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Formable has two main workflows — e-signatures and redlining — that both start from a template. This page explains the objects you’ll reference throughout the API.

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Templates

A template is a document you’ve uploaded (PDF or DOCX) along with the fields placed on it. Templates are reusable: you upload once, then create many signature or redline requests from the same templateId.
  • Create a template by uploading a file to Create a template.
  • Place fields (signature, text, date, checkbox, amount) using the editor URL returned on creation, or fetch a fresh one with Create a template edit URL.
  • Redlining requires the template to have a DOCX source file, since redlining edits the underlying document.

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Signature requests

A signature request represents one document sent to one signer. It captures the templateId, the signer, the sender, and a status. To let someone sign, you generate a short-lived signing URL from the signature request. Once signing finishes, the signed document is available as a signed envelope (a presigned download URL).
An envelope is the internal record of a document that has been enriched with a recipient and can be signed. As an API consumer, you interact with signature requests; the envelope is what produces the final signed PDF.

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Redline requests

A redline request represents a contract being negotiated between two parties. Instead of signing, members exchange revisions to a DOCX document in turns until it’s ready for signing.

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Members and roles

Every redline request has members, each with a role:

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Rounds and status

Redlining is turn-based. The currentRound field tells you whose turn it is (Disclosing or Receiving), and status tracks where the negotiation stands: To let a member work on their turn, you generate a redline URL for that member’s email.

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URLs are short-lived and embeddable

Both signing URLs and redline URLs are meant to be embedded in an iframe in your own product. They expire, so generate them on demand right before you display them rather than storing them.
Generate signing and redline URLs from your backend and pass them to the client just-in-time. Never expose your API credentials in client-side code.

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Test mode

Both signature requests and redline requests accept a testMode flag. Use it while integrating so your activity doesn’t count toward billing or trigger production behavior.

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Events

Every workflow records events you can retrieve to track progress: Poll these to react to state changes such as a document being signed or a turn ending.