Compliance and identity verification use case

Docusign Workflow Builder is a low-code workflow builder that enables teams to design step-by-step agreement flows without writing complex back-end logic. These workflows can guide signers through identity verification, data collection, and routing logic tailored to organizational policies and regulatory requirements. Developers and admins can visually define workflow steps, then embed those flows into applications or initiate them through the Workflow Builder API. Workflows are often used to enforce pre-agreement verification, such as ID checks or form validations, before documents are generated or sent for signature. They support multiple paths depending on signer inputs, making them useful for use cases such as new account onboarding, claims intake, or policy updates. After a workflow is published, developers can trigger it using the API or initiate it through Docusign Web Forms.

The Workflow Builder API lets developers integrate robust workflows into larger applications and back-end systems by triggering workflows based on user actions or business events. This is useful when workflows must coordinate with upstream or downstream systems such as CRM platforms, Know Your Client (KYC) checks, or policy administration tools. For example, a customer onboarding application might call the Workflow Builder API to launch an ID verification workflow after a user submits a web form. Developers can trigger workflows with a payload that includes signer details, metadata, and configuration values that drive dynamic behavior within the flow. This includes which verification method to use, what region-specific logic to apply, and what data to pass through to downstream steps. The Workflow Builder API helps development teams keep workflow logic separate from application code while maintaining fine-grained control over when and how identity flows run. This makes it easier to iterate quickly, support complex branching paths, and scale across lines of business or geographies.

The Web Forms API gives developers a way to launch branded, responsive forms that integrate with Workflow Builder and Identity Verification. Instead of building and maintaining custom front-end forms, teams can use web forms to collect signer input, trigger back-end logic, and start agreement or standalone IDV workflows. Developers can prefill fields, configure submission routing, and embed forms within apps while ensuring data flows securely into Docusign processes. This is especially useful for onboarding and Know Your Client (KYC) scenarios where structured input and identity validation must occur before moving forward. While web form configurations are created in the Web Forms UI, the Web Forms API enables developers to create, trigger, and render web form instances through code. Developers can also track submission status, retrieve form data, manage authentication flows, and redirect users after submission. These capabilities allow teams to fully incorporate web forms into larger API-driven systems and manage form lifecycles without manual intervention.

Docusign’s Identity Verification API gives developers the tools to incorporate identity checks into digital agreement workflows while maintaining visibility and control. The API enables developers to retrieve IDV status events, which can be used to implement logic that responds to successful or failed verification attempts. This allows for automated handling of verification outcomes, such as routing users to fallback steps or triggering next steps only when identity has been verified. In addition to tracking verification events, the IDV API supports retrieval of identity media. Developers can access verification artifacts through code, including scanned IDs and selfie images, for compliance or auditing purposes. This is particularly useful in regulated industries that require identity evidence to be archived or reviewed manually.

Connected fields can be used within private extension apps to validate signer-entered data in real time. Developers can configure these fields to trigger back-end validation against internal systems of record for values such as account numbers, claim IDs, or policy identifiers. This integration enables immediate feedback to the signer and prevents mismatched or incomplete submissions from moving forward. By incorporating connected fields into an extension app, teams can centralize validation rules and ensure that workflows meet internal data integrity standards without adding friction to the signing experience.

For developers building more customized workflows, the Connected Fields API enables real-time validation by syncing field inputs with external data sources during the agreement process. You can define rules that determine when and how values are checked, configure retry or fallback logic, and use the results to trigger alternate routing paths. This API-based approach supports higher levels of control and customization, making it well-suited for organizations that require complex logic or want to deeply integrate verification with their existing infrastructure.

• How to trigger a Workflow Builder workflow: This guide walks you through the process of triggering a workflow programmatically using the Docusign Workflow Builder API. It’s especially useful for orchestrating identity verification steps within multistage agreement flows. By embedding identity checks directly into the workflow logic, you can ensure that agreements only proceed when the right verification criteria are met. This helps enforce compliance while keeping the signer journey seamless.

• Know Your Customer workflow template guide: This guide walks through how to set up a Know Your Customer workflow using Docusign Workflow Builder. It is ideal for teams implementing KYC flows in financial services, and includes prebuilt steps for identity verification, conditional logic, and data routing. Developers can use it as a reference for structuring secure, compliant onboarding flows that align with regulatory expectations.

• Request a signature with identity verification: This how-to guide shows you how to configure and send an envelope that includes an identity verification step using the eSignature REST API. It walks through setting the appropriate identity verification workflow in the request payload, making it ideal for developers integrating IDV directly into their applications. While this example focuses on tying IDV to a signature request, Docusign Workflow Builder also enables standalone IDV workflows—letting organizations verify someone’s identity without requiring a document to be signed. This flexible approach is especially useful for Know Your Client (KYC) use cases where identity validation must happen independently of any agreement.

• Build a private extension app for internal data verification: If your organization needs a customized internal identity workflow, private extension apps offer a secure and scalable option. This resource explains how to distribute apps privately within your organization, allowing you to build and deploy tools, such as data validation or compliance extensions, that align with your specific verification requirements. It’s ideal for teams building internal-only solutions where public app distribution isn’t necessary.

• Use connected fields in extension apps: Connected fields enable developers to verify and sync signer input against your chosen system of record, whether internal or external, in real time. This makes it possible to validate data automatically, such as an ID number, policyholder name, or account ID, against your organization’s database while the signer completes a form. For identity verification workflows, this feature helps enforce data accuracy, reduce manual review, and provide a more responsive and secure experience. It’s especially powerful when integrated into custom or private extension apps tailored to financial or insurance use cases.

• How to send an envelope with extension app data verification fields: This code example showcases how you can use the Connected Fields API and eSignature REST API to send an envelope programmatically that includes data verification fields of any kind. You can also use this code if you plan to embed the envelope in your application by making small modifications to the code to use embedded signing instead of remote signing.

• From NIGO to STP: A developer’s guide to custom data verification and the Connected Fields API: This technical blog post explores how to use the Connected Fields API to validate signer input in real time during agreement workflows. It demonstrates how developers can return custom error messages, enforce business rules, and tailor data checks to their organization’s requirements. With sample payloads and implementation tips, the post helps developers improve accuracy and reduce manual intervention across high-stakes workflows.

• Related videos:

  • ID Verification | Developer Deep Dive
  • How to trigger and embed Docusign Workflow Builder workflows with Bash & code launcher
  • Build secure custom integrations with Docusign private extension apps
  • Custom data verification for eSignature flows with Connected Fields API
  • Testing a Data Verification Extension App