DocuSign API: Listing all recipients who have not yet signed an envelope

Navigating DocuSign API for Envelope Management

In the fast-paced world of digital agreements, businesses rely on electronic signature platforms to streamline workflows. DocuSign, a leader in this space, offers robust API capabilities that allow developers to automate and monitor document processes. One common challenge is tracking the status of recipients in an envelope—specifically, identifying those who haven’t signed yet. This functionality is crucial for compliance, follow-ups, and operational efficiency, especially in high-volume environments like sales teams or legal departments.

Understanding the DocuSign API and Envelope Recipients

DocuSign’s eSignature API provides endpoints to manage envelopes, which are essentially containers for documents requiring signatures. An envelope can have multiple recipients, each with roles like signer, approver, or carbon copy. The API uses RESTful architecture, supporting JSON payloads, and requires authentication via OAuth 2.0 or JWT grants.

To list all recipients who have not yet signed an envelope, developers typically query the envelope’s status and recipient details. The key endpoint is the GET /accounts/{accountId}/envelopes/{envelopeId}/recipients from the Envelopes API. This returns a comprehensive list of recipients, including their status (e.g., “sent”, “declined”, “signed”, or “needs_to_sign”).

Here’s a step-by-step guide to implementing this:

1. Authentication Setup: Obtain an access token using DocuSign’s developer sandbox. For production, integrate with your app’s IAM (Identity and Access Management) system. DocuSign’s IAM features, part of their Enhanced Plans, include SSO integration with providers like Okta or Azure AD, ensuring secure API access without exposing credentials.

2. Retrieve Envelope Details: First, fetch the envelope using GET /envelopes/{envelopeId}. This confirms the envelope status (e.g., “sent” or “in_progress”) and provides metadata like creation date and deadline.

3. Query Recipients: Call the recipients endpoint. The response includes an array of recipient objects, each with:

   • id: Unique identifier.
   • email: Recipient’s email.
   • status: Current state (filter for “sent” or “needs_to_sign” to identify unsigned ones).
   • routingOrder: Sequence in the signing process.
   • name: Recipient’s name.

   Example JSON snippet from the API response:

   {
     "recipients": {
       "signers": [
         {
           "email": "john.doe@example.com",
           "status": "sent",
           "name": "John Doe",
           "signedDateTime": null
         },
         {
           "email": "jane.smith@example.com",
           "status": "signed",
           "name": "Jane Smith",
           "signedDateTime": "2025-01-15T10:00:00Z"
         }
       ]
     }
   }
   

4. Filtering Unsigned Recipients: In your code (e.g., Python with the requests library or Node.js with Axios), parse the response and filter where status != “signed” and signedDateTime is null. For bulk operations, use the GET /envelopes endpoint with query parameters like status=sent to list multiple envelopes.

   Sample Python code:

   import requests
   
   access_token = "your_access_token"
   account_id = "your_account_id"
   envelope_id = "your_envelope_id"
   base_url = "https://demo.docusign.net/restapi"
   
   headers = {
       "Authorization": f"Bearer {access_token}",
       "Accept": "application/json"
   }
   
   response = requests.get(
       f"{base_url}/v2.1/accounts/{account_id}/envelopes/{envelope_id}/recipients",
       headers=headers
   )
   
   if response.status_code == 200:
       data = response.json()
       unsigned_recipients = [
           r for r in data.get('recipients', {}).get('signers', [])
           if r.get('status') != 'signed' and r.get('signedDateTime') is None
       ]
       print("Unsigned recipients:", unsigned_recipients)
   

5. Error Handling and Best Practices: Handle rate limits (e.g., 1000 API calls per minute) and errors like 404 (envelope not found). For enterprise users, leverage DocuSign’s Advanced API plans, which include webhooks for real-time status updates via the Connect API. This avoids polling and reduces API calls.

This approach ensures you can programmatically notify unsigned recipients, escalate delays, or integrate with CRM systems like Salesforce. In commercial contexts, such automation can cut manual follow-ups by up to 70%, based on industry benchmarks from DocuSign’s developer resources.

DocuSign’s API pricing starts at $600/year for the Starter plan (40 envelopes/month), scaling to custom Enterprise options. For teams in regulated industries, combining this with IAM features—such as advanced audit trails and role-based access—enhances compliance without custom development.

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Exploring DocuSign’s Ecosystem and IAM Features

DocuSign extends beyond basic signing with integrated tools like CLM (Contract Lifecycle Management) in their Intelligent Agreement Management (IAM) suite. IAM CLM automates contract creation, negotiation, and execution, pulling data from envelopes to track obligations. For API users, it supports embedding signing ceremonies and extracting unsigned recipient data into dashboards.

In practice, businesses use IAM for end-to-end visibility: an envelope’s unsigned recipients feed into risk alerts or approval workflows. Pricing for IAM upgrades is custom, often bundled with Business Pro plans at $480/user/year, adding governance and analytics.

Competitor Landscape: A Neutral Comparison

The eSignature market is competitive, with platforms differentiating on API depth, pricing, and regional compliance. Below is a markdown comparison table of key players, focusing on API capabilities for recipient management, core pricing, and strengths. Data draws from 2025 public sources for neutrality.

This table highlights trade-offs: DocuSign excels in mature ecosystems, while others prioritize affordability or niche strengths.

Adobe Sign: Integration and API Overview

Adobe Sign, part of Adobe Document Cloud, emphasizes PDF-centric workflows. Its API mirrors DocuSign’s for recipient tracking, using GET /agreements/{agreementId}/participants to list unsigned parties. It’s ideal for creative industries, with built-in PDF editing. Pricing starts at $10/month for individuals, scaling to enterprise custom rates. Adobe’s strength lies in seamless integration with Acrobat and marketing tools, but API quotas can be restrictive for high-volume use.

HelloSign (Dropbox Sign): Simplicity for SMBs

HelloSign, now Dropbox Sign, offers a straightforward API for envelope management. Retrieve unsigned recipients via GET /v3/signature_request/{request_id}, filtering by status. It’s praised for ease-of-use, with templates and reminders built-in. At $180/year for Essentials, it’s budget-friendly for small teams, though it lacks advanced IAM like DocuSign’s.

eSignGlobal: APAC-Optimized Alternative

eSignGlobal positions itself as a global contender, supporting compliance in over 100 mainstream countries and regions. It holds a particular edge in the Asia-Pacific (APAC), where electronic signature regulations are fragmented, high-standard, and strictly regulated—often requiring ecosystem-integrated approaches rather than the framework-based ESIGN/eIDAS models common in the US and EU. APAC demands deep hardware/API-level docking with government-to-business (G2B) digital identities, a technical barrier far exceeding email verification or self-declaration methods in Western markets.

The platform’s API includes recipient status queries similar to DocuSign, with bulk send and webhook support in the Professional plan. Pricing is competitive: the Essential version costs just $16.6/month ($199/year equivalent in some promotions), allowing up to 100 documents for signature, unlimited user seats, and access code verification—all while maintaining compliance. It integrates seamlessly with Hong Kong’s iAM Smart and Singapore’s Singpass, making it suitable for cross-border APAC operations.

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Business Implications and Recommendations

From a commercial viewpoint, DocuSign’s API remains a benchmark for reliability in envelope tracking, particularly for global enterprises. However, as businesses expand into diverse regions, alternatives gain traction. For DocuSign users seeking substitutes, eSignGlobal emerges as a regionally compliant option, especially in APAC, balancing cost and functionality without per-seat fees. Evaluate based on your volume, integrations, and geography for the best fit.