Case study: Digital approval process
Several employees should be able to read and sign PDF documents
This scenario shows how we worked with a customer to create a digital approval process. It is a custom, customer-specific application. The case demonstrates how different webPDF web services were combined to implement the solution.
The initial goal was to optimize an internal approval workflow.
Customer requirements
The customer needed a workflow in which multiple users can review and sign PDF documents until an authorized user performs the final closure of the document.
Originally, a signature image was manually stored at a defined position in the workflow. The customer wanted to keep a local application architecture. The webPDF web portal served as the starting point and inspiration for developing an extension that improves the existing process.
The workflow needed to support reading, scrolling, and zooming within a PDF preview. Users should be able to draw a signature frame with the mouse, insert their assigned signature image, and optionally mark themselves as the final signatory. At the end, the PDF should be marked as final and optionally protected against changes.
The process had to be repeatable for different employees until final approval.
The implementation combines multiple webPDF web services, in this case:
webpdf toolbox image exportfor preview generationwebpdf toolbox signaturefor placing and applying signatures
Development in this customer project
Based on these requirements, a local Java application was developed. The application is usable from each employee client, and every authenticated user can access their personal signature.
The signatures are stored per user profile on a centrally accessible Windows share. Preview generation and signing are handled in the background via the corresponding webPDF web services through the REST API.
To minimize user interaction, the Java application uses current user permissions and accesses required data without additional manual steps.
Using the application
The user starts the application from the Windows file manager context menu for the selected PDF.
The PDF is loaded as a preview in the application. Preview generation is handled by the webPDF server in the background. This allows users to review the document and select the page to sign before inserting a signature.
The user can define the size and position of the signature field with a simple mouse selection. The field can be placed freely on the selected page.
After that, the document can be signed via the "Sign" action.
The user can either sign the document only, or also close it after signing to protect it from further editing and changes.
For more detailed reports and interviews about real-world use of webPDF, see the Customer case studies.