Quick Start

Get up and running with the Entrust Signhost API in minutes. This guide will walk you through creating your first digital signing transaction.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, you'll need:

An active Signhost account. Sign up here if you don't have one yet.
A PDF document that you want to have signed

Step 1: Get Your API Credentials

1.1 Generate Application Key

Log in to the Signhost Portal
Navigate to the Application Key page
Click "Generate New Application Key"
Copy and securely store your Application Key

1.2 Generate User Token

Go to the Settings page in the portal
Click "Generate token"
Copy and securely store your User Token

WARNING

Important: Both keys are only shown once during generation. Store them securely - if you lose them, you'll need to generate new ones.

Step 2: Create Your First Transaction

2.1 Create a New Transaction

Make a POST request to create a new transaction:

curl -X POST "https://api.signhost.com/api/transaction" \
  -H "Authorization: APIKey ${API_KEY}" \
  -H "Application: APPKey ${APP_KEY}" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "Signers": [
      {
        "Email": "signer@example.com",
        "SignRequestMessage": "Please sign this document",
        "SendSignRequest": true,
        "Verifications": [{
          "Type": "Consent"
         }]
      }
    ]
  }'

Response: You'll receive a transaction object with an Id field. This is the transactionId that you'll need for the next steps.

2.2 Upload Your Document

Upload the PDF document to be signed:

curl -X PUT "https://api.signhost.com/api/transaction/${TRANSACTION_ID}/file/document.pdf" \
  -H "Authorization: APIKey ${API_KEY}" \
  -H "Application: APPKey ${APP_KEY}" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/pdf" \
  --data-binary @/path/to/your/document.pdf

Replace:

${TRANSACTION_ID} with the ID from step 2.1
document.pdf with your desired filename
/path/to/your/document.pdf with the actual path to your PDF

2.3 Start the Transaction

Activate the transaction to send signing invitations:

curl -X PUT "https://api.signhost.com/api/transaction/${TRANSACTION_ID}/start" \
  -H "Authorization: APIKey ${API_KEY}" \
  -H "Application: APPKey ${APP_KEY}"

Step 3: Monitor Transaction Status

Recommended Approach: Use Postbacks

The best way to monitor transaction status is by configuring postbacks (webhooks) that notify your application when status changes occur.

The recommended way to set up postbacks is to configure a Global Postback URL. Global postbacks support security features like digest security and security headers.

The example below shows how to set a Dynamic Postback URL when creating a transaction:

# Include postback URL when creating transaction
curl -X POST "https://api.signhost.com/api/transaction" \
  -H "Authorization: APIKey ${API_KEY}" \
  -H "Application: APPKey ${APP_KEY}" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "Signers": [
      {
        "Email": "signer@example.com",
        "SignRequestMessage": "Please sign this document",
        "SendSignRequest": true,
        "Verifications": [{
          "Type": "Consent"
         }]
      }
    ],
    "PostbackUrl": "https://yourapp.com/webhook/signhost"
  }'

Your webhook endpoint will receive real-time notifications when the transaction status changes.

Alternative: Check Status Once

WARNING

Important: We recommend NOT polling the GET transaction API to monitor status changes. This can impact performance and may result in rate limiting.

If you need to check the current status (not for monitoring), you can query it once:

curl -X GET "https://api.signhost.com/api/transaction/${TRANSACTION_ID}" \
  -H "Authorization: APIKey ${API_KEY}" \
  -H "Application: APPKey ${APP_KEY}"

The response will include a Status field. See the Statuses & Activites page for possible values.

Complete Example

Here's a complete example using curl to create and start a transaction:

# 1. Create transaction
TRANSACTION_RESPONSE=$(curl -s -X POST "https://api.signhost.com/api/transaction" \
  -H "Authorization: APIKey ${API_KEY}" \
  -H "Application: APPKey ${APP_KEY}" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "Signers": [
      {
        "Email": "signer@example.com",
        "SignRequestMessage": "Please sign this document",
        "SendSignRequest": true,
        "Verifications": [
          {
            "Type": "Consent"
          }
        ]
      }
    ]
  }')

# Extract transaction ID (requires jq)
TRANSACTION_ID=$(echo $TRANSACTION_RESPONSE | jq -r '.Id')

# 2. Upload document
curl -X PUT "https://api.signhost.com/api/transaction/$TRANSACTION_ID/file/contract.pdf" \
  -H "Authorization: APIKey ${API_KEY}" \
  -H "Application: APPKey ${APP_KEY}" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/pdf" \
  --data-binary @contract.pdf

# 3. Start transaction
curl -X PUT "https://api.signhost.com/api/transaction/$TRANSACTION_ID/start" \
  -H "Authorization: APIKey ${API_KEY}" \
  -H "Application: APPKey ${APP_KEY}"

echo "Transaction created with ID: $TRANSACTION_ID"

Next Steps

Now that you've created your first transaction, explore these advanced features:

Multiple Documents: Include multiple files in one transaction
Form Fields: Add fillable form fields to your documents

Need Help?

API Reference: Explore the full API documentation
Support: Contact support@signhost.com
Community: Try our Postman workspace for quick testing

Get up and running with the Entrust Signhost API in minutes. This guide will walk you through creating your first digital signing transaction.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, you'll need:

An active Signhost account. Sign up here if you don't have one yet.
A PDF document that you want to have signed

Step 1: Get Your API Credentials

1.1 Generate Application Key

Log in to the Signhost Portal
Navigate to the Application Key page
Click "Generate New Application Key"
Copy and securely store your Application Key

1.2 Generate User Token

Go to the Settings page in the portal
Click "Generate token"
Copy and securely store your User Token

WARNING

Important: Both keys are only shown once during generation. Store them securely - if you lose them, you'll need to generate new ones.

Step 2: Create Your First Transaction

2.1 Create a New Transaction

Make a POST request to create a new transaction:

curl -X POST "https://api.signhost.com/api/transaction" \
  -H "Authorization: APIKey ${API_KEY}" \
  -H "Application: APPKey ${APP_KEY}" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "Signers": [
      {
        "Email": "signer@example.com",
        "SignRequestMessage": "Please sign this document",
        "SendSignRequest": true,
        "Verifications": [{
          "Type": "Consent"
         }]
      }
    ]
  }'

Response: You'll receive a transaction object with an Id field. This is the transactionId that you'll need for the next steps.

2.2 Upload Your Document

Upload the PDF document to be signed:

curl -X PUT "https://api.signhost.com/api/transaction/${TRANSACTION_ID}/file/document.pdf" \
  -H "Authorization: APIKey ${API_KEY}" \
  -H "Application: APPKey ${APP_KEY}" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/pdf" \
  --data-binary @/path/to/your/document.pdf

Replace:

${TRANSACTION_ID} with the ID from step 2.1
document.pdf with your desired filename
/path/to/your/document.pdf with the actual path to your PDF

2.3 Start the Transaction

Activate the transaction to send signing invitations:

curl -X PUT "https://api.signhost.com/api/transaction/${TRANSACTION_ID}/start" \
  -H "Authorization: APIKey ${API_KEY}" \
  -H "Application: APPKey ${APP_KEY}"

Step 3: Monitor Transaction Status

Recommended Approach: Use Postbacks

The best way to monitor transaction status is by configuring postbacks (webhooks) that notify your application when status changes occur.

The recommended way to set up postbacks is to configure a Global Postback URL. Global postbacks support security features like digest security and security headers.

The example below shows how to set a Dynamic Postback URL when creating a transaction:

# Include postback URL when creating transaction
curl -X POST "https://api.signhost.com/api/transaction" \
  -H "Authorization: APIKey ${API_KEY}" \
  -H "Application: APPKey ${APP_KEY}" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "Signers": [
      {
        "Email": "signer@example.com",
        "SignRequestMessage": "Please sign this document",
        "SendSignRequest": true,
        "Verifications": [{
          "Type": "Consent"
         }]
      }
    ],
    "PostbackUrl": "https://yourapp.com/webhook/signhost"
  }'

Your webhook endpoint will receive real-time notifications when the transaction status changes.

Alternative: Check Status Once

WARNING

Important: We recommend NOT polling the GET transaction API to monitor status changes. This can impact performance and may result in rate limiting.

If you need to check the current status (not for monitoring), you can query it once:

curl -X GET "https://api.signhost.com/api/transaction/${TRANSACTION_ID}" \
  -H "Authorization: APIKey ${API_KEY}" \
  -H "Application: APPKey ${APP_KEY}"

The response will include a Status field. See the Statuses & Activites page for possible values.

Complete Example

Here's a complete example using curl to create and start a transaction:

# 1. Create transaction
TRANSACTION_RESPONSE=$(curl -s -X POST "https://api.signhost.com/api/transaction" \
  -H "Authorization: APIKey ${API_KEY}" \
  -H "Application: APPKey ${APP_KEY}" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "Signers": [
      {
        "Email": "signer@example.com",
        "SignRequestMessage": "Please sign this document",
        "SendSignRequest": true,
        "Verifications": [
          {
            "Type": "Consent"
          }
        ]
      }
    ]
  }')

# Extract transaction ID (requires jq)
TRANSACTION_ID=$(echo $TRANSACTION_RESPONSE | jq -r '.Id')

# 2. Upload document
curl -X PUT "https://api.signhost.com/api/transaction/$TRANSACTION_ID/file/contract.pdf" \
  -H "Authorization: APIKey ${API_KEY}" \
  -H "Application: APPKey ${APP_KEY}" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/pdf" \
  --data-binary @contract.pdf

# 3. Start transaction
curl -X PUT "https://api.signhost.com/api/transaction/$TRANSACTION_ID/start" \
  -H "Authorization: APIKey ${API_KEY}" \
  -H "Application: APPKey ${APP_KEY}"

echo "Transaction created with ID: $TRANSACTION_ID"

Next Steps

Now that you've created your first transaction, explore these advanced features:

Multiple Documents: Include multiple files in one transaction
Form Fields: Add fillable form fields to your documents

Need Help?

API Reference: Explore the full API documentation
Support: Contact support@signhost.com
Community: Try our Postman workspace for quick testing

Quick Start#

#Prerequisites

#Step 1: Get Your API Credentials

#1.1 Generate Application Key

#1.2 Generate User Token

#Step 2: Create Your First Transaction

#2.1 Create a New Transaction

#2.2 Upload Your Document

#2.3 Start the Transaction

#Step 3: Monitor Transaction Status

#Recommended Approach: Use Postbacks

#Alternative: Check Status Once

#Complete Example

#Next Steps

#Need Help?

#Prerequisites

#Step 1: Get Your API Credentials

#1.1 Generate Application Key

#1.2 Generate User Token

#Step 2: Create Your First Transaction

#2.1 Create a New Transaction

#2.2 Upload Your Document

#2.3 Start the Transaction

#Step 3: Monitor Transaction Status

#Recommended Approach: Use Postbacks

#Alternative: Check Status Once

#Complete Example

#Next Steps

#Need Help?

Quick Start

Prerequisites

Step 1: Get Your API Credentials

1.1 Generate Application Key

1.2 Generate User Token

Step 2: Create Your First Transaction

2.1 Create a New Transaction

2.2 Upload Your Document

2.3 Start the Transaction

Step 3: Monitor Transaction Status

Recommended Approach: Use Postbacks

Alternative: Check Status Once

Complete Example

Next Steps

Need Help?

Prerequisites

Step 1: Get Your API Credentials

1.1 Generate Application Key

1.2 Generate User Token

Step 2: Create Your First Transaction

2.1 Create a New Transaction

2.2 Upload Your Document

2.3 Start the Transaction

Step 3: Monitor Transaction Status

Recommended Approach: Use Postbacks

Alternative: Check Status Once

Complete Example

Next Steps

Need Help?