New to digital signatures? Read What They Are, Why They Matter, and Which Type to Use first>

Certified eSign lets you send a digitally signed document to any signer — no hardware, no app, no prior setup needed. The signer verifies their identity via a one-time password sent to their email, then signs by drawing, typing, or uploading their signature.

Before you start

●      No setup or hardware required.
●      You need signature credits in your Refrens account. Each signing request consumes one credit.
●      The signer does not need a Refrens account - just a valid email address.

Step-by-step

Step 1: Select signature type while creating the document

When creating a new document (invoice, quotation, purchase order, or any supported type), find the Signature section in the document form > set the signature type to Digital > Save the document.

Note: The signature type must be set before the document is saved. It can be changed later, but any change invalidates an existing digital signature.

Step 2: Add Signature Details

Once the document is saved, go to the document preview page. On the right sidebar, you will see the Signature Details accordion. Click to expand it:

Click Add Signature. A modal opens:

In the modal, confirm or update:

●      Signer's name: as it should appear on the signature
●      Signer's email: the OTP will be sent here
●      Signature type: select Certified eSign

Once you click Submit, 1 signature credit will get consumed, and a signing link will get generated:

Step 3: Share the signing link

The signing link is not emailed to the signer automatically. Copy the link and share it with the signer.

The signing link is valid for 10 days. It cannot be extended.

Step 4: Signer verifies identity

When the signer opens the link, they are redirected to Digio (the signing platform).

Here, You can either do a Google login OR send a code to your email to authenticate your email:

If you click on "Send Code to Email", you will recieve the code on your email from digio:

Just submit the code to complete the authetication:

Step 5: Signer completes signing

After identity verification, the document appears with a signature container:

From the bottom of the page, the signer clicks "Proceed to Sign" and then draws, types, or uploads their signature:

Click on "Submit Signature" and your Signing is complete!

Step 6: Confirm on Refrens

Once signed, return to the document on Refrens and refresh the page. The document will now show a Digitally Signed note confirming the signature is in place:

When the document is downloaded or shared — by email, WhatsApp, or any other channel — the signed version of the PDF is shared automatically:

Signing history and audit trail

The Signature Details accordion maintains a complete signing history. For each signing request, it shows:

●      Signer name and email
●      Signature type
●      Status (pending / signed / cancelled / expired)
●      Signed At (date and time)
●      A link to copy the signing URL (if the request is still active)

All previous signed versions remain available in this table. They can be downloaded at any time for audit purposes.

What invalidates the digital signature

Previously signed versions are preserved in the signing history and remain downloadable even after the signature is invalidated.

Managing signing requests

●      To cancel an active signing request before it is signed: use the cancel option available in the signing history table.
●      To re-share the link: copy it from the signing history table.
●      If a request expires (10 days): initiate a new signing request from the accordion. One additional credit is consumed.

Verifying the signed PDF

The signed PDF has the signer's certificate embedded directly in it. Anyone who receives the document can verify it using any standard PDF reader - Adobe Acrobat Reader, Foxit Reader, or similar. No Refrens account or special software is needed.

To verify: open the signed PDF and click on the signature area. The PDF reader will show a Signature Validation Status panel alongside a signature details panel:

Frequently asked questions

Is the signing link emailed to the signer automatically?

No. The signing link is generated and available in the signing history table. You need to copy and share it with the signer manually.

What happens if the signer's link expires before they sign?

The request status updates to Expired. You can initiate a new signing request from the Signature Details accordion. One credit will be consumed for the new request.

Can I have multiple signers on one document?

Currently, one signer per document is supported.

Does the signer need a Refrens account?

No. They only need access to the email address you entered in the signing request, to receive the OTP.

Can I download and verify the signed PDF?

Yes. The signed PDF contains an embedded audit trail. Open it in any standard PDF viewer to see the signature details and validity.

What is Digio?

Digio is a third-party signing platform (Application Service Provider) through which Refrens facilitates digital signing. The signing page, OTP verification, and signed PDF generation are all handled by Digio.

Why does "DS DIGIOTECH SOLUTIONS PRIVATE LIMITED" appear when I verify the signature?

This is expected. In Certified eSign, Digio's platform certificate is used to seal the document — so the PDF reader shows Digio's name, not the signer's. This confirms the document hasn't been tampered with and the signing process was completed correctly.

The signer's actual identity — their name, email, OTP verification, IP address, and timestamp — is visible on the signature itself on the document page.

If you use a DSC (Digital Signature Certificate), see How to Add a Digital Signature using DSC>

Updated on: 17/06/2026