Dhinesh Sekar for BoldSign

Posted on Sep 23 • Originally published at boldsign.com

Schedule Contract Delivery with BoldSign API Integration

#esignature #webdev #api #apiintegration

In contract-driven workflows, timing isn’t just important; it’s critical. Whether you’re sending agreements after a proposal is approved, a payment is processed, or a project milestone is reached, delivering contracts at the right moment ensures smooth operations and professional communication.

With the scheduled send feature in BoldSign, you can automate contract request timing. Instead of relying on manual reminders or last-minute actions, you define exactly when a document should be sent, and BoldSign takes care of the rest. This eliminates the risk of delays, forgotten follow-ups, or premature deliveries.

By removing manual steps, you reduce errors and free up your team to focus on strategic work. The result? A more reliable, efficient, and scalable contract workflow.

Scheduled sending is especially useful when:

Contracts need to go out during non-working hours or across time zones.
Legal or compliance requirements dictate specific delivery windows.
Teams want to align document delivery with automated business processes.

How to schedule contracts with the BoldSign API

To schedule a document, set the scheduledSendTime property in your API request. This value must be:

In Unix Timestamp format (e.g., 1744279200).
At least 30 minutes ahead of the current time.
Before the document’s expiry date.

Once scheduled, the document will appear in your BoldSign dashboard with the status “Scheduled to be sent,” along with the selected date and time.

Code examples

Here are sample implementations in various programming languages to help you get started:


curl -X POST 'https://api.boldsign.com/v1/document/send' \
      -H 'accept: application/json' \
      -H 'X-API-KEY: YOUR_API_KEY' \
      -H 'Content-Type: multipart/form-data' \
      -F 'Message=Please sign this document' \
      -F 'Title=Agreement' \
      -F 'scheduledSendTime=1745107200' \
      -F 'Signers={
        "name": "David",
        "emailAddress": "david@example.com",
        "signerType": "Signer",
        "deliveryMode": "Email",
        "formFields": [{
          "id": "sign1",
          "name": "Signature",
          "fieldType": "Signature",
          "pageNumber": 1,
          "bounds": {
            "x": 100,
            "y": 100,
            "width": 100,
            "height": 50
          },
          "isRequired": true
        }],
        "locale": "EN"
      }' \
      -F 'Files=@/path/to/your/document.pdf'

Configuration tips before you run the code

Before running the code samples, make sure to update two key values:

Replace your API key

Every API call requires authentication. In each code snippet, you’ll see a placeholder like YOUR_API_KEY. Replace this with your actual API key from your BoldSign dashboard.

You can find your API key by logging into your BoldSign account and navigating to Settings > API Keys.

Set a valid scheduled send time

The scheduledSendTime property must be provided in Unix timestamp format, which is the number of seconds since January 1, 1970 (UTC). This tells BoldSign exactly when to send the document.

To generate a valid timestamp:

Make sure it’s at least 30 minutes ahead of the current time.
Ensure it’s before the document’s expiry date.

You can generate a Unix timestamp using online tools like Epoch Converter or any timestamp converter to match your desired date and time.

You can also generate a Unix timestamp in code.

Here’s how to generate a timestamp 1 hour from now:

Language	Code
Python	`future_time = int(time.time()) + 3600`
JavaScript	`const futureTime = Math.floor(Date.now() / 1000) + 3600;`
.NET	`var futureTime = DateTimeOffset.UtcNow.ToUnixTimeSeconds() + 3600;`

After the code runs, the document will automatically be scheduled to be sent at the specified time.

Conclusion

Scheduling contracts via BoldSign API empowers teams to work smarter, not harder. By automating document delivery, you reduce friction, improve turnaround times, and ensure your business stays ahead of the curve.

Ready to streamline your contract workflow? Sign up for a free sandbox account to explore and test all the features at no cost. Explore the BoldSign API Documentation for detailed guides, code samples, and integration tips.

We’d love to hear from you! Share your feedback in the comments below. For a personalized experience, you can schedule a demo or reach out to our support team through the support portal for assistance.

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Note: This blog was originally published at boldsign.com

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