Contracts and commercial documents
Contracts, amendments, invoices, and quotes generated from templates with ERP or CRM data, with version control and only approved fields open for editing.
Document workflow
Document Workflow Automation for Mid-Size and Large Companies
Join.To.IT removes the manual work around contracts, invoices, purchase orders, and delivery notes: documents are generated from ERP or CRM data, routed for approval, signed electronically, and filed in a searchable archive. We work with manufacturers, distributors, and service companies. We start with an audit and automate one document type as a pilot in 3–6 weeks.
- Documents built from ERP and CRM data, no retyping
- Approval routing and e-signatures
- Supplier invoices captured and matched automatically
- 01 Document audit
- 02 Pilot on one document type
- 03 Rollout
- 04 Support
Document automation is more than signing a PDF
Most companies already sign some documents with DocuSign or Adobe Acrobat Sign. The process around the signature is often still manual: someone copies customer details from the ERP into a Word template, emails the draft to legal, waits for approval in Slack or Teams, uploads the file for signature, and then updates the status in the ERP by hand.
We automate the whole path. A contract, invoice, or statement of work is generated from ERP or CRM data, goes to the people who need to approve it, is signed electronically, sent to the counterparty, and returns to the ERP with its status. Incoming invoices and delivery notes are read and entered without manual typing, and signed documents are stored in a searchable archive.
You do not need to move every document to a new process at once. We usually start with the document type that costs the most time, such as customer contracts or supplier invoices, and expand once that process works.
What document workflow automation includes
These are the processes we automate most often. Each one can be taken on its own.
Approval routing
Documents go to legal, the CFO, or a department head according to rules: amount, contract type, counterparty. With reminders and a full approval history.
E-signatures and counterparty exchange
Sending and signing through DocuSign, Adobe Acrobat Sign, or other e-signature and e-invoicing services, with the status written back to the ERP automatically.
Incoming document capture
Invoices, delivery notes, and receipts from email and PDF are read with AI, matched against purchase orders, and created in the ERP as drafts for review.
Archive and search
All signed documents in one archive, searchable by counterparty, number, amount, and date, with access rights by department, in SharePoint, Google Drive, or your own storage.
HR documents
Offer letters, policy acknowledgments, and internal forms signed electronically, so nobody collects signatures on paper.
How we automate document workflows
Each stage ends with a result you review before approving the next one.
- 01
Document audit
We list document types, their routes, participants, and systems, and measure where documents get stuck. Usually 1–2 weeks.
Outcome A document flow map and the list of documents worth automating first
- 02
Pilot on one document type
We automate one process, such as customer contracts or supplier invoices, from creation to archive, and run it alongside the current way. Usually 3–6 weeks.
Outcome A working process and measured document cycle time
- 03
Rollout
We add more document types and departments, set up access rights, and train staff. Usually 1–3 months per area, 3–6 months for a full program.
Outcome Electronic document workflow across several departments
- 04
Support
We update templates and routes when policies or regulations change and monitor the connections to external services. Monthly.
Outcome A document workflow that keeps up with changes
How much document workflow automation costs
The price depends on the number of document types, the complexity of approval routes, and the systems that need to exchange data.
| Option | Pilot | One process | End-to-end program |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it covers | Audit plus automation of one document type with a simple route | A full process with templates, approvals, e-signatures, and ERP integration | Document workflow for several departments, archive, HR documents, and support |
| Typical timeline | 3–6 weeks | 1–3 months | 3–6 months, in phases |
| Good fit when | You want to test the approach on one document | One document type clearly slows the business down | Document handling needs rebuilding across the company |
| Typical budget | $7,000–$15,000 | $15,000–$40,000 | From $40,000 |
These are indicative ranges and exclude e-signature and e-invoicing subscriptions; you get a fixed estimate after the audit. Document workflows can be automated partially and in phases, one document type at a time.
Services and systems we work with
We connect to the APIs of e-signature services, ERPs, CRMs, and document storage. The exact set is agreed after the audit.
- DocuSign
- Adobe Acrobat Sign
- PandaDoc
- NetSuite
- SAP Business One
- QuickBooks
- Xero
- Salesforce
- HubSpot
- Google Workspace
- Microsoft 365 and SharePoint
- Excel and CSV
Example
What a document workflow pilot can look like
This is an illustration, not a specific client case. Take a manufacturer that receives several hundred invoices and delivery notes a month from raw material and service suppliers. Documents arrive by email and through supplier portals, and an AP clerk keys them into the ERP, matches them to purchase orders, and sends them for payment approval.
The pilot collects incoming documents from the AP inbox, reads supplier details, amounts, and line items, matches them to purchase orders in the ERP, and creates draft bills. The clerk reviews only the mismatches, and the bill goes to the responsible manager for payment approval automatically.
Frequently asked questions
How much does document workflow automation cost?
A pilot on one document type usually costs $7,000–$15,000. A full process with templates, approvals, e-signatures, and ERP integration is typically $15,000–$40,000. A multi-department program starts around $40,000. Subscriptions to services such as DocuSign are paid separately. We give a fixed estimate after the audit.
Are electronically signed documents legally valid?
In most cases, yes. In the US, the ESIGN Act and UETA give electronic signatures the same standing as handwritten ones for most business contracts. In the EU, eIDAS recognises electronic signatures, and qualified electronic signatures carry the same legal effect as handwritten ones. Some documents have exceptions or stricter requirements, so check specific cases with your legal counsel.
How is this different from just using DocuSign?
DocuSign and similar services handle signing and delivery to the counterparty. Automation covers the rest: generating the document from ERP or CRM data, internal approval, sending it for signature without manual uploads, and writing the status back to your systems. We do not replace these services; we connect them to your systems so nobody moves documents by hand.
Can document workflows be connected to our ERP?
Yes. Documents are built from ERP data: customer details, items, amounts, and payment terms. After signing, the status and the signed file go back to the ERP. Incoming invoices and delivery notes can be read and created in the ERP as drafts for review. We connect through the ERP’s API and the APIs of your e-signature services.
How long does the move to electronic documents take?
The audit takes 1–2 weeks, and a pilot on one document type takes 3–6 weeks. A full process for one area, such as customer contracts, takes 1–3 months. Moving several departments takes 3–6 months in phases: paper and electronic documents run side by side for a while as counterparties and staff adjust.