fmESignature Link (DocuSign Edition) Linking Guide - Part 1

Linking the fmESignature Link file to your existing FileMaker solution is the quickest way to integrate fmESignature Link and be up and running sending DocuSign requests to Contacts from your solution. You will link fmESignature Link to your existing FileMaker solution and end up with 2 linked files. We’re going to use the FileMaker Pro Contacts Starter Solution as our example solution file we wish to integrate with.

In Part 1 we will cover linking the fmESignature Link file to your existing Contacts file and using the fmESignature Link file to send DocuSign requests to your Contacts.

Step 1: Backup Files and Create Fields

Before proceeding with the integration please backup your existing solution file/s – you want to have a stable version you can revert to in case something goes wrong. We also recommend making a backup of the fmESignature Link file so you can refer to this to see how it was originally (particularly when updating layouts).

Once you’ve made a backup of your solution files copy the fmESignature Link file into the same folder as your solution file/s.

Your solution file is going to need a few existing fields in your Contacts table that we will reference:

ContactID – the primary key field for your Contacts table. Typically this uses the Get ( UUID ) function or is an auto-enter serial number field

Contact Name – typically a field for First Name and another field for Last Name

Email Address – the field that stores the Contact’s email address. This could exist in the Contacts table or in a related table.

Mobile Phone Number – if you are using the SMS Delivery Notification feature you will need a field for the recipient's mobile/cell number as you would normally dial it (no country codes)

Country – if you are using the SMS Delivery Notification feature you will also need a field that stores the recipient's country

Step 2: Create External Data Sources

Once you have the required fields in your Contacts table open the fmESignature Link file. We need to create a new External Data Source to your FileMaker solution file. To change the Contacts references in the fmESignature Link file select select File>Manage>External Data Sources. Click the New button then click the Add File button and select your FieMaker solution file that should be in the same folder as the fmESignature Link file:

N.B. you will probably be prompted to to authorise access to your file when creating the new data source for the first time.

All the table occurrences on the graph for the Contacts base table will need to be updated to point to your Contacts table in your existing FileMaker solution file, and then the relationship match fields will need to be updated to reference the equivalent fields in your Contacts table.

Step 3: the Relationship Graph

Now select File>Manage>Database and click on the Relationships tab to view the graph. We need to change all the red Contacts table occurrences to use the new External Data Source that you just created.

First make a noted of each of the match fields used in the relationships from the Contacts table occurrences (or refer to your copy of fmESignature Link or the list below) then for each red Contacts table occurrence:

1. double click on the table occurrence to bring up the Specify Table dialog. Copy the name of the table occurrence to the clipboard

2. from the Data Source menu at the top change it from “Current File (fmESignature Link (DocuSign Edition).fmp12) to the Data Source you created in Step 2 then select your Contacts table

The name of the table occurrence has probably changed – if so paste back the original name that you copied at step 1 and click OK.

3. the table occurrence will probably have collapsed as the match fields for the relationships to other table occurrences  have broken. You will need to click on each of the relationship lines to edit the relationship and select the match field for each of the relationships (the majority of the relationships are to the primary key field of your Contacts table).

Repeat this process for each of the red Table Occurrences based on the fmESignature Link Contacts table.

Here’s a list of the match fields for each of the relationships to the Contacts table occurrence:

Step 4: update scripts in fmESignature Link

A number scripts in the fmESignature Link file will need to be updated to reference the appropriate fields from your Contacts table. The following scripts will need to be updated. You can use the Check for Problems feature to highlight any issues with the following scripts:

DocuSign - Create and Send Envelope  - you will need to update the references to the Contacts first name/last name fields in this script where it sets the following script variables:

$signers
$carbonCopies

N.B. the $signers variable will need to be updated in 2 locations. You should see that this line is now missing the field references:

[ "name"; RequestsContactsContacts::FirstName & " " & RequestsContactsContacts::LastName; JSONString ] ;

and will need to be updated with the references to your Contacts table first name/last name fields.

Step 5: update Layouts

You will need to update the fields on several layouts to specify the appropriate field from your Contacts table. Change to Layout Mode and navigate to each of these layouts and specify the appropriate fields from your Contacts table:

Contacts List
Contacts Form
Request Contacts [CARD]
Requests Form<br>

Step 6: testing

You can now open the fmESignature Link  file and you should now see your Contact records in the Contacts module and be able to create a new request, select a Recipient from the picker and send the request to that selected contact successfully.

If you would like to generate a PDF from your FileMaker Contacts solution and create a new DocuSign request please see our follow up article which covers the process of generating a PDF and creating a new request from your Contacts solution.

The following video demonstrates this process using the FileMaker Contacts starter solution that you can follow along with ( direct YouTube link):