Signature Requests
Version: 2.0 Last Updated: 2026-01-15 Status: Business-Focused Conversion Change Log: Converted from technical v1.0 to business-focused format per PRD Conversion Checklist
Overview
Purpose
Enable rental operators to obtain legally binding electronic signatures on rental contracts, replacing paper-based processes with secure digital workflows that accelerate order completion.
Problem Statement
Rental operators lose revenue and customer satisfaction through manual signature processes:
- Delayed Order Completion: Paper contracts require in-person visits or mail exchanges
- Administrative Burden: Staff time spent on printing, scanning, filing, and tracking paper documents
- Compliance Risk: Missing signatures, lost documents, and incomplete audit trails
- Customer Friction: Customers must visit physical locations or wait for mail delivery
Business Value
| Value Area | Current State | Target Outcome | Measurement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Order Completion Speed | Hours/days for paper signatures | 15 minutes average for digital signatures | Order timestamp comparison |
| Administrative Time | 30+ minutes per contract handling | 5 minutes per contract | Time study pre/post |
| Document Compliance | Manual tracking, missing signatures | 100% audit trail completeness | Monthly compliance audit |
| Customer Convenience | Office visit required | Remote signing from any device | Customer survey (NPS delta) |
| Vehicle Turnover | Delayed by signature bottlenecks | Same-day contract completion | Days-to-sign metric |
Success Metrics
| Metric | Definition | Baseline | Target | Timeframe | Measurement Method |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Contract Completion Rate | % of orders with signed contracts within 24 hours | TBD (30-day baseline) | 90% within 24 hours | 6 months | Order + signature timestamp analysis |
| Average Time-to-Sign | Hours from request sent to signature completed | TBD (30-day baseline) | < 4 hours | 3 months | Signature request timestamps |
| Digital Adoption Rate | % of contracts signed digitally vs. paper | 0% (new feature) | 80% of all contracts | 6 months | Contract type tracking |
| Customer Completion Rate | % of requests that result in signed documents | N/A | 85% completion | 3 months | Request status tracking |
| Verification Success Rate | % of customers successfully verified on first attempt | N/A | 95% first-attempt success | 3 months | Verification log analysis |
| Operator Efficiency | Minutes spent per contract (admin tasks) | 30+ minutes | < 10 minutes | 6 months | Time tracking study |
| Support Ticket Reduction | Signature-related support requests | TBD (30-day baseline) | 50% reduction | 6 months | Help desk categorization |
Baseline Collection: 30-day pre-implementation measurement using current paper process tracking.
Target Users
Primary: Rental Operators
- Role: Staff who manage rental orders and customer contracts
- Business Impact: Spend 30+ minutes per order on contract administration
- Success Criteria: Complete contract signing in under 10 minutes total effort
Primary: Rental Customers
- Role: Individuals renting vehicles who must sign agreements
- Business Impact: Currently required to visit office or wait for mail
- Success Criteria: Sign contracts remotely in under 15 minutes from any device
Secondary: Operations Managers
- Role: Oversee rental operations and compliance
- Business Impact: Need visibility into contract completion and audit trails
- Success Criteria: 100% document tracking with complete audit history
User Stories
P0 - Critical (Must Have)
US-1: Create Signature Request
- As a rental operator, I want to send a contract for electronic signature so that customers can sign remotely without visiting our office.
- Acceptance Criteria:
- GIVEN an order exists in the system
- WHEN operator initiates signature request with customer contact info and document type
- THEN customer receives invitation via selected delivery method (SMS/email)
- AND request appears in tracking dashboard with “Pending” status
- AND invalid contact information shows clear error message before sending
US-2: Sign Document Remotely
- As a customer, I want to sign my rental contract from my phone or computer so that I don’t have to visit the rental office.
- Acceptance Criteria:
- GIVEN I received a signature invitation link
- WHEN I verify my identity and complete the signature
- THEN the signed contract is legally valid and stored
- AND I receive confirmation of successful completion
- AND the operator is notified of completion
US-3: Track Signature Status
- As a rental operator, I want to see which customers have signed, pending, or declined so that I can follow up appropriately.
- Acceptance Criteria:
- GIVEN signature requests exist for orders
- WHEN I view the order details
- THEN I see all requests with clear status indicators (Pending/Signed/Declined)
- AND I can see timestamps for each status change
- AND I can identify requests requiring follow-up
P1 - Important (Should Have)
US-4: Resend Invitation
- As a rental operator, I want to resend signature invitations so that customers who missed the original can still complete signing.
- Acceptance Criteria:
- GIVEN a pending signature request exists
- WHEN I choose to resend via SMS or email
- THEN customer receives a new invitation
- AND the action is logged in request history
US-5: Decline with Reason
- As a customer, I want to decline a signature request with an explanation so that the operator understands why I cannot proceed.
- Acceptance Criteria:
- GIVEN I’m viewing a signature request
- WHEN I choose to decline and provide a reason
- THEN the request is marked as declined
- AND the operator can see my explanation
US-6: Access Signed Documents
- As a rental operator, I want to retrieve signed contracts so that I have records for compliance and disputes.
- Acceptance Criteria:
- GIVEN a contract has been signed
- WHEN I access the order details
- THEN I can view and download the signed document
- AND the document shows embedded signatures and timestamps
P2 - Nice to Have
US-7: Multi-Language Support
- As an operator serving international customers, I want contracts and messages in the customer’s language so that they understand what they’re signing.
- Acceptance Criteria:
- GIVEN I select a locale when creating the request
- WHEN the customer accesses the signing page
- THEN all content displays in the selected language
Functional Requirements
FR-1: Signature Request Management
- Operators must be able to create signature requests for any active order
- System must support three document types: Check-in Contract, Check-out Contract, Contract Extension
- Delivery options must include SMS, email, or both
- Customer contact information must be validated before sending
- Operators must have visibility into all requests with filtering by status
FR-2: Customer Signing Experience
- Customers must access signing via secure link (no account required)
- Identity verification required before document access (phone verification)
- Signature must be captured digitally (drawing canvas)
- Customers must be able to decline with mandatory explanation
- Process must work on mobile and desktop devices
FR-3: Document Generation & Storage
- Signed documents must be generated as PDF with embedded signatures
- All signed contracts must be stored securely with permanent URLs
- Documents must include all order details, terms, and timestamps
- Signed documents must be attached to order records automatically
FR-4: Security & Compliance
- Phone verification required before granting document access
- Access tokens must expire within 30 days
- All signature actions must be logged with timestamps for audit
- Cancelled orders must auto-decline pending signature requests
FR-5: Communication & Notifications
- SMS/email invitations must be sent within 30 seconds of request creation
- Messages must be localized based on selected language (12 languages supported)
- Failed delivery attempts must notify operators
- Operators must be notified when customers sign or decline
Business Rules
Document Availability
- Check-in Contract: Available for any order
- Check-out Contract: Available only after check-in date is recorded
- Contract Extension: Available only after check-in date is recorded
Status Lifecycle
- New requests start as “Pending”
- Status transitions to “Signed” or “Declined” (one-way, irreversible)
- Cancelled orders auto-decline all pending requests
Contact Requirements
- Phone number required for all requests (verification)
- Email required only if “Send by Email” selected
- Contact information validated before request creation
Access Control
- Only authenticated operators can create/manage requests
- Operators can only access requests for their tenant/company
- Customers access requests via tokenized links (no login required)
Dependencies
Internal Systems
- Orders Service: Source of order data, customer information, vehicle details
- Settings Service: Company agreement templates, branding, timezone
- Document Storage: Cloud storage for signed document URLs
- User Authentication: Operator roles and permissions
External Services
- SMS Provider: Phone validation and verification code delivery
- Email Provider: Email invitation delivery
- URL Shortening: Shortened links for SMS messages
Non-Functional Requirements
Performance
- Verification codes delivered within 30 seconds
- Document generation completed within 10 seconds
- Signed document upload within 15 seconds
Availability
- 99.5% uptime for signing service
- Graceful degradation if SMS provider unavailable (email fallback)
Security
- Verification codes single-use and time-limited
- All document access logged for audit
- Signed documents immutable after completion
Scalability
- Support 100+ concurrent signing sessions
- Handle 1000+ signature requests per day per tenant
Acceptance Criteria Summary
| Scenario | Criteria | Success Measure |
|---|---|---|
| Request Creation | Operator creates request with valid customer info | Request sent within 30 seconds, appears in dashboard |
| Customer Verification | Customer verifies identity via phone | 95% success rate on first attempt |
| Document Signing | Customer completes signature | PDF generated with embedded signature, stored permanently |
| Decline Flow | Customer declines with reason | Operator notified, reason visible in dashboard |
| Multi-Language | Request created with locale | All customer-facing content in selected language |
| Audit Trail | Any signature activity | Timestamp, action, and user logged |
Glossary
| Term | Business Definition |
|---|---|
| Signature Request | An invitation sent to a customer to electronically sign a rental document |
| Document Type | The kind of contract (Check-in, Check-out, Extension) matching the rental stage |
| Access Token | A secure credential allowing customers to access and sign documents for 30 days |
| Verification Code | A one-time code sent via SMS to confirm customer identity |
| Sign Status | Current state: Pending (awaiting action), Signed (completed), Declined (refused) |
Open Questions
- Baseline metrics—need 30-day tracking before implementation?
- Integration with existing paper contract workflow during transition?
- Customer support escalation path for verification failures?
- Document retention policy for signed contracts?
- Fallback process if SMS delivery fails?