A signed copy everyone gets, with the proof attached
A signed contract is only useful if you can find it and stand behind it a year from now. When an envelope completes, SignMaster builds one PDF that holds both: the signed documents, followed by a certificate of completion that records how each signature happened. Everyone on the envelope gets a copy, and you can download it again whenever you need it.
Updated November 5, 2026 · 2 min read
On this page
What's in the signed PDF
- The documents, in envelope order, with every field filled and every signature, initial and approval printed where it was placed.
- Any files signers attached, added after the documents, each one referenced from the field that collected it.
- A stamp on every page with the envelope ID and the page number, so a loose page can be traced back to its envelope.
- The certificate of completion on the final pages.
Reading the certificate
| Section | What it records |
|---|---|
| Envelope | The title, envelope ID, when it completed, and each document's name, page count and original SHA-256 fingerprint |
| Signers | For each person: name and email, what they applied, when they viewed, consented and completed, their IP address, approximate location, browser and the consent version they accepted |
| No longer signing | Anyone removed or replaced after sending, if there was anyone |
| Corrections after sending | What was changed once the envelope was out, if anything |
| Event history | Every event in order, in UTC, with who did it and from which IP address |
Special cases are spelled out. A signer who signed in person on your device shows as signed in person, hosted by you. Someone who printed, signed on paper and uploaded it shows that, with the upload's own fingerprint. An envelope that started from a public signing link says so, and whether the signer confirmed their email with a code.
Who gets a copy, and where
- 1
Everyone is emailed
Each signer, each person getting a copy, each viewer and you receive the signed PDF by email the moment the last signature is in. SignMaster checks the finished file before it goes out.
- 2
It stays on the envelope
Open the envelope any time and choose Download signed PDF. The original files are there too, unsigned, under Download original.
- 3
Its fingerprint is shown
The envelope page shows the SHA-256 of the finished PDF, so you can later prove a stored copy is the one SignMaster produced.
Keeping it useful
- Store the whole PDF. The certificate is part of the file. Splitting off the contract pages leaves you with a weaker record.
- Keep the file unchanged. Re-saving it in another app can change its fingerprint even when nothing visible changes. See tamper-evident PDFs.
- Name it well. The envelope title becomes part of the file name, so a title like Smith roof replacement, 14 Elm St beats Contract.
- Send it from automation if you file contracts elsewhere: on Crew and Company, the envelope.completed webhook carries a download link to the signed PDF.
Questions? Answers.
Is the certificate included on the free plan?
Yes. Every completed envelope on every plan gets the signed PDF with its certificate. On Crew and Company, your logo appears on the certificate.
Can I get the certificate on its own?
It comes as the last pages of the signed PDF. If someone needs only the certificate, share the full PDF and point them to the final pages.
Does the certificate prove who signed?
It records the evidence: the email the link went to, the IP address, browser, consent and times, plus an access code check if you used one. It doesn't check a government ID.
What if I lose the email?
Download the signed PDF again from the envelope. It stays in SignMaster with the envelope.