, adding signature fields, or building signing workflows with Documenso. Trigger with phrases like "documenso document", "create document", "add recipient", "documenso signer", "signature field".
Complete workflow for creating documents, managing recipients with different roles, positioning fields, and controlling signing order. Covers both the SDK and v1 REST API for document-centric operations.
documenso-install-auth setupdocumenso-sdk-patternsimport { Documenso } from "@documenso/sdk-typescript";
import { readFileSync } from "fs";
const client = new Documenso({ apiKey: process.env.DOCUMENSO_API_KEY! });
// Create document shell
const doc = await client.documents.createV0({
title: "Service Agreement — Q1 2026",
});
// Upload PDF
const pdf = readFileSync("./contracts/service-agreement.pdf");
await client.documents.setFileV0(doc.documentId, {
file: new Blob([pdf], { type: "application/pdf" }),
});
Documenso supports these recipient roles:
| Role | Behavior |
|---|---|
SIGNER | Must complete all assigned fields to finish |
VIEWER | Receives a copy but takes no action |
APPROVER | Must approve before signers can proceed |
CC | Receives a completed copy after all signatures |
// Add multiple recipients with roles
const signer = await client.documentsRecipients.createV0(doc.documentId, {
email: "[email protected]",
name: "Alice CEO",
role: "SIGNER",
});
const approver = await client.documentsRecipients.createV0(doc.documentId, {
email: "[email protected]",
name: "Legal Team",
role: "APPROVER",
});
const cc = await client.documentsRecipients.createV0(doc.documentId, {
email: "[email protected]",
name: "Records",
role: "CC",
});
Control the sequence in which recipients act. Lower numbers go first.
// Sequential signing: legal approves, then CEO signs
await client.documentsRecipients.createV0(doc.documentId, {
email: "[email protected]",
name: "Legal",
role: "APPROVER",
signingOrder: 1, // Goes first
});
await client.documentsRecipients.createV0(doc.documentId, {
email: "[email protected]",
name: "CEO",
role: "SIGNER",
signingOrder: 2, // Goes after legal approves
});
Field coordinates use percentage-based positioning (0-100 for both X and Y axes). The origin is the top-left corner of the page.
// Signature field — bottom of page 1
await client.documentsFields.createV0(doc.documentId, {
recipientId: signer.recipientId,
type: "SIGNATURE",
pageNumber: 1,
pageX: 10, // 10% from left
pageY: 85, // 85% from top
pageWidth: 30, // 30% of page width
pageHeight: 5, // 5% of page height
});
// Date field — next to signature
await client.documentsFields.createV0(doc.documentId, {
recipientId: signer.recipientId,
type: "DATE",
pageNumber: 1,
pageX: 60,
pageY: 85,
pageWidth: 20,
pageHeight: 3,
});
// Name field — auto-filled from recipient
await client.documentsFields.createV0(doc.documentId, {
recipientId: signer.recipientId,
type: "NAME",
pageNumber: 1,
pageX: 10,
pageY: 78,
pageWidth: 30,
pageHeight: 3,
});
// Text field — custom input (e.g., title/position)
await client.documentsFields.createV0(doc.documentId, {
recipientId: signer.recipientId,
type: "TEXT",
pageNumber: 1,
pageX: 60,
pageY: 78,
pageWidth: 30,
pageHeight: 3,
});
async function createMultiSignerContract(
pdfPath: string,
signers: Array<{ email: string; name: string; signPage: number }>
) {
const client = new Documenso({ apiKey: process.env.DOCUMENSO_API_KEY! });
const doc = await client.documents.createV0({ title: "Multi-Party Agreement" });
const pdf = readFileSync(pdfPath);
await client.documents.setFileV0(doc.documentId, {
file: new Blob([pdf], { type: "application/pdf" }),
});
for (let i = 0; i < signers.length; i++) {
const s = signers[i];
const recip = await client.documentsRecipients.createV0(doc.documentId, {
email: s.email,
name: s.name,
role: "SIGNER",
signingOrder: i + 1,
});
// Each signer gets signature + date on their assigned page
await client.documentsFields.createV0(doc.documentId, {
recipientId: recip.recipientId,
type: "SIGNATURE",
pageNumber: s.signPage,
pageX: 10, pageY: 80, pageWidth: 30, pageHeight: 5,
});
await client.documentsFields.createV0(doc.documentId, {
recipientId: recip.recipientId,
type: "DATE",
pageNumber: s.signPage,
pageX: 60, pageY: 80, pageWidth: 20, pageHeight: 3,
});
}
await client.documents.sendV0(doc.documentId);
return doc.documentId;
}
// v1 REST API: create document with metadata
const res = await fetch("https://app.documenso.com/api/v1/documents", {
method: "POST",
headers: {
Authorization: `Bearer ${process.env.DOCUMENSO_API_KEY}`,
},
body: (() => {
const form = new FormData();
form.append("title", "NDA — Confidential");
form.append("file", new Blob([pdf], { type: "application/pdf" }));
return form;
})(),
});
const document = await res.json();
// List documents with pagination
const { documents } = await client.documents.findV0({
page: 1,
perPage: 20,
orderByColumn: "createdAt",
orderByDirection: "desc",
});
// Get single document with all details
const detail = await client.documents.getV0(documentId);
console.log(`Status: ${detail.status}`); // DRAFT | PENDING | COMPLETED
console.log(`Recipients: ${detail.recipients.length}`);
console.log(`Fields: ${detail.fields.length}`);
DRAFT ──send()──→ PENDING ──all sign──→ COMPLETED
│
├──reject()──→ REJECTED
└──cancel()──→ CANCELLED
Only DRAFT documents can be modified (add recipients, fields, change PDF).
| Error | HTTP | Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Document not found | 404 | Invalid document ID | Verify ID with findV0() |
| Recipient exists | 400 | Duplicate email on same doc | Update existing with updateV0() |
| Invalid field position | 400 | pageX/pageY > 100 or < 0 | Use percentage values 0-100 |
| Cannot modify sent doc | 400 | Document status is PENDING | Create new document or cancel first |
| File too large | 413 | PDF exceeds plan limit | Compress PDF (plan limits vary) |
For template-based workflows and direct signing links, see documenso-core-workflow-b.