Certyneo and Make: Automate Signature in Engineering

Why Automate Electronic Signature in Engineering with Make?

The engineering sector generates a considerable volume of contractual documents: master work agreements, amendments, reception minutes, subcontracting contracts, compliance certificates, and study reports. According to a McKinsey study (2024), engineering teams dedicate on average 27% of their work time to repetitive administrative tasks, with signature collection and tracking among the most time-consuming.

Connecting Certyneo to an automation platform like Make (formerly Integromat) enables you to transform these manual processes into intelligent workflows, where each signature is triggered, tracked, and archived without human intervention. This guide explains to you, step by step, how to set up this integration in a B2B engineering context, while respecting eIDAS regulatory requirements.

We will successively address the integration architecture, step-by-step configuration in Make, available triggers and actions, and then best practices specific to the engineering sector.

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Understanding the Make + Certyneo Architecture for Engineering

Make (Integromat): A No-Code Orchestration Platform

Make is a visual integration and automation platform that allows you to create scenarios connecting hundreds of applications via drag-and-drop modules. Unlike Zapier, Make offers advanced conditional logic, iterators, aggregators, and routers, making it particularly suited for complex engineering workflows (multi-party, multi-step, documents with multiple signatories).

Make positions itself between your business tools (ERP, CRM, project management tools like Autodesk Construction Cloud, Procore, or Microsoft Project) and Certyneo, orchestrating data flows and signature triggers.

The Certyneo API: The Integration Entry Point

Certyneo exposes a complete RESTful API allowing you to perform all operations available from the graphical interface: creating signature requests, adding signatories, defining signature fields, sending notifications, retrieving status, and downloading signed documents. The API uses OAuth 2.0 authentication and JSON format, ensuring native compatibility with Make via the HTTP module or, ideally, via a dedicated Certyneo connector.

The Certyneo API respects interoperability standards defined by ETSI EN 319 132 for XAdES signature and ETSI EN 319 122 for CAdES, ensuring that each signature produced is legally enforceable throughout the European Union.

Typical Engineering Workflow Topology

In an engineering firm or study bureau, a typical workflow looks like this:

1. Trigger: a new subcontracting agreement is created in the ERP (e.g., SAP, Sage, or a construction project management tool).
2. Extraction: Make retrieves contract metadata (parties, amount, project references).
3. Document Generation: Certyneo's AI contract generator produces the structured PDF document.
4. Signature Request Creation: Make calls the Certyneo API to create the request and add signatories in the defined order.
5. Sequential or Parallel Signature: Certyneo sends signature links to the concerned parties.
6. Notification and Archiving: upon receipt of each signature, Make triggers a Slack/Teams notification and archives the signed document in your document management system (SharePoint, Google Drive, Egnyte, etc.).

This architecture eliminates manual email exchanges and guarantees complete traceability, essential during engineering project audits.

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Step-by-Step Integration Configuration in Make

Step 1 — Create the Scenario and Configure Certyneo Connection

In your Make workspace, create a new scenario. If the native Certyneo connector is available in the Make marketplace, select it directly; otherwise, use the HTTP > Make a request module or HTTP > Make an OAuth 2.0 request.

To configure the connection:

• Base URL: `https://api.certyneo.com/v1`
• Authentication Method: OAuth 2.0 (Client Credentials) or Bearer Token API key, depending on your Certyneo account configuration
• API Key: available in your Certyneo dashboard, Settings > Integrations > API section

Keep your API key in Make's connection manager (not hardcoded in the scenario) to follow security best practices.

Step 2 — Define the Trigger Suited to the Engineering Sector

The choice of trigger is crucial. In engineering, the most common triggers are:

| Trigger | Make Module | Use Case | |---|---|---| | New file in SharePoint folder | SharePoint > Watch Files | Contract deposited by sales | | New row in Google Sheets | Google Sheets > Watch Rows | Tracking contracts to be signed | | Incoming webhook from ERP | Webhooks > Custom Webhook | Validated purchase order in SAP | | New Jira/Asana ticket | Jira > Watch Issues | Deliverable requiring client validation |

For complex engineering workflows (e.g., signature of a master agreement requiring co-signature of a technical director and legal director), the incoming webhook trigger from the ERP offers the greatest flexibility.

Step 3 — Create the Signature Request via Certyneo API

Once the trigger is configured, add an HTTP module pointing to Certyneo's signature request creation endpoint:

``` POST https://api.certyneo.com/v1/signature-requests ```

The JSON request body includes:

```json { "name": "Subcontracting Agreement - Project {{1.project_name}}", "signers": [ { "email": "{{1.signer_email}}", "name": "{{1.signer_name}}", "order": 1 } ], "document_url": "{{2.file_url}}", "signature_level": "advanced", "expiry_date": "{{formatDate(addDays(now; 15); 'YYYY-MM-DD')}}" } ```

Note the use of the `advanced` signature level (Advanced Electronic Signature, AES), in compliance with eIDAS requirements for engineering contracts of significant value. For low-stakes internal documents, the `simple` level is sufficient.

Step 4 — Manage Notifications and Post-Signature Archiving

After creating the request, add a second branch in your Make scenario, triggered by a Certyneo Webhook signaling signature completion. Certyneo automatically sends a POST to the webhook URL you will have defined in the request settings.

Upon receiving this webhook, your scenario can:

• Download the signed and timestamped PDF via `GET /signature-requests/{id}/signed-document`
• Archive it in your document management system (SharePoint, Egnyte, Google Drive)
• Update the contract status in your ERP or CRM
• Send an automatic notification to the project team via Slack, Teams, or email
• Trigger billing or open a new project in your management tool

This chain of actions guarantees end-to-end traceability of the document lifecycle, a fundamental requirement in audited projects (ISO 9001 certification, public contracts, Seveso-regulated projects).

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Best Practices Specific to the Engineering Sector

Managing Multi-Party Signatures and Sequential Workflows

Engineering often involves documents requiring multiple signatories in a specific order: first the project manager, then the technical director, finally the client company's legal representative. Certyneo natively handles sequential signature via the `order` parameter in the signer list.

In Make, you can dynamically build the signer array using an Array Aggregator that collects signer data from your ERP or a reference table, before injecting it into the Certyneo API request. This approach enables managing contracts with 5 to 10 signatories without modifying the scenario.

Associating Signatures with Project Folders

In engineering, each signed document must be associated with a specific project folder. Use Certyneo's custom metadata to store the business reference, project phase, and contract code. These metadata will be returned in the completion webhook and can be used by Make to archive the document in the correct folder of your document management system.

This practice aligns with the requirements of NF EN ISO 19650 standard (information management in BIM) and facilitates document audits at the end of projects.

Monitoring Workflow Quality and Errors

Make offers a detailed execution log for each scenario. In a professional context, configure email or Slack alerts on failed scenarios, and use Make's Error Handler module to manage Certyneo API failures (rate limiting, document too large, signer not found).

If you wish to compare Certyneo's capabilities with other market solutions before launching the integration, consult our comparison of electronic signature solutions to identify the solution best suited to your engineering context.

Finally, to maximize the ROI of your automated workflow, our electronic signature ROI calculator allows you to precisely estimate time savings and cost reductions based on your study bureau's document processing volume.

Legal Framework Applicable to Electronic Signature in Engineering

Legal Foundations of Electronic Signature

In French law, the legal value of electronic signature rests on Article 1366 of the Civil Code, which states that "writing in electronic form is admissible as evidence in the same manner as writing on paper", and Article 1367, which specifies that "the signature necessary for the perfection of a legal act identifies its author and manifests their consent".

At the European level, the eIDAS Regulation No. 910/2014 (Electronic Identification, Authentication and Trust Services), supplemented by eIDAS 2.0 (Regulation EU 2024/1183), defines three levels of electronic signature:

• SES (Simple Electronic Signature): suited for low-stakes internal documents.
• AES (Advanced Electronic Signature): recommended for standard engineering contracts, subcontracting agreements, and purchase orders. It guarantees reliable signer identification and document integrity.
• QES (Qualified Electronic Signature): required for authentic deeds and certain large-scale public contracts.

Specific Obligations in the Engineering Sector

Under public contracts, Decree No. 2016-360 on public contracts imposes complete digitalization above certain thresholds. Engagement documents and subcontracting contracts must be signed with an AES or QES compliant with eIDAS, issued by a qualified trust service provider (QTSP) listed on the European Trusted List.

ETSI EN 319 132 defines XAdES profiles used for advanced XML signature, while ETSI EN 319 122 covers CAdES profiles for binary document signature. Certyneo complies with these standards, guaranteeing interoperability and cross-border signature recognition.

GDPR and Protection of Signatory Data

Processing personal data of signatories (name, email, biometric signature data) is subject to GDPR Regulation No. 2016/679. As data controller, your engineering company must ensure that Certyneo acts as a data processor under Article 28 GDPR, with a proper DPA (Data Processing Agreement) in place. Signature data must be retained for the applicable prescription period (5 years for commercial contracts per Article L. 110-4 of the Commercial Code, 10 years for construction contracts due to ten-year warranty requirements).

NIS2 Directive and Automated Workflow Security

Engineering companies operating in critical sectors (energy, transport, water) may be subject to the NIS2 Directive (2022/2555/EU), transposed into French law by the law of April 14, 2025. This directive imposes security requirements on information systems, including automation workflows connected to third-party providers like Make and Certyneo. You should document data flows, encrypt communications (TLS 1.3 minimum), and maintain a register of digital subcontractors.

Use Cases: Make + Certyneo in Engineering

Scenario 1 — Geotechnical Study Bureau Managing 300 Mission Reports Annually

A geotechnical study bureau specializing in soil investigation, with approximately fifteen engineers, produces an average of 300 mission reports and service agreements annually. Before Make + Certyneo integration, each report required manual email sending, phone follow-up after 5 days without response, and manual file server archiving. The average signature collection delay reached 8 working days.

After deployment of the automated workflow — triggered by depositing the finalized report in SharePoint — the Make scenario automatically creates the Certyneo signature request, sends notification to the client, and automatically follows up at D+3 if signature is not received. The signed document is instantly archived in the corresponding project folder.

Result: reduction in signature delay from 8 days to 1.8 days on average (−78%), estimated savings of 2.5 hours of administrative support per week, approximately €3,500 annually in administrative processing costs. These figures are consistent with industry benchmarks published by Forrester Research on document automation (2024).

Scenario 2 — Industrial Engineering Company Managing Multi-Party Subcontracting Agreements

A mid-size industrial engineering company (80 to 150 employees) manages projects requiring signature of subcontracting agreements involving 3 to 6 parties: client, delegated project manager, tier 1 and 2 subcontracting companies. Each agreement requires strict sequential signature for contractual and insurance reasons.

The Make + Certyneo workflow is triggered by purchase order validation in the ERP. Make dynamically builds the ordered signer list from the supplier database, creates the Certyneo signature request with sequential parameters, and notifies each party in turn. Upon completion, the signed agreement is archived in Procore and the contract status is updated in the ERP.

Result: elimination of sequencing errors (a subcontractor signing before the project manager) of 100% through automatic signature order management. Average time to finalize agreements reduced from 12 days to 4 days (−67%), accelerating actual project commencement.

Scenario 3 — Engineering Consulting Firm Managing Scope Change Amendments

An engineering consulting firm assisting industrial clients with product transformation projects frequently produces amendments (scope changes) during missions, requiring rapid validation to avoid project delays. These amendments were previously printed, signed in meetings, or sent by post, creating delays incompatible with agile project rhythms.

With Make + Certyneo, amendment creation in the project management tool automatically triggers a signature request. The client receives a mobile-friendly signature link enabling them to sign from their smartphone in less than 2 minutes, even while on site. The advanced signature level (AES) is applied, ensuring legal value of the amendment.

Result: amendment validation delay reduced from 5-7 days to less than 24 hours in 85% of cases. Improved customer satisfaction and reduced risk of undocumented scope creep, a frequent source of disputes in engineering consulting.

Conclusion

The integration of Certyneo with Make (Integromat) represents a major efficiency lever for engineering sector players. By automating the entire document lifecycle — from contract creation to signed document archiving — you eliminate repetitive manual tasks, reduce signature delays by 67 to 78% on average, and guarantee complete eIDAS compliance for every document produced.

The technical configuration, while requiring careful initial setup, is accessible to teams with no-code profiles or a Make integrator. Benefits manifest within the first weeks of use, with measurable ROI on administrative costs and project startup delays.

Ready to transform your document workflows? Create your Certyneo account free of charge and connect your first Make scenario in less than an hour, or contact our team for personalized support adapted to your engineering context.