With email link authentication, SignatureAPI sends recipients an email containing a link to start the ceremony. This is the default authentication method for SignatureAPI. When you create an envelope, recipients receive an email with a URL directing them to the ceremony. Email link authentication is simple, widely used, and recognized. It suits most use cases.

​
Automatic vs Manual

By default, SignatureAPI automatically creates ceremonies and sends authentication links via email. You might prefer to create ceremonies manually if you need to:
  • Control when emails are sent.
  • Redirect recipients to another site after completing the ceremony.

​
Manual Ceremony Creation

To manually create a ceremony, set the recipient’s ceremony_creation to manual when creating the envelope. SignatureAPI will not create the ceremony or send emails automatically. When you are ready, manually create a ceremony using the email_link authentication method. You can also set a redirect_url to direct recipients to another website after they complete the ceremony. See the reference links at the bottom of this page to learn how to manually create a ceremony using the API or other platforms.

​
Audit Log

When recipients click the email link, they are automatically authenticated, and SignatureAPI records the timestamp for auditing purposes. The audit log indicates when email link authentication is used:

​
Email Customization

SignatureAPI emails have a standard template. You can customize the following:
  • Email subject (taken from the envelope title)
  • Email message body (taken from the envelope message)
  • Email language (taken from the envelope language)
For example, an envelope with: 
{
  "title": "Dummy Agreement",
  "message": "Please take a moment to review the attached agreement at your convenience. Once you've completed your electronic signature, a copy of the signed documents will be automatically sent to your email for your records.\n\nIf you have any questions, feel free to reach out."
  //...
}
will produce an email similar to this:
If you need further email customization or want to use your own domain and email provider, you can use custom authentication to get the ceremony URL and build and send the customized email from your infrastructure.