The most efficient way to get e-Signatures for your SAP ERP documents

In many organisations today, procurement processes are still carried out manually, without technology support, which ties up a lot of resources. The apsolut Group has set itself the task of optimising precisely this area in order to establish the use of modern technologies in purchasing. apsolut is a leading SAP partner for electronic purchasing and supports companies of various sizes worldwide, from medium-sized enterprises to large global corporations. apsolut has recognised the potential in the area of purchasing and procurement and has made a name for itself in electronic purchasing with years of expertise and more than 370 procurement experts.

apsolut achieves high customer satisfaction through innovative solutions and add-ons developed in-house that automate purchasing processes and eliminate time-consuming procedures. apsolut has an extensive partner network with leading companies such as SAP and Docusign to make procurement processes more efficient. The partnership with Docusign enables apsolut customers to use Docusign eSignature to maximum efficiency for SAP ERP-based documents.

Electronic signatures in purchasing processes

Purchasing processes involve many documents that need to be signed - including supplier contracts, purchase orders, customer orders, and service entry sheets, through to orders and service contracts. If these contracts are signed manually or if there are errors, procurement and signature processes can be significantly delayed. The apsolut eSignature Connector for Docusign provides a remedy to these types of delays by increasing productivity and minimising sources of error. With this self-developed solution, apsolut has created an unprecedented opportunity to integrate business processes via Docusign and existing SAP backend systems.

"In procurement, a wide variety of contracts and documents are sent between customers and suppliers for signature. If several departments and different hierarchical levels of authority are involved, the manual signing process can take weeks. It is precisely for this reason that we are concentrating on the digitisation of procurement and making improvements. The partnership with Docusign allows us to offer customers a seamless and fast signature process by connecting to existing SAP backend systems", says Patrick Westrop, Account Manager at apsolut Group.

The eSignature Connector for Docusign

The apsolut eSignature Connector for Docusign simplifies the electronic signing of various documents that are initially created in an SAP ERP system. It doesn't matter whether you are using an SAP ECC, SAP S/4HANA, or S/4HANA Cloud, private edition. It not only eliminates the need to print, sign and send documents on paper, but also automates otherwise manual steps (apart from signing) in Docusign. This makes the signing process quick and easy for you, whether you need to get a document signed or you are a signer.

You can start the signature process from your familiar SAP ERP system by creating a document as you would if no signature were required. The system automatically selects the correct people to sign. However, end users can also change the automatically determined signers, if allowed. The apsolut eSignature Connector for Docusign then sends the collected data to Docusign via SAP message determination as a so-called envelope. An envelope is a container for documents that is sent to a recipient for signing. It contains data about the documents to be signed, the signers and other recipients, and the locations in the document where the signers are to sign the documents. Once you have sent the document for signature, you can monitor the signature status within the SAP ERP system. Envelopes can be sent to internal signers, such as the procurement manager, or to external signers, such as a vendor or customer. As a signer, you will be emailed a request for your signature. You can then digitally sign the document using any device.

Once the signing process is completed, all documents signed in Docusign are automatically made available in the business object's attachment list in the SAP ERP system.

The Connector supports not only the above-mentioned use cases in purchasing but also transactions such as sales orders (SD), customer invoices (SD) or rental agreements (RE-FX). The connector can be used in the classic SAP user interface (SAP GUI), but SAP Fiori apps are also supported. It can also be integrated into other SAP add-ons, for example with master data management.

Time savings that can be seen in a customer use case:

Processing

Time

Manual signature

80 min

In the worst case up to 8 weeks

Docusign eSignature

15 min

Average 4 days

Docusign eSignature + apsolut Connector

5 min

2-3 days

The path to automated signature processes:

Paper-based signing process

Docusign eSignature

apsolut eSignature Connector for Docusign

• Create a contract (in SAP)

• Download (PDF from SAP)

• Send (send PDF to signer via email)

• Print contract

• Handwritten signature

• Scan document

• Send (send the document back to sender via email)

• Save (keep signed documents in SAP)

• Create a contract (in SAP)

• Download (PDF from SAP)process within Docusign

• Signing

• Save (in SAP)

• Create a contract (in SAP)

• Sign in Docusign

• All other steps are automatic

• Inefficient

• Error-prone

• Insecure

• Transparent

• Legal and compliant

• Paperless

• Legal and compliant

• Paperless Partnership

Partnership with Docusign

"We chose to partner with Docusign because the company is the market leader in Europe and worldwide. The need for electronic signatures is high, and the potential has not yet been exhausted. For us, Docusign is a forward-thinking partner with the same vision." Patrick Westrop, Account Manager at apsolut Group

The partnership between Docusign and apsolut started in 2021 and since then has helped many organisations to digitise and automate purchasing processes. The eSignature Connector allows customers to get the most out of Docusign eSignature, and the partnership has helped to ensure a seamless digital process flow with SAP solutions. Electronic signatures are legally recognized in many countries, making this solution compliant with various regulations.