In person signer

Hello ​@Suzanne96,

Thanks for reaching out, and welcome to the Docusign Community!

The Certificate of Completion (CoC) provides an electronic audit trail, including timestamps, IP addresses, and authentication steps. It does not provide proof of whether a signer was physically present at a device.

In the In‑Person Signing process, the sender (or host) starts the signing session and then hands over a device they own ( tablet, laptop, or phone) to the signer. The signer completes the signing directly on that device while the sender is present.

Because of this setup, the CoC cannot confirm physical presence. The only reliable way to determine if the signer was actually present is through the sender, who managed the session and passed the device to the signer.

I hope this helps clarify things! If you found this response helpful, feel free to give it a like or mark it as the best answer. Let us know if you have any further questions

Best Regards,

Jenny | Docusign Community Moderator

If this helped, like 👍and mark it as “Best Answer”

Shouldn’t the IP address listed on the coc prove where the document was accessed? This particular ip address is coming back to a mail server within the facility but the host states that it was a pin pad signature. This is a very complex situation that involves a substantial amount of money. Lawyers are involved. Who can we speak to that can verify the coc information for a court appearance?

Hello ​@Suzanne96,

For legal or court purposes, the sender (host) is the only party who can attest to the signer’s physical presence during an in‑person session. While the Certificate of Completion (CoC) can be presented as evidence of the signing event, it does not independently verify physical presence. The IP address on the Certificate of Completion provides a general idea of the connection source, though it might not pinpoint the exact physical location of the user. 👉 Certificate of Completion

Let me know if you have any questions.

Best Regards,

Jenny | Docusign Community Moderator

What happens when the host is the one that’s being fraudulent? As a stated before, the signer is now deceased so the Docusign records are the only thing we have to speak for him. Shouldn’t there be a host name (the actual person’s name that handled the transaction, not just the organization) listed on the coc? Also, does the Docusign show whether or not the envelope was sent to an email for approval vs being signed through the host’s computer? We need someone from Docusign that can verify the information on the coc. 

Hello ​@Suzanne96,

The host’s name should appear on the envelope/CoC, based on the name associated with their DocuSign account. For in‑person signing, the envelope is always routed to the host’s email, and the signing takes place on the host’s device.

As for verifying the Certificate of Completion, DocuSign Customer Support may be able to confirm certain details, but only if you are the sender of the envelope or were directly involved in the signing process.

I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any questions.

Best Regards,

Jenny | Docusign Community Moderator

Hello ​@Suzanne96,

I hope you’re doing well. I’m following up to see if the information shared above was helpful. If it added clarity or answered your question, marking it as Best Answer ✅ will highlight it for others in the community. If you still need more support, we’re here to help.

Best Regards,

Jenny | Docusign Community Moderator

The only name appearing as the host is the organization’s name. No specific employee name is listed. Also, if everything routes through the host’s server, should the ip addresses match then? These do not. 

Also, shouldn’t something on coc state “in person signer” if person is physically present?

Hello ​@Suzanne96,

Thanks for getting back to me with your questions. Let me address them below.

The IP address shown on the Certificate of Completion (CoC) reflects how the sender’s or signer’s device connects to the internet. Depending on the setup, the IP may come from:

• Internet Service Provider (ISP): Often shows the ISP’s datacenter rather than the user’s exact location.

• VPN or proxy server: Displays the IP of the VPN/proxy in use.

• Mobile network: Records the IP of the nearest cell tower, which can change as the device moves.

Because of these factors, IP addresses provide a general indication of the connection source but do not pinpoint a user’s physical location.
The Certificate of Completion is designed to capture technical details of the signing process, but it does not certify or prove that someone was physically present. For in‑person signing, the CoC will include an ‘In Person Signing’ event entry, indicating that the envelope was assigned for in‑person signing, as shown in the example below

Best Regards,

Jenny | Docusign Community Moderator

The coc for this transaction looks nothing like that one. On ours, there is nothing at all that says “in person signer” and no employee name listed anywhere as the host. Ours states: 

Under “signer events”, it lists his name, an unknown email address that we’ve never known him to use, and the following: 

Security Level:

WebService.Password

ID: 00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000 and a time. It also states “drawn on device” with what looks like a scanned copy of his signature.

What does that mean? 

Also, these time stamps: 

Sent: 10/8/2021 8:47:19 AM

Viewed: 10/8/2021 8:47:40 AM

Signed: 10/8/2021 8:48:06 AM