3 Ways to Transfer User Envelopes to Your DocuSign Account

Moving envelopes between users and accounts can feel like busywork when you just want to keep deals moving in DocuSign. You’re not alone if the options seem hidden.

This guide breaks down three simple transfer methods, email-based pulls, bulk import, and API relay, so you can store every envelope under your own DocuSign account and track status without chasing teammates.

Table of Contents

• Use DocuSign's UI
• Use Torii
• Use DocuSign's API

Use DocuSign’s UI

Use DocuSign’s web console to shift envelopes from one user to another when someone leaves or switches roles.

1. Sign in with admin rights

• Sign into DocuSign with an account that has admin permission.
• Choose Admin from the profile menu at the top right.

2. Find the sender’s user record

• In the left sidebar, click Users.
• Scroll or search for the person whose envelopes need a new owner.
• Click the user’s name to open the details panel.

3. Launch the Transfer Envelopes tool

• In the panel’s upper-right corner, open the Actions drop-down.
• Select Transfer Envelopes.
• A window labeled Transfer Envelopes appears.

4. Choose what to move

• Source user field is filled in automatically.
• Under Items to transfer, keep All envelopes or switch to Only envelopes still in process.
• If you must bring templates, PowerForms, or contacts as well, tick their boxes.

5. Pick the new envelope owner

• Type part of the recipient’s name or email.
• Click the correct user when the match appears.

6. Confirm the hand-off

• Review the summary showing source user, target user, and selected items.
• Click Transfer to start the move.
• A brief progress note shows up; large transfers may finish in the background.

7. Check that everything landed

• Open Manage > Envelopes, then filter by Owner to spot-check several envelopes.
• For a complete list, run an Envelope Transfer report in Reports.

The original user keeps the account, now pared down to the items you left behind. The new user is listed as sender, and any in-flight envelopes continue without a hitch.

Use Torii

Using Torii, a SaaS management platform, to shift user envelopes in DocuSign is often faster than handling the task directly in DocuSign. An SMP gives your team one dashboard for all SaaS apps, so you can automate onboarding or offboarding, track subscription data, and handle other routine work.

Torii cuts out repetitive clicks by letting you build an automation that transfers envelopes when a defined trigger occurs, such as a new hire, a departure, or a contract renewal. This hands-off approach saves noticeable time when the process runs more than occasionally.

To shift user envelopes in DocuSign via Torii, use the steps below:

1. Sign up for Torii

Contact Torii and ask for a free, two-week proof of concept.

2. Connect your DocuSign account to Torii

Once your Torii environment is live, connect your current DocuSign account. To connect, follow the steps laid out in this DocuSign integration guide: DocuSign integration guide.

3. Create a Torii workflow for DocuSign

Inside Torii, open Workflows, choose a trigger, then add the action to transfer envelopes in DocuSign. After that, every time the trigger fires, DocuSign updates automatically.

Use DocuSign’s API

This walkthrough moves envelope ownership with three Users and Envelopes endpoints inside one DocuSign account. No console clicks, only API.

1. Collect the user IDs you need

• Call GET /v2.1/accounts/{accountId}/users?email={sourceEmail} to capture the userId of the current envelope owner.
• Run the same call for the new owner: GET /v2.1/accounts/{accountId}/users?email={targetEmail}.
• Keep both userId values handy. The account must stay the same for both users.

curl --request GET \
--url "https://demo.docusign.net/restapi/v2.1/accounts/123456/[email protected]" \
--header "Authorization: Bearer "

2. List the envelopes you plan to transfer

DocuSign only needs the envelope IDs. Filter by the current owner so you skip anything unrelated.

GET /v2.1/accounts/{accountId}/envelopes?from_date={YYYY-MM-DD}&user_id={sourceUserId}&include_recipients=false

• Set from_date to a date far enough back to catch every envelope you care about.
• Gather the envelopeId values from the JSON response and add them to an array.

curl --request GET \
--url "https://demo.docusign.net/restapi/v2.1/accounts/123456/envelopes?from_date=2023-01-01&user_id=1111" \
--header "Authorization: Bearer "

3. Build a transfer request object

Create a JSON payload that lists the source owner, the new owner, and the envelopes.

{
    "fromUserId": "1111",
    "toUserId": "2222",
    "envelopeIds": [
        "0a1b2c3d4e",
        "5f6g7h8i9j"
    ]
}

Save it as transfer.json.

4. Send the transfer call

Use the Users-Envelopes transfer endpoint. The path contains only the account ID; both user IDs sit in the body.

POST /v2.1/accounts/{accountId}/envelopes/transfer

curl --request POST \
--url "https://demo.docusign.net/restapi/v2.1/accounts/123456/envelopes/transfer" \
--header "Authorization: Bearer " \
--header "Content-Type: application/json" \
--data @transfer.json

DocuSign returns a transferEnvelopeSummary object. A "success": true entry confirms that every listed envelope now belongs to the new user.

5. Confirm the move

Run the envelope list again, but this time filter by user_id={targetUserId}. If the IDs appear, the transfer worked.

curl --request GET \
--url "https://demo.docusign.net/restapi/v2.1/accounts/123456/envelopes?from_date=2023-01-01&user_id=2222" \
--header "Authorization: Bearer "

That’s it: envelopes moved with four quick calls.

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