10 Ways to Automate DocuSign with Zapier to Improve Your Business Operations, Fast

DocuSign is one of the leading eSignature programs available today, making document sharing and signature collecting a breeze. The digital landscape has expanded significantly in recent times and now it is in a place where it can do a lot more than ever before. People are performing entire transactions online that used to require a lot of meetings and physical paperwork—even closings on real estate are being done entirely through platforms like DocuSign, allowing people to get things done more conveniently than ever before. 

DocuSign allows brands to choose different levels of service and the features that come with it. The digital signature management tool offers a 30-day trial for all Zapier customers that are new to the platform, too, so check that out if you don’t have an account yet. With this application, you can enjoy:

• The ability to sign documents from anywhere, on any device
• No faxing, overnighting, or waiting for documents
• Digital security that is more protected and traceable than paper
• Audit trails through each step of the process
• And more!

Of course, DocuSign is more than just an electronic signature tool. It offers a full suite of applications and integrated tools to connect and automate agreement processes from start to finish. It also has a contract lifecycle management platform, document negotiation and generation tools, and contract analytics that will help you negotiate better agreements with the help of powerful AI reporting. 

In total, DocuSign offers more than 350 integrations and at least a dozen applications, allowing you to easily upload and send documents, check the status of signatures, execute a variety of agreements, and eliminate tons of the paper from your paperwork. The result? Agreements get done and signatures get obtained more quickly, and with fewer expenses and a reduced risk of errors. 

Not only that but when you then combine that with the automation power of Zapier, you get a team that’s ready to take on all of your electronic signature and document processing needs and do so by automating as much as possible. That means less busy work for your team and more time for your customers, or whatever else you need to do. 

Zapier is compatible with more than 3,000 different apps and tools, allowing you to automate so much of your tech stack and take back countless hours in your day. Plus, you can trust that you’ll get secure, reputable solutions for everything that you need, including automated document signing solutions and more. (And for the tasks that still require a human connection, the virtual receptionists at Smith.ai can complete the package to free up more of your time while giving your customers even more.)

Why automation matters

Aside from the fact that it’s 2021 and those who haven’t embraced technology only stand to get left behind, there are a host of reasons why you need to have automation on your mind. Of course, it can’t just be on your radar. It has to be on your agenda, and it has to be now. If you are trying to keep up with the competition, let alone get ahead of them, you’ve got to automate and improve operations in all the right ways. 

That means embracing tools like Zapier and all the features that they offer, whether you choose to automate all of your software programs or just the ones you use most often. Of course, once you understand the power of automation, it will probably be easier for you to make a list of things you need to streamline and automation in your own day-to-day operations. 

Here are five reasons automation is an essential part of business today:

1. Automation saves time and money. If you are spending less time and using fewer people to get work done, you’re saving a small fortune for your business. Plus, you’re saving a lot of time that people would spend on tedious desk work, allowing them to work more efficiently and make better use of their time. 

2. Automation improves quality and consistency. Standardization and compliance rates will soar with automation when it’s done correctly. Even the most skilled humans will occasionally err and there is always going to be some degree of variation in their repetition. Automated programs and AI will literally do the exact same thing as many times as you tell them to, producing the same high-quality result each time. 

3. Automating tasks can boost morale. This is one that a lot of leaders and managers don’t think about. When people are handling mundane, repetitive busywork, they often feel underappreciated and undervalued for their skills. If you free up their time and get rid of the tedious tasks, you’ll make everyone feel more appreciated and useful to the organization. 

4. Automation reduces safety and security risks. It’s been proven, time and again, that when things that can be automated, are automated, safety and security threats are reduced, and workplaces see fewer issues. Automation and AI can remove the human element, which brings with it uncertainty and a level of natural error, and make things safer for all. 

5. Automated processes improve online operations overall. When you can automate your day-to-day tasks, you can keep your team on the same page and keep your business functioning as it should. Plus, you can do it all with less effort of your own, less work on everyone’s part, and many other perks because of the power of automation. Coming up with an automation strategy is the first step to improving business operations in the 21st century. 

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Now that you understand some of the reasons you need to automate, let’s look at some of the ways you can when you integrate Zapier with DocuSign and the other tools in your tech stack. 

1. Send Slack messages for completed DocuSign envelopes    

Using Zapier, you can stay on top of things by automating Slack notifications. This particular workflow is for channel messages, but you can also set it up to send direct messages with Zapier’s other workflow for Slack and DocuSign. That way, whenever you get completed envelopes back, you’ll be able to ensure the right people know, right away, so that you can keep your business moving. Plus, the Slack notification ensures that everyone gets the message and stays on the same page. 

2. Upload new DocuSign envelopes to Google Drive    

This automation is great for Google Drive users who want to automate more of their routine admin work. Instead of having to go retrieve new envelopes that come into DocuSign and then download them to Drive or share them otherwise, you can set it all up to be done by Zapier. Just put the automation into place and whenever new DocuSign envelopes are created, they’ll be uploaded to Drive so that you can follow up and keep track of things without having to do the in-between work. 

3. Update HubSpot CRM deals when new DocuSign envelopes are signed    

If you use HubSpot CRM, this automated workflow delivers what you need. HubSpot is another favorite of ours since it offers such a dynamic selection of platforms and customization options for all types and sizes of businesses. This automation from Zapier allows you to create a trigger so that every time a DocuSign envelope is signed, the corresponding deals are updated in HubSpot CRM for you. That means the deal keeps moving, even if you’re busy with other things. 

4. Update opportunities in Copper when DocuSign envelopes are submitted    

If you use Copper for your business, you can use this integration to make it work even smarter for you. This workflow allows you to update the corresponding Copper opportunities automatically whenever a new DocuSign envelope is submitted. You don’t have to worry about waiting for the go-ahead or making the updates manually, because it’s all done for you with the power of Zapier. 

5. Update Pipedrive deals when DocuSign envelopes are signed    

Pipedrive makes the sales pipeline easy. If you’re using it with Zapier, you’re only serving to improve your business operations even further than you might expect. Take this workflow, for example, which allows you to automate it so that whenever a DocuSign envelope is finalized, Zapier will send a trigger to Pipedrive and update the deal progress to reflect the documents being signed and returned. This saves you a step and a lot of busywork and can help you streamline your sales process even further. 

6. Update Trello cards when envelopes are sent in DocuSign    

This workflow makes it easy to improve Trello, which is already a pretty impressive tool for project management and collaboration. With this automation, just set up the trigger, and then every time you send a DocuSign envelope, a Trello card will be created so that your team knows it’s time to act or that there’s a new file coming down the pipeline. You can choose to post this card to specific lists and tweak it in other ways if you want or use it as it comes. 

7. Create Todoist tasks from DocuSign envelopes that are sent    

Todoist is a great tool for task management. You can use it to stay on track and make sure that everything gets done and never have to worry about remembering to do it. With this workflow, it will be easy for you to create tasks in Todoist automatically whenever a DocuSign envelope is sent. Just set it up, start sending your DocuSign files, and let Zapier do the rest. You can even send to-dos to your team or a collaborative list, and more. 

8. Upload new DocuSign envelopes to Dropbox    

Dropbox makes file sharing and collaboration easy. There are a lot of different ways to integrate with this platform, which is a favorite among remote teams for keeping things organized and collaborating. Use this pre-built automation so that anytime a new DocuSign envelope is created, Zapier will send the envelope to Dropbox as a file so that your entire team (or anyone of your choosing) has access. It’s another step saved, and a lot of time freed up by not dealing with the busywork. 

9. Send Gmail notification emails when new envelopes are sent or completed    

Google power users love all the ways that Zapier can integrate with its various apps and tools, including Gmail. With this automation, you can set it up so that every time a DocuSign envelope is completed or sent, you get a notification email sent to you. Or, you can set it up to send the email to a certain employee or team to keep everyone on the same page. It’s an easy way to stay informed and never have to worry about checking in. 

10. Send Zapier emails when new envelopes are sent or completed in DocuSign    

For those who want to keep their automation notifications separate, Email by Zapier will allow you to get notifications or send emails to others whenever certain tasks occur, such as with this automation. Just put it in place and whenever a DocuSign envelope is sent or completed, you can have Zapier email whoever you want, including yourself. That way, everyone can stay in the loop without having to monitor anything. 

Improve even more operations by partnering with Smith.ai

We love automation, but even more, we love being part of helping your business operations run better. When you hire our virtual receptionists, we will be the face that your brand needs for everything from live website chat to after-hours calls and so much more. Plus, we can even work with you to come up with the perfect plan to field each and every need, regardless of what you have in mind. 

Zapier is one of our favorites when it comes to tools because it allows anyone to create smart, integrated workflows between business software programs. It’s also because of Zapier that Smith.ai is capable of integrating with 3,000 apps and counting, ensuring that every chat, call, and text message is logged in your CRM, marketing platform, or anywhere else you desire. 

Check out our apps to explore how we connect to Zapier! Learn more about Smith.ai’s Answering Service app on Zapier, and explore Smith.ai’s Website Chat app on Zapier.

Learn all about our solutions when you schedule a consultation to discuss 24/7 live chat and phone answering services offered by our team, which include overflow answering and after-hours call intake, scheduling, new client intake, and much more. You’ll also find us at hello@smith.ai or (650) 727-6484.