Using Templates

Templates let you create documents without configuring fields and layout every time. Design a template once in the dashboard with placed fields and signer slots, then use the API to generate documents from it with real signer data.

When to use templates

Standardized documents — NDAs, contracts, onboarding forms that follow the same layout
High-volume workflows — Sending the same document to many different recipients
Non-technical users — Let your team design templates in the visual editor, while developers use the API

Creating a template

Templates are created in the inSigner dashboard:

Go to Dashboard → Templates.
Upload a PDF file.
Use the visual field editor to place signature fields, text inputs, dates, etc.
Define signer slots (e.g. “Client”, “Witness”).
Save the template.

Once saved, the template is available via the API.

Using a template via API

Step 1: Find the template

List your templates and note the id:

curl -X GET "https://app.insigner.co/api/v1/templates?search=NDA" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer isk_YOUR_API_KEY"

Step 2: Create a document

Use the template’s id to create a document with real signer details:

curl -X POST https://app.insigner.co/api/v1/templates/tpl_abc123/use \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer isk_YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "name": "NDA - Acme Corp & WidgetCo",
    "signers": [
      { "email": "[email protected]", "name": "Alice Johnson" },
      { "email": "[email protected]", "name": "Bob Williams" }
    ]
  }'

const { data: doc } = await insignerFetch('/templates/tpl_abc123/use', {
  method: 'POST',
  body: JSON.stringify({
    name: 'NDA - Acme Corp & WidgetCo',
    signers: [
      { email: '[email protected]', name: 'Alice Johnson' },
      { email: '[email protected]', name: 'Bob Williams' }
    ]
  })
});
console.log(`Document created: ${doc.id}`);

res = insigner_request("POST", "/templates/tpl_abc123/use", json={
    "name": "NDA - Acme Corp & WidgetCo",
    "signers": [
        {"email": "[email protected]", "name": "Alice Johnson"},
        {"email": "[email protected]", "name": "Bob Williams"}
    ]
})
doc_id = res["data"]["id"]
print(f"Document created: {doc_id}")

Step 3: Send immediately

Since the template already has fields and the signers are filled in:

curl -X POST https://app.insigner.co/api/v1/documents/cm5x9ghi789/send \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer isk_YOUR_API_KEY"

End-to-end example

Here’s the complete flow — find a template, create a document, and send it:

JavaScript
Python

async function sendFromTemplate(templateId, signers) {
  // Create document from template
  const { data: doc } = await insignerFetch(`/templates/${templateId}/use`, {
    method: 'POST',
    body: JSON.stringify({ signers })
  });

  // Send immediately
  await insignerFetch(`/documents/${doc.id}/send`, {
    method: 'POST'
  });

  return doc.id;
}

// Usage
const docId = await sendFromTemplate('tpl_abc123', [
  { email: '[email protected]', name: 'Alice Johnson' },
  { email: '[email protected]', name: 'Bob Williams' }
]);
console.log(`Sent document: ${docId}`);

def send_from_template(template_id, signers):
    # Create document from template
    res = insigner_request("POST", f"/templates/{template_id}/use", json={
        "signers": signers
    })
    doc_id = res["data"]["id"]

    # Send immediately
    insigner_request("POST", f"/documents/{doc_id}/send")
    return doc_id

# Usage
doc_id = send_from_template("tpl_abc123", [
    {"email": "[email protected]", "name": "Alice Johnson"},
    {"email": "[email protected]", "name": "Bob Williams"}
])
print(f"Sent document: {doc_id}")