Custom e-signing software
Appfront builds custom software that embeds signing into your own process. The document is generated from your own data, sent to the right signatories in the right order, its status is visible within your system, and the signed document is automatically returned to the file. Get in touch.
What exactly do we build?
The signature itself you buy in. There are specialised trust services that carry out the signing, verify identity and provide proof that a document has not been altered. That is a regulated market and not something to build yourself.
What is usually missing is everything around it. Generating the right document from your own data, determining who must sign and in what order, reminding people who have not yet acted, making the status visible in the system where your people work, and filing the signed document in the correct file. That is the work that tends to stay manual.
Appfront builds that layer as custom software on top of the service you choose. If you already use an existing provider, we only build the integration, and we have dedicated pages for that, such as DocuSign or ValidSign.
The document from your own data
Not a manually assembled file, but a document generated from what is held in your system, so that no outdated data ends up in it.
The right route
Who signs, in what order, and who should only read along. With two parties this is simple; in a chain with internal approval it is exactly where things go wrong.
Status where you work
See who has not yet signed without logging in to an external service, with reminders that go out automatically.
Build it yourself or integrate? The boundaries
Two different questions that are often confused. The answer determines the scope.
The process around it
Assembling the document, determining the route, monitoring statuses, sending reminders, archiving and linking to your file. The signature itself comes from a trust service provider.
Connecting your existing service
If you already work with a provider and only want to connect it to your system, see our integrations, for example SignRequest or Evidos.
Our development process for your signing flow
The level of signing you need determines the choice of service and therefore what there is to build. We put that question first.
We map out which documents need signing, who signs, what level of assurance that requires and what you need to be able to demonstrate afterwards. We also look at which data the document must be populated with and where the signed document needs to go.
We design the document structure, the signing route with its roles, the status tracking, and the integrations with the trust service and with your records or administration.
We build in short iterations with automated tests, structured logging and monitoring. You see working versions along the way and steer the work based on what your team actually needs in practice, rather than on a specification written months earlier.
A controlled go-live with validation and a safety net, followed by ongoing management, monitoring and further development as your document flow or legal framework changes.
What custom signing software concretely delivers
What you need varies by document flow. These are the components that come up most often.
Document composition
Templates populated with data from your system, with the correct attachments and terms, so nothing is pasted in by hand.
Signing routes
Multiple signatories in sequence or in parallel, with internal approval beforehand and the option to let someone review only.
Status and reminders
Visibility into what is outstanding and for how long, with automatic reminders and escalation when a document stalls.
Evidence and archiving
The signed document and its accompanying evidence file are automatically filed in the correct case or folder, so nobody has to transfer it manually.
Integration with the trust service provider
Integration with the provider you choose, including the level of signing that differs per document type.
Signing in your own environment
The signatory stays within your house style and your portal, rather than being redirected to an environment they don't recognise.
Typical use cases in practice
Signing becomes a software question once the volume or routing becomes complex.
Organisations with many similar agreements
Rental, subscriptions, memberships or delivery terms, where the process is always the same and the volume makes handling it manually impossible.
HR and onboarding
Employment contracts, declarations and amendments that need to be signed by several parties and end up in the personnel file.
Healthcare and education
Consent forms and agreements with clients or parents, where recording who gave consent, when and for what is a requirement.
Portals with external parties
Environments in which suppliers, dealers or applicants sign documents as part of a larger process.
Test your idea first: a working prototype in 1 day
With OneDayBuild, we turn your idea into something tangible in one day for €1,150, so you can see whether further development is worth the investment. Decide to go ahead with the full build? Then we credit the full cost.
Explore OneDayBuild →Technology we use
Signing runs through a regulated provider; we build the layer on top of it. The precise choice depends on your processes, the systems to be integrated and your hosting preferences. We deliberately choose a stack that your own team can manage and develop further, without dependence on per-user licences.
Why Appfront for your signing flow?
Appfront builds custom software for a wide range of organisations in the Netherlands. When it comes to signing, we are clear from the outset about the division of roles: the signature and the evidence come from a regulated service, and we build the process around it. That avoids a discussion halfway through about what is and isn't permitted.
We start with the question of what you need to be able to demonstrate afterwards. That determines the level of signature required, which in turn determines which providers are eligible. Reversing that order produces a system that later turns out not to comply.
On every project we write clear documentation and make sure your own team, or a future supplier, can understand and manage the system. No black box: transparent code and clear agreements on monitoring, alerting and maintenance. You own the solution and pay no per-user licence fee.
See also our broader services around custom software, contract management and legal workflow automation. Unsure about the approach? Get in touch.
Security and evidence in your signing flow
Documents that are signed almost always contain personal data and sometimes sensitive information. Appfront builds to the OWASP ASVS, with the GDPR as a baseline, with access controlled per case and an audit trail of who viewed or sent which document.
We store the trust service provider's evidence file alongside the signed document, and it is kept unalterable. Without that evidence, a signature is difficult to prove after the fact, and that is precisely when you need it. We set retention periods per document type.
More on our security approach: information security policy and CVD policy.
- Encryption in transit (TLS 1.2+) and at rest
- Role-based access following least privilege
- Audit trail for viewing and changes
- Secrets in a secure vault, not in code
- Documented data flows for your record of processing activities
- Evidence file stored unalterably alongside the signed document
Frequently asked questions about digital signing software
Answers to the questions we are asked most often.
No. The signature and the associated evidence come from a specialised trust service; that is a regulated market. We build the process around it and integrate with the provider you choose. That is precisely the layer where, in practice, most of the manual work remains.
That depends on what you are signing and what you need to be able to demonstrate afterwards. For many standard agreements a lighter form will suffice; for documents with a heavier evidential burden or a statutory formal requirement, a more robust variant is needed, with identification in advance. That choice is one you make with a lawyer; we make sure the system can handle both.
Yes, with most providers the signing step can be embedded in your own portal and house style. That reduces drop-offs, particularly with consumers who are put off by being redirected to an unfamiliar environment. What exactly is possible varies by provider.
That is one of the most important things to agree on in advance. The system sends reminders according to your schedule, escalates after a set deadline and can withdraw the request. Without that, a document quietly remains outstanding and nobody notices until someone asks about it.
Automatically in the file it belongs to, together with the evidence file from the trust service provider. That last part is what is often overlooked: without that evidence file you have a PDF with an image on it and no demonstrable signature.
Yes, in sequence, in parallel or in a mix, with internal approval as the first step. For chains with a fixed order, that is the core of the system: only once party A has signed does it go to B, and nobody has to forward it manually.
Yes. We can add signing to an existing document flow, for example from your contract management or your ERP, without replacing those systems. The signing layer sits alongside them rather than around them.
If you sign a handful of documents a month, a provider's portal is fine and certainly cheaper. Custom software pays off once volume grows, once the route is complicated, or once you want the document to come from your own data and the signed document to end up in the right place automatically.
Ready to build your signing workflow?
Tell us which documents need signing, who signs them and where the signed document should go. We are happy to think along with you on scope, integrations and the first version. A no-obligation first conversation will give you a clear picture of the possibilities and whether custom development makes sense in your situation.