DocuSign

DocuSign Negotiation Insights

When negotiating pricing for DocuSign, understanding the nuances of their pricing model can help you secure a favorable contract. Here are a few insights to get you started:

Discount Lever

Typically, DocuSign provides discounts for organizations that commit to longer contract terms. This can make 2-year and 3-year deals significantly better value than an annual commitment.

Commercial Item

While negotiating, be aware that DocuSign contracts often include itemized pricing for different products or features. It's not uncommon to see distinct charges for the eSignature service, API calls, additional users, storage, and other elements. This is something to be mindful of when analyzing your pricing proposal.

To unlock more in-depth negotiation insights for DocuSign, including a wealth of context on both discount levers and commercial items, sign up for a free forever Vendr account. Our platform provides access to numerous negotiation insights to help you secure the best possible terms for your DocuSign contract.

Expert Tips on How to Get the Lowest Price on Docusign

Here are some specific actions you can take to avoid overages and secure favorable pricing for your Docusign contract.

Step 1. Review your usage.
Review your last 12 months of usage to identify any trends or seasonality, and to help forecast your needs for the next term. This is where you might first see indications that you’re in overages or about to be with DocuSign.

Step 2. Review your contract language.
Review your previous contract closely for two things:

The overage rate: This should be clearly indicated on the previous order form.
Bundle add-on language: In some cases, a paragraph is added to the terms allowing the team to purchase bundles of additional envelopes at or very close to the committed envelope rate, often in quantities of 500 or 1,000 envelopes at a time.

Step 3. Review and forecast utilization to finalize scoping needs.
Forecast your needed scope by working with your team to estimate the volume of envelopes needed over the next 12 months. DocuSign usually has very high overage rates, so we recommend having a slightly higher volume of envelopes rather than too few, unless budget restrictions are in play.

Step 4. Determine your negotiation “gives.”
Keep a few “gives” — or things you’re willing to offer the seller— in your back pocket during negotiations. “Gives” that often come with good leverage include: Annual payment upfront, case study/logo use, sales reference, multi-year term, expedited signature.

Step 5. Confirm internal approvals.
Confirm whether legal and/or security teams need to conduct due diligence or reviews.

Step 6. Consider economies of scale.
If you intend to continue to increase usage with DocuSign, this could be an opportunity to negotiate for a lower rate. When negotiating, anchor on the exact price needed to move forward at an improved rate to reward the growth. Include any additional “gives” that you can provide, along with payment terms, timeline, and future-proofing requirements.

Step 7. Future-proof your partnership.
Before signing an amendment or early renewal, make sure to review the overage rate listed. Always ask DocuSign to add language allowing you to purchase additional envelopes at the same rate as the committed envelopes.

Step 8. Consider a model change.
In some scenarios, it might make sense to consider a seat-based model if a small segment of users sends the majority of the envelopes.

Step 9. Agree to pricing terms and finalize approvals.

Community Insights for DocuSign

Here are some recent insights shared by our community on procuring DocuSign:

1. "Was able to save 60% by switching from the seat model to the envelope model." - Community Insight was posted recently.
2. "We were able to reduce the total number of licenses to reduce cost, but DocuSign did increase the price per unit." - Community Insight was posted recently.

Learn more about how to optimize your DocuSign procurement strategy by signing up for a free forever Vendr account. When you join, you'll unlock a treasure trove of insights, including the estimated time to implement DocuSign, what to expect for your renewal, and other discount levers that can be implemented if you're stuck during the negotiation process. Currently, there are numerous community insights available for DocuSign, each offering valuable perspectives to help you make the most informed decisions.

DocuSign Overview

DocuSign is a pioneering platform in the realm of e-signature technology, enabling businesses to digitally manage and execute agreements. The platform presents an intuitive and innovative user interface with global legal validity. With DocuSign, users can enhance their business operations by electronically signing, sending, and managing documents.

Their comprehensive feature set includes embedded signing, bulk sending, and real-time audit trails, solidifying its status as an all-in-one solution for organizations looking to transition towards a more efficient, paperless environment. The highlight of their offerings is interoperability with various industry-leading platforms such as Google, Salesforce, Oracle, and Microsoft, to name a few.

Compliance and Security

DocuSign adheres to stringent security practices ensuring users the trustworthiness of its platform. The platform complies with top industry standards including General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and Service Organization Controls (SOC) 2, resulting in a highly secure environment for your business interactions and data

DocuSign also outshines when it comes to additional security layers like Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) and Single Sign-On (SSO), ensuring only approved users have access to necessary resources while enhancing user convenience. Additionally, the platform is consistent with Personally Identifiable Information (PII) and Data Protection Act (DPA) regulations, demonstrating its priority to user privacy and data protection.

With DocuSign, businesses can confidently migrate their agreement processes online, secure in their data protection and compliance.

DocuSign Pricing & Plan FAQs

How does DocuSign compare to its competitors in terms of pricing and features?

DocuSign's pricing ranges significantly depending on the plan and required features, and it generally offers more advanced functionality compared to competitors like Adobe Sign, Dropbox Sign, and PandaDoc. While Adobe Sign is similar in capabilities, alternatives like Dropbox Sign provide simpler solutions at lower price points.

What is DocuSign's Business Pro plan?

DocuSign’s Business Pro plan is designed for businesses looking to enhance document management processes beyond e-signatures. 

This plan is well-suited for small to mid-sized businesses and offers comprehensive capabilities, including:

• In-person signing
• Advanced fields 
• Signer attachments
• Bulk sending 
• Customizable branding options.

With the Business Pro plan, users can streamline their workflows by using PowerForms to create self-service documents for signature collection, which is particularly useful for standard forms like NDAs and contracts. Bulk send capabilities allow the distribution of a single document to multiple recipients at once, ideal for mass agreements and updates. The plan also supports integration with various CRM systems.

What are the key features of DocuSign's eSignature solution?

DocuSign offers a robust eSignature solution that includes features like embedded signing, bulk sending, real-time audit trails, and compliance with global legal standards. These features streamline the signing process and enhance workflow efficiency, making it an ideal solution for businesses transitioning to paperless operations.

How does DocuSign integrate with other business tools and platforms?

DocuSign seamlessly integrates with numerous leading business platforms including Google, Salesforce, Oracle, and Microsoft. This interoperability enhances the platform’s utility by enabling users to manage documents and signatures within their existing workflows and systems.