> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://help.sdocs.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://help.sdocs.com/developer-hub/s-sign-system-architecture/how-s-sign-generates-envelopes.md).

# How S-Sign Generates Envelopes

This document describes the full **S-Sign** transaction from document generation through completion. **S-Docs** produces the S-Doc record; **S-Sign** owns the envelope, envelope documents, Files-based signing PDFs, the signing experience, and the final **signed** and **audit** outputs. (This is separate from **S-Docs eSignature** where product responsibilities differ.)

***

###

```mermaid
flowchart TD
    %% Styling classes to make it visually distinct
    classDef input fill:#e1f5fe,stroke:#0288d1,stroke-width:2px;
    classDef process fill:#fff3e0,stroke:#f57c00,stroke-width:2px;
    classDef output fill:#e8f5e9,stroke:#388e3c,stroke-width:2px;
    classDef ui fill:#fce4ec,stroke:#c2185b,stroke-width:2px;

    %% 1. Transaction Setup / Inputs
    subgraph Setup ["1. Transaction Setup & Context"]
        SFRecord["Base Salesforce Record<br/>(Signing Context)"]:::input
        SDoc["SDOC__SDoc__c<br/>(S-Docs Reference)"]:::input
        SSTemplate["SSIGN__SSTemplate__c<br/>(Signing Policy & Config)"]:::input
    end

    %% 2. The Engine
    Engine(("S-Sign<br/>Managed Package")):::process

    %% 3. Generated Envelope Structure (Hierarchical)
    subgraph EnvelopeStructure ["2. Envelope Hierarchy"]
        Envelope["S-Sign Envelope<br/>(Transaction Parent)"]:::output
        EnvDoc["Envelope Document(s)<br/>(One Per Signing Page)"]:::output
        PrepFiles["Signing File(s) / PDFs<br/>(Materialized for Signing)"]:::output
    end

    %% 4. The Experience
    SignUI(("Signing Experience Complete")):::ui

    %% 5. Final Artifacts
    subgraph Outputs ["3. Completion Artifacts"]
        SignedPDF["Signed PDF<br/>(Executed Document)"]:::output
        AuditPDF["Audit PDF<br/>(Evidence / Trail)"]:::output
    end

    %% Setup Inputs -> Engine
    SFRecord -->|Anchors| Engine
    SDoc -->|Referenced by| Engine
    SSTemplate -->|Configures| Engine

    %% The Direct Hierarchical Line
    Engine ==>|Creates<br/>Envelope<br/>Envelope Document<br/>Signing File| Envelope
    Envelope ==>|Parent of| EnvDoc
    EnvDoc ==>|Parent of / Materializes| PrepFiles

    %% UI and Output
    PrepFiles -->|Presented in| SignUI
    
    SignUI ==>|Produces| SignedPDF
    SignUI ==>|Produces| AuditPDF

    %% Relationships / Lookups (Dotted Lines)
    Envelope -.->|Lookup| SFRecord
    SignedPDF -.->|Child of| EnvDoc
    AuditPDF -.->|Child of| EnvDoc
```

### End-to-end flow

1. **Anchor on the base record**\
   Work starts from a Salesforce business record (the merge/signing context).
2. **Generate the S-Doc**\
   **S-Docs** creates **`SDOC__SDoc__c`** from the S-Docs template and that record. The S-Doc is the **reference** S-Sign uses for the signing transaction; S-Docs does not run the signing engine.
3. **Apply S-Sign configuration**\
   S-Sign resolves signing policy from **`SSIGN__SSTemplate__c`**, associated to **`SDOC__SDTemplate__c`** via **`SSign__SDTemplate__c`**. That template drives signer rules, tags/inputs, notifications, and output behavior when the envelope is prepared.
4. **Create the Envelope**\
   S-Sign creates an **S-Sign Envelope** that **junctions** the transaction to the base record and acts as the **parent** for everything in that signing request.
5. **Create Envelope Document(s)**\
   Under the envelope, S-Sign creates **Envelope Document** rows—one per signable document in the transaction.
6. **Materialize signing PDFs (Salesforce Files)**\
   For each envelope document, S-Sign **generates a PDF** and stores it as **Salesforce Files** (`ContentDocument` / `ContentVersion`). The signing experience **references** these files as what the signer sees and executes against.
7. **Run the signing experience**\
   Signers complete the flow in the **Signing Experience** UI, backed by the envelope, its envelope documents, and those PDF references.
8. **Complete and persist outputs**\
   When signing **finishes**, the S-Sign managed package produces:

   * A **signed** PDF (executed document), and
   * An **audit** PDF (evidence / trail).

   Artifacts are saved per package behavior (typically new Files, linked to the appropriate records).

***

#### Multiple documents in one experience

If several documents are **combined into a single signing experience**, one **Envelope** still holds **multiple Envelope Document** children. Each child carries its own signing PDF in Files; completion still yields the package’s **signed** and **audit** outputs for the finished transaction.


---

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