Web Services API

The AlphaTrust e-Sign^™ Web Services API is the recommended interface for all integration and development activity. Web Services in AlphaTrust e-Sign^™ have been implemented using Windows Communication Foundation (WCF), which can support more than Web-based (HTTP-based) protocols. AlphaTrust e-Sign^™ supports both the WSI-Basic Profile (also known as "classic" web services, SOAP 1.1) and a profile supporting WS-* services (SOAP 1.2). To see just how flexible our API is, view our detailed API Documentation.

Please note that for a simple way to set up quick-launch capability for document workflows that you run on a regular basis, the Process Designer in AlphaTrust e-Sign^™ can be utilized. The Process Designer is a no-code web application for designing workflows in AlphaTrust e-Sign^™. Please note that Process Designer workflows are not integrated into upstream or downstream systems.

The AlphaTrust e-Sign^™ Web Services API includes the following methods and definitions, which provide fine-grained control, allowing the design and implementation of the optimal customer experience:

Communication Testing

Communication testing can be controlled by the following method:

CommunicationTest - Allows the developer to test the communication path between the developer application and the AlphaTrust e-Sign^™ Web Services API.

Transaction Management

Transactions

The AlphaTrust e-Sign^™ Web Services API methods allow the developer to create the desired workflow, which is centered around the unit of work called the “Transaction”. Each Transaction in AlphaTrust e-Sign^™ may have one or many documents associated with it. Each document may have one or more Tasks to be performed by one or many Participants associated with that document. Documents submitted to AlphaTrust e-Sign^™ as part of a Transaction are typically created by other software applications. Transaction processing consists of three logical “primary steps”: Transaction creation, Transaction execution, and Transaction disposition. This workflow includes the Transaction, the documents, the Participants, and the Users that are within a Group. Transactions can be controlled by the following methods:

GetTransactions - Allows the developer to invoke a specific Transaction.
CreateTransactions - Allows the developer to create one or multiple new Transactions.
UpdateTransactions - Allows the developer to update the status of a specific Transaction.
GetTransactionsUpdateable - Allows the developer to request the object containing only the information that the developer can update.
CloseTransactions - Allows the developer to initiate a close of an open Transaction.
GetTransactionTokenData - Allows the developer to pass a security token that can be passed to the web services method to retrieve the actual values that should be in the query string. This ensures the user has not modified these values, as they come directly from AlphaTrust e-Sign^™, allowing safe querying and presentation or updating of data.
CertifyPdfs - Allows the developer to certify a specific PDF file within a specific Transaction.
SealPdfs - Allows the developer to digitally seal a completed document and create a corresponding Audit Report for the document.

Documents

AlphaTrust e-Sign^™ processes documents in HTML format and Adobe® PDF format. PDF documents may include file attachments of any file type. Documents can be controlled by the following methods:

GetDocuments - Allows the developer to request one or more documents for a specific Transaction.
InsertDocuments - Allows the developer to insert a document into a specific Transaction.
UpdateDocuments - Allows the developer to update a document within a specific Transaction.
GetDocumentsUpdateable - Allows the developer to request the object containing only the information that the developer can update.
UpdateDocumentsCompleted - Allows the developer to update the status of a document to complete within a specific Transaction.
GetDocumentsCompletedUpdateable - Allows the developer to request the object containing only the information that the developer can update.
VoidDocuments - Allows the developer to void a specific document in a specific Transaction.
UpdateDocumentFormFields - Allows the developer to update the form fields for data collection required for a specific document within a specific Transaction.

Audit Reports

AlphaTrust e-Sign^™ is designed to accomplish four critical tasks that are "best practices" processes for electronically signing documents:

Proper presentation of the document according to legal and regulatory requirements.
Proper collection of the electronic signature according to legal and regulatory requirements.
Auditing of the transaction - who signed it; when they viewed it, signed it, or were emailed a copy; what IP address was used, etc.
Establishing a chain of custody over the document such that it may be proven during a future dispute or compliance audit that the audit trail (shown in the Document Audit Report) was recorded and that the document has not been tampered with or altered in any way since signing.

Audit Reports can be controlled by the following methods:

GetAuditReports - Allows the developer to request one or multiple Audit Reports on closed Transactions.
VerifyCompletedDocumentsAuthenticity - Allows the developer to verify the authenticity of a completed document by comparison to the Audit Report.
GetPdfDataFiles - Allows the developer to get specific data files associated with a PDF file in a specific Transaction.
GetDocumentFilesInTiffFormat - Allows the developer to request one or more documents in TIFF format for a specific Transaction.

Participants

A Participant is a signer, initialer, or reviewer who will be assigned one or multiple Tasks in a specific Transaction. Participants are acted on with the following methods:

InsertParticipants - Allows the developer to insert a Participant into a specific Transaction.
GetParticipants - Allows the developer to get a Participant for a specific Transaction.
UpdateParticipants - Allows the developer to update a Participant within a specific Transaction.
GetParticipantsUpdateable - Allows the developer to request the object containing only the information that the developer can update.
ResendParticipantEmailNotifications - Allows the developer to resend the email notification to a Participant at a specific time interval.
UpdateParticipantWorkflowActionStatus - Allows the developer to update the Participant status in a workflow action within a specific Transaction.
UpdateTaskWorkflowActionStatus - Allows the developer to update the Task status in a workflow action within a specific Transaction.
GetParticipantEncryptedCredentials - Allows the developer to get a list of updateable Participants within a specific Transaction.

Tasks

A Task is an action by a Participant in a specific Transaction that includes signature, initial, acknowledgment, delivery, or no action required. Tasks are accomplished with the following methods:

GetTasks - Allows the developer to get a Task for a specific Transaction.
InsertTasks - Allows the developer to insert a Task into a specific Transaction.
UpdateTasks - Allows the developer to update a Task within a specific Transaction.
GetTasksUpdateable - Allows the developer to request the object containing only the information that the developer can update.
GetFileAttachments - Allows the developer to get a file attachment for a specific Transaction.
InsertFileAttachments - Allows the developer to insert a file attachment into a specific Transaction.
RemoteSign - Allows the developer to request a remote signing of a document via email.

Account Management

Groups

Groups are the entities under which Transactions and the associated Documents are submitted for Tasks to be performed. Multiple Groups can be assigned to segregate business units with different Participants and Users. Groups can be controlled using the following methods:

GetGroups - Allows the developer to get a Group for a specific Transaction.
InsertGroups - Allows the developer to insert a Group into a specific Transaction.
UpdateGroups - Allows the developer to update a Group within a specific Transaction.
GetGroupsUpdateable - Allows the developer to request the object containing only the information that the developer can update.
DeleteGroups - Allows the developer to delete one or multiple Groups within a specific Transaction. Groups are the entities under which Transactions or Documents are submitted for Tasks to be performed (most likely for signatures). For normal scenarios, only one Group is needed. You may wish to segment your reporting or logins for your Users into sub-Groups under the Primary Group.
GetProcessHtmlWrapper - Allows the developer to match a third-party application used in a Transaction with the style of the AlphaTrust e-Sign^™ application pages used in that same Transaction.

Users

Users are persons or identities within a Group who will act upon one or multiple Tasks within one or multiple Transactions. Users can be controlled using the following methods:

GetUsers - Allows the developer to get a User for a specific Transaction.
InsertUsers - Allows the developer to insert a User into a specific Transaction.
UpdateUsers - Allows the developer to update a User in a specific Transaction.
GetUsersUpdateable - Allows the developer to request the object containing only the information that the developer can update.
DeleteUsers - Allows the developer to delete a User in a specific Transaction.

To see just how flexible our API is, view our detailed API Documentation.

Testimonial

Each of the company’s implementations of AlphaTrust e-Sign^™ have different setup requirements, which AlphaTrust was able to handle without difficulty. “We’ve been very pleased at the speed with which we can get up and running across departments in each of our locations,” Ms. Godwin-Romer said. “AlphaTrust’s rich API has been able to integrate easily with our existing systems.”

AlphaTrust has helped ADP identify opportunities to leverage eSignature across many mission-critical business use cases in additional parts of the business. “Today’s buyers are accustomed to being able to buy quickly and easily,” said Ms. Godwin-Romer. “AlphaTrust’s eSignature process automation solution makes it quick and easy for our clients to do business with ADP.”

Suzette Godwin-Romer
Worldwide Sales Operations
Automatic Data Processing, Inc.