How do I prevent DocuSign converting Supplemental Documents to PDF?

Question

The DocuSign REST API for Envelope Create describes the fileExtension option as “The file extension type of the document. If the document is not a PDF it is converted to a PDF.”

I need to send Supplemental Documents that we do not wish to be converted to PDF, perhaps a CSV or a password-protected macro-enabled Excel file. How can I include files in the envelope in their raw format for the recipient to download or to open?

See https://docs.docusign.com/esign/restapi/Envelopes/Envelopes/create/

Answer 1

All files sent through DocuSign are converted to PDFs, this is true of documents for signature, signer attachments and supplemental documents.

You can get a bit more control over how the PDF conversion works by doing it yourself prior to uploading, but in the end it will be a PDF.

Answer 2

Re: How can I include files in the envelope in their raw format for the recipient to download or to open?

The DocuSign eSignature (cloud) service converts all documents to PDF.

Other options:

Instead of including the supplemental documents in the DocuSign envelope, you could include pointers to the documents. You'd then also provide instructions within the document on how to download and use the supplemental docs (in their original formats).

If the documents are private to each envelope or recipient then you could use signed urls and perhaps document visibility.

You could also write an application that

1. would enable the recipients to sign the document via embedded signing and
2. would enable the recipients to download the supplemental documents. You could include the supplemental document id(s) as envelope custom fields.