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We are looking to replace the document within a sent envelope.

Consider the following steps in the process:

  • Envelope sent with document
  • Document is unsigned (by any parties)
  • Customer changes requirement
  • We would like to remove existing document from envelope
  • We would like to send revised document in same envelope to original party

Unfortunately, the DocuSign documentation does not describe this process in detail. Their suggestion is to use the "Correct Envelope" view from DocuSign UI, which is not actually a valid alternative for us.

I guess it would be fair to assume that if you can do it through the DocuSign UI, then it would also be possible to do it through the api, right?

Related question: Reuse/alter a DocuSign envelope, to update its document PDF, once the envelope is In Process

Community
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aleafonso
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2 Answers2

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Using the DocuSign REST API, you can only add documents to / remove documents from a DRAFT Envelope. Once an Envelope's been sent, you cannot use the REST API to add/remove documents from the Envelope.

I believe it IS possible to add documents to / remove documents from an IN-PROCESS Envelope (i.e., an Envelope's that's already been sent) by using the SOAP API, so you might want to investigate that route. (DocuSign SOAP API guide: https://www.docusign.com/sites/default/files/DocuSignAPI_Guide.pdf)

update, per comment thread:

If it's not possible with the SOAP API either, then you may need to: 1) void the original envelope, and then 2) create/send a new envelope (with the desired documents).

Kim Brandl
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  • It's a pity that it is not possible to achieve this through the rest api... I will give it a go to the soap api then. Thanks a lot – aleafonso Aug 07 '14 at 15:24
  • We have found two methods that were apparently helpful but ended up leading nowhere. First, "CorrectAndResendEnvelope" (103): this allows you to modify several attributes of the envelope but it doesn't interact with its documents. Second, "PurgeDocuments" (145): this could have been useful to remove existing documents from the envelope but it could take up to 14 days to remove these documents, which is not really something we can work with. Are we missing any other method for this? – aleafonso Aug 07 '14 at 15:43
  • It's definitely not "PurgeDocuments" that you want -- that does something altogether different. I would've suspected that it was "CorrectAndResendEnvelope" -- but like you, I see no way to modify the documents collection using that operation. Perhaps it's not possible to add/remove documents using the SOAP API either. You may need to: 1) void the original envelope, and then 2) create/send a new envelope (with the desired documents). – Kim Brandl Aug 07 '14 at 16:25
  • It still seems strange that DocuSign provides a way to do this through their UI, but does not facilitate its usage through the APIs. On the other hand, the alternative that you have proposed has an associated cost implication since we will have to send a new envelope which makes it undesirable – aleafonso Aug 07 '14 at 17:00
  • Totally agreed that voiding the envelope and creating a new one isn't ideal,...it may be your only option though (for now, until if/when the API is augmented to include this functionality). – Kim Brandl Aug 07 '14 at 17:12
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Old thread but still relevant. As of 2023, the API does support replacing a document that has been sent but not yet signed by anyone. The documentation says it works for envelopes in-process and in-process means an envelope "that has been sent but not yet completed or voided" but this does not appear to be accurate because once anyone has signed, it no longer works with the API or in the UI.

https://developers.docusign.com/docs/esign-rest-api/reference/envelopes/envelopedocuments/update/

Side note for anyone using the C# SDK: There is a bug and the equivalent "UpdateDocuments" method does not allow replacing a document as of version 6.5 of the Nuget package.

Gabe
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