DocuSeal (self-hosted e-signature)

What it does in ClientPulse: Self-host DocuSeal and ClientPulse routes signature requests through it. No per-seat fees, no third-party data processor — every signed document stays on your infrastructure.

Status: Available

Tier: Suite tier only. This is for agencies who need full data sovereignty.

Per-agency: One DocuSeal instance per workspace.

Before you start (prerequisites)

• Account requirement: A running DocuSeal instance you control. You can self-host the open-source version (docker run docuseal/docuseal) on your own infrastructure, or use DocuSeal's own cloud.
• You must be on the Suite tier in ClientPulse. Non-Suite users don't see the DocuSeal card.
• An API key from your DocuSeal instance. Found under Settings → API in the DocuSeal admin panel.
• HTTPS: Your DocuSeal instance should be reachable over HTTPS at a stable URL (e.g. https://sign.your-agency.com). HTTP works for local testing but not production.
• Cost: Free if you self-host. DocuSeal Cloud paid tiers start at $20/month — see https://www.docuseal.com/pricing.

Step-by-step setup

1. Stand up DocuSeal

Skip this section if you already have a DocuSeal instance.

1. The fastest path is Docker on a small VPS:
   `

   docker run --name docuseal -p 3000:3000 \

   -v /opt/docuseal/data:/data \

   docuseal/docuseal

   `
2. Set up a reverse proxy (Caddy / nginx / Cloudflare Tunnel) to expose it at e.g. https://sign.your-agency.com.
3. Open the URL in your browser, create the admin account, and you're in. Screenshot to be addedDocuSeal admin dashboard after first login

2. On DocuSeal — copy the API key

1. Log in to your DocuSeal admin panel.
2. Open Settings → API. Screenshot to be addedDocuSeal settings page with API tab highlighted
3. Copy the API key shown there. This is a long string — treat it like a password.
4. Reference: https://www.docuseal.com/docs/api#authentication.

3. In ClientPulse

1. Open https://clientpulse.helloaurora.ai/dashboard/integrations.
2. Scroll down to the DocuSeal (self-hosted e-signatures) card. Screenshot to be addedIntegrations page with DocuSeal card highlighted
3. Enter your Instance URL (e.g. https://sign.your-agency.com — no trailing slash).
4. Paste the API key you copied from DocuSeal.
5. Click Test connection & save. ClientPulse pings your DocuSeal instance to confirm the key works before saving.

4. Verify it's working

• The card shows a green Connected badge and your instance URL.
• Open any client → Contracts → New signature request via DocuSeal should appear in the dropdown.
• Send a test contract to yourself. The signature request opens in DocuSeal; once you sign, the PDF is fetched back to the client vault.

Rotating credentials

If your API key leaks or you regenerate it, click Rotate credentials on the DocuSeal card, paste the new key, and save. The old key is overwritten.

What you can do with it once connected

• Send contracts for e-signature via your own DocuSeal — no per-seat fees.
• All signature data stays on your infrastructure.
• Signed PDFs auto-archive into the client vault, same as Dropbox Sign.

Common pitfalls

• Pitfall: "Test connection failed" — ClientPulse can't reach your DocuSeal. Fix: Verify the instance URL is reachable from the open internet (try curl https://sign.your-agency.com/api/templates -H "X-Auth-Token: YOUR_KEY" from your laptop). If reachable but ClientPulse still fails, your DocuSeal may be on a private network — that's not supported; expose it via reverse proxy or Cloudflare Tunnel.
• Pitfall: "401 Unauthorized" from DocuSeal. Fix: The API key is wrong, or you copied a session token instead. Go back to DocuSeal Settings → API and copy the API key (not the token from your browser session).
• Pitfall: Signed documents don't appear back in CP. Fix: ClientPulse polls DocuSeal every 15 minutes. If a signed doc is taking longer, check your DocuSeal's webhook configuration — webhooks aren't required (polling works) but make it instant.
• Pitfall: "DocuSeal card not visible at all." Fix: You're either not on Suite tier, or the ENABLE_DOCUSEAL deployment flag is off. If you ARE on Suite and still don't see it, email support@helloaurora.ai.

Restrictions

• One DocuSeal instance per agency. You can't shard signature requests across multiple instances from one ClientPulse workspace.
• Suite tier only. Lower tiers should use Dropbox Sign (send) or DocuSign (read) instead.
• The API key is stored encrypted at rest, but treat the connection itself as load-bearing — if you tear down the DocuSeal instance, signature requests in flight will fail.

Need help?

Email support@helloaurora.ai — we'll walk you through it.