In summary, Data Verification will allow you to confirm whether or not data entered into the verification field exists and is in the correct format, but does not confirm that the verified data is associated with the field owner.

There are many enhancements to Docusign’s core eSignature program now that Intelligent Agreement Management (IAM) has gone live. One of these features, available to all IAM applications, is Data Verification. This feature allows you to request specific biographic information from a recipient, and Docusign will compare this information against a third-party database to verify that the data entered is accurate. It does this in real time, allowing for corrections to be made before the envelope is completed. For specific details you can click on the link at the end of the article.

So let’s look at how this field can be helpful, and why using it will help get you closer to Friday with less heartburn.

An anecdote: a couple of years ago I signed up for an airline’s rewards program. I don’t travel often, but it would be nice to get a little something back when I do, you know? I had taken two trips since signing up for the program, and was in the process of planning a third when I thought “let’s see if I have any reward miles I can spend”. Since this was my first time logging in it asked me to confirm my identity and told me to check my email. No verification email ever showed up. It took me a week to discover that the email address I entered was one letter off, so of course the emails wouldn’t reach me. What’s more, the email address I entered didn’t even exist! I know because I eventually created the email address to try and fix the situation (it didn’t). 

All of this is to say that, while Data Verification can’t (yet) validate the relationship between the data and the recipient (ie. Docusign can’t confirm that the phone number I entered is my phone number), it will confirm that the data entered exists. Even one letter can mean the difference between instant gratification and a week of heartache, for if I had known when I signed up for rewards that the email I entered didn’t exist I’d be swimming in benefits right now! At least that’s what I tell myself…

The specifics of how the feature functions, and what data can be verified, can be found in this support article.