Sign a business proposal online, and close faster
Send a substantiated commercial offer context, value, scope, options and pricing that your prospect accepts electronically in less than 2 minutes from their mobile phone. Acceptance of the proposal forms the contract (Article 1101 of the Civil Code) and freezes the scope, price and conditions at the click. Complies with Article 1366 of the Civil Code and the eIDAS Regulation recommended advanced signature, opening and consultation follow-up, automatic relaunching. Archive 10 years included.
- Legal framework
- Article 1101 of the Civil Code
- Signature level
- AES eIDAS recommended
- Legal archives
- 10 years included
What is an electronically signed business proposal?
A commercial proposal is not a simple quotation: it is a structured and reasoned commercial offer that sets out the context of the prospectus, the value provided, the detailed scope, the possible options or variants and the associated pricing. It is the French equivalent of the order form or the proposal the document on which the closing is played. As soon as the prospect accepts it, this acceptance is the formation of the contract within the meaning of Article 1101 of the Civil Code: the offer and consent meet, the scope and price are fixed. The advanced electronic signature (AES) timestamps this acceptance with a double level of evidence to the court of trade. Article 1366 of the Civil Code confers on the guaranteed electronic document the same force as the paper proof, signed and signed by the SHA-256 and the OTP, integrated into the court of evidence.
Why sign the business proposal online?
Closing accelerated from mobile
The prospect reads the proposal and signs it from their phone in less than 2 minutes, without installing an app or creating an account. The SMS OTP formally identifies them at the crucial moment. You remove the deadline between it's good for us and the actual signature, where so much business is lost.
Follow-up of opening and consultation
You know when the proposal is open, how many times it is consulted and when. This signal of interest tells you exactly when to resume, without harassment or release of pressure. Each consultation is traced in the document log.
Automatically raised funds J+2 / J+5 / J+7
Certyneo relaunches the prospect who has not yet signed, according to a configurable pace (by default J+2, J+5, J+7). You keep your hand on strategic business while automating volume tracking.
The eIDAS audit trail is open to objection
Each accepted proposal is accompanied by a PDF of proof: signatory identity (email + OTP telephone), qualified time stamping, SHA-256 fingerprint, IP and gross geolocation, consultation log.
Sign a business proposal in 4 steps
From sending the bid to closing time stamped and filed, in less than five minutes.
1. Submit the proposal
Upload your business proposal PDF or use a Certyneo template. Structure the offer: context, value, limited scope, options or variants, pricing and duration of the offer.
2. Add the signatory decision maker
Enter the name, email and phone number of the prospect's decision maker, and they will receive a personalized secure link. For large accounts, add the purchasing manager or finance director as a co-signer.
3. Choose the eIDAS level
Advanced signature (AES) recommended for B2B proposals: identity verified by SMS OTP, unique certificate per signatory, qualified time stamping, in accordance with Article 26 of the eIDAS Regulation.
4. Sign and file
The prospect signs from his mobile phone or computer, usually within 24 hours. The accepted proposal and its PDF of proof are automatically archived for 10 years, accessible at any time from your dashboard for a check or a litigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What's the difference between a business proposal and a quote?
- A business proposal is a reasoned offer that first sells the value prospect context, profits, detailed scope, options and variants, then pricing. Legally, both fall under Article 1101 of the Civil Code: as soon as the prospect accepts, the offer and consent meet and the contract is formed.
- Is accepting the proposal worth a firm commitment?
- Yes. Article 1101 of the Civil Code defines a contract as an agreement of wills intended to create legal effects: an accepted proposal forms the contract, the prospectus is committed to the agreed scope and price. The advanced electronic signature Certyneo formally identifies the signatory (double-channel OTP) and guarantees the integrity of the proposal as accepted (SHA-256 stamp integrated into the PDF). The commitment is admissible before the commercial court in case of late dispute.
- How do you manage multiple options or variations in a proposal?
- Structure your options in the body of the proposal (standard offer, premium offer, with or without option) and materialize the choice by signing or paraphrasing fields next to the selected option. The SHA-256 imprint freezes the exact version accepted by the prospect, options included. If the prospect changes option after the stroke, a new proposal must be issued to sign it is this signed version that proves the agreed scope.
- Can we follow the opening and automatically re-launch the prospect?
- Certyneo tells you when the proposal is open and how often it is viewed a valuable interest signal to time your re-raises. Re-raises are automatic and configurable (by default J+2, J+5, J+7), customizable in time and content, or disable for sensitive accounts. Each opening, viewing and re-raise is tracked in the document's audit trail.
- What signature level to choose: SES, AES or QES?
- For a B2B commercial proposal with full legal value, the advanced signature (AES) is the standard: identity verification by SMS OTP, unique certificate per signatory, qualified time stamping, in accordance with Article 26 of the eIDAS Regulation. The SES (single signature) is sufficient for small amounts or confirmatory offers. The SES is rarely required for a commercial offer. The presumption of reliability of Article 1367 of the Civil Code makes the AES enforceable without further proof.
- What happens if the proposal is changed after acceptance?
- Any change after acceptance invalidates the signature: the SHA-256 print of the signed document is included in the PDF of the proof. If the file is changed, the print no longer matches and the alteration is instantly detectable. To change the scope or price, an endorsement or a new proposal must be issued to be signed it is the signed version that freezes the contract within the meaning of Article 1101 of the Civil Code.
- Does Certyneo integrate with my CRM?
- Yes, via the native Zapier, Make and webhooks connectors. You can automatically trigger the creation of a Certyneo envelope when you pass an opportunity in proposal sent in HubSpot, Pipedrive, Sellsy, Axonaut or any other CRM, and trace the signature status in your pipeline. Our REST API is documented on certyneo.com/developers for custom integrations.
- Is the signed proposal admissible in the commercial court ?
- The French case law unanimously recognises eIDAS-compliant electronic signatures. The presumption of reliability of Article 1367 of the Civil Code makes the advanced signature (AES) optional without further proof, subject to the production of the eIDAS audit trail in court PDF of proof automatically delivered by Certyneo. When the accepted proposal becomes an order and invoice, Article L441-1 of the Commercial Code governs the terms and formalities applicable between professionals.
See also
Sign your first online business proposal
Permanent free plan (5 envelopes/month), no credit card, opening tracking, automatic rebates, time stamped acceptance optional, audit trail and 10 years of archiving included.