Question 1

What is DokDesk?

Accepted Answer

DokDesk is a secure contract workflow for the Baltics and the EU. You start from reusable templates, turn one into a contract that carries its own status, versions and full history, negotiate on a single live version, and then e-sign it under eIDAS at the SES, AES or QES level using national eIDs such as Smart-ID and Mobile-ID. Every signature is captured into a court-ready evidence base, and your data stays in the EU under GDPR.

Question 2

Is DokDesk a CLM (contract lifecycle management) platform?

Accepted Answer

Yes. DokDesk is a contract lifecycle management (CLM) platform: it covers the full lifecycle of an agreement, from reusable templates through negotiation on one live version, eIDAS e-signing at the SES, AES or QES level, to a court-ready evidence base - all kept in the EU under GDPR. It is built specifically for the Baltics and the wider EU. Because it stays focused on the contract itself, it is not an invoicing, payments or accounting tool. There is a dedicated CLM overview at /clm.

Question 3

Who is DokDesk for?

Accepted Answer

It is for any team in the Baltics or the wider EU that regularly sends contracts to people outside their own organisation and needs those signatures to hold up legally. Because signers use national eIDs through a no-account secure link, it suits situations where the other party should not have to create an account or install anything to sign. It fits businesses that want negotiation, signing and evidence in one EU-resident workflow rather than spread across email threads and separate tools.

Question 4

What does DokDesk replace?

Accepted Answer

It replaces the common but fragile habit of moving contracts as PDFs over email: attaching a document, printing and scanning a signed page, and losing track of which version is current. Instead of a chain of attachments with no clear record of who agreed to what, DokDesk keeps one live version, the full negotiation and version history, and an evidence record for each signature. The goal is to remove the ambiguity and the manual back-and-forth that email-based contract handling creates.

Question 5

What is DokDesk NOT?

Accepted Answer

DokDesk is not invoicing, payments, accounting or a CRM, and it does not try to be a broad document or e-signature suite that does everything. It does not issue invoices, move money, reconcile books or manage your sales pipeline. It is focused on one job: the secure path from a template to a signed contract with court-ready evidence. DokDesk is also not a law firm and does not provide legal advice.

Question 6

How is this different from emailing a PDF for signature?

Accepted Answer

Emailing a PDF leaves you with no reliable record of which version was agreed, who actually signed, or whether the signature meets a legal standard. DokDesk keeps negotiation on one live version with full history, then signs under eIDAS at the SES, AES or QES level using national eIDs rather than a typed name or a pasted image. Each signature produces an evidence record built to stand up if the agreement is ever questioned, which a plain emailed PDF cannot give you.

Question 7

Do the people I send contracts to need to create an account?

Accepted Answer

No. The party you are sending a contract to signs through a no-account secure link, so they do not register, set a password, or install software to participate. They authenticate with their own national eID, such as Smart-ID or Mobile-ID, at the moment of signing. This keeps the experience simple for the counterparty while still tying the signature to a verified identity for the evidence base.

Question 8

How do reusable templates work, and how is a template different from a contract?

Accepted Answer

A template is the reusable starting point your team prepares once - the standard wording and structure you use again and again, like an NDA or a service agreement. When you need an actual deal, you create a contract from that template; the contract is its own entity with a real counterparty, its own status, version history and audit trail. Editing or improving a template does not touch contracts already created from it, so each signed contract keeps the exact text the parties agreed.

Question 9

What does it mean that the contract is the "core entity" with status, versions and history?

Accepted Answer

Every deal lives as a single contract record that carries its own status as it moves from draft toward signed, the full set of versions the document went through, and a history of who did what and when. Instead of a folder of loose PDFs and email threads, you open one contract and see its current state and everything that led to it. That same record produces the evidence base once signing happens, so the contract and its proof stay together in one place.

Question 10

If we negotiate on one live version, how do we avoid losing earlier wording or sending the wrong file?

Accepted Answer

Both parties review, propose changes and edit the text on a single up-to-date document inside DokDesk, so there is always one source of truth rather than competing PDF copies. The contract keeps its version history, so earlier wording stays on the record even as you converge on the final text. This removes the classic problem of three slightly different attachments where nobody is sure which one is actually final.

Question 11

Walk me through how a contract moves from draft to signed.

Accepted Answer

You create a contract from a template, the parties negotiate the wording on one live version until the text is agreed, and then it moves into signing. To sign, the other party opens a no-account secure link and signs at the eIDAS level you chose for that document (SES, AES or QES). Once signed, DokDesk records the signature and assembles the court-ready evidence for it, and the final signed document is retained on the contract.

Question 12

Can different contracts use different signature levels, or is it fixed per workspace?

Accepted Answer

You choose the right eIDAS level - Simple (SES), Advanced (AES) or Qualified (QES) - per document, based on what that contract needs. Only QES carries the legal effect of a handwritten signature EU-wide, while SES and AES cannot be denied legal effect simply for being electronic under eIDAS Art. 25. QES support is architecture-ready: the signing engine is built so Smart-ID, Mobile-ID and qualified trust providers can plug in, rather than being a feature already running in production.

Question 13

Who can do what on a contract - can our legal team and managers have different access?

Accepted Answer

DokDesk is built for teams that produce, negotiate, sign and retain contracts, with roles such as owner, admin, manager, legal and viewer. That lets the people who draft, the people who approve, and the people who only need to read see and act at the right level on each contract. Because every action lands in the contract's history, you also get a clear record of who changed or signed what along the way.

Question 14

What is the difference between SES, AES and QES?

Accepted Answer

These are the three signature levels defined by the EU eIDAS regulation, ascending in legal weight. A Simple Electronic Signature (SES) is a click-to-consent or typed signature that cannot be denied legal effect just because it is electronic (eIDAS Art. 25(1)), but it is not handwritten-equivalent. An Advanced Electronic Signature (AES) uniquely identifies the signer and ties the signature to the document so any later change is detectable, giving stronger probative value. A Qualified Electronic Signature (QES) is the only level that carries the legal effect of a handwritten signature across all EU member states (eIDAS Art. 25), because it is created with a qualified certificate on a qualified signature creation device.

Question 15

Which level should I choose for a given contract?

Accepted Answer

DokDesk lets you pick the level per document, because the right choice depends on risk and on the certainty of identity you need. SES suits internal sign-offs, simple consents and low-risk approvals; AES suits commercial contracts where it matters that you can prove who signed and that the text was not altered afterwards. QES is the level to reach for on high-value or regulated agreements that should be equivalent to a wet-ink signature. DokDesk is not a law firm and does not give legal advice, so for documents with specific statutory form requirements you should confirm the level with your own legal counsel.

Question 16

Can my signers use Smart-ID, Mobile-ID or other national eIDs?

Accepted Answer

Yes — the signing engine is built so EU national eIDs can be plugged in, including Smart-ID and Mobile-ID, the rails that roughly 3 million people across the Baltics already use. Smart-ID is a certified Qualified Signature Creation Device, so Smart-ID signatures can qualify as QES and are accepted across the EU. Because the architecture follows the eIDAS framework rather than a single proprietary scheme, other national eID methods can connect on the same model.

Question 17

Is QES already available in production today?

Accepted Answer

DokDesk is in early access, and QES is architecture-ready rather than something we claim is fully live in production today. The signing flow is laid out so qualified rails — Smart-ID, Mobile-ID and qualified trust service providers — can be plugged in to issue QES, and SES and AES signing follow the same eIDAS levels. We are being deliberately precise here: we will not describe the product as already eIDAS-qualified end to end before that integration is confirmed.

Question 18

Does the person signing need a DokDesk account or app?

Accepted Answer

No. The signer opens a secure, no-account secure link and signs directly — no sign-up, no app install, no password to manage. Only the side that creates and manages contracts needs an account, which keeps the experience frictionless for clients, partners and counterparties. The secure link points each signer to the one agreed live version of the document, so everyone signs the same final text.

Question 19

Are these electronic signatures legally binding, and where is the data kept?

Accepted Answer

A Qualified Electronic Signature has the legal effect of a handwritten signature across all EU member states under eIDAS, while SES and AES cannot be denied legal effect or admissibility merely for being electronic (Art. 25(1)). Some national laws still mandate a particular form for specific documents — certain real-estate or family-law deeds, for example — so QES is broadly but not universally sufficient. Every signature is backed by a court-ready evidence base (who signed, when, how, identity and audit trail), and all data stays in the EU under GDPR.

Question 20

Are signatures made through DokDesk legally binding in the EU?

Accepted Answer

Yes. DokDesk produces electronic signatures under the EU eIDAS Regulation, the legal framework that governs electronic signatures across all Member States. Under eIDAS Article 25, an electronic signature cannot be denied legal effect or refused as evidence in court solely because it is electronic, or because it is not a qualified signature. DokDesk is a software platform, not a law firm, so we do not give legal advice on whether a specific contract type requires a particular signature level in your jurisdiction.

Question 21

What does eIDAS Article 25 actually say, and why does it matter for our contracts?

Accepted Answer

Article 25 has two parts that matter most here. First, the non-discrimination rule (Art. 25(1)): a court cannot reject an electronic signature as invalid or inadmissible just because it is in electronic form or doesn't meet the qualified standard. Second (Art. 25(2)): a Qualified Electronic Signature (QES) carries the same legal effect as a handwritten signature, and (Art. 25(3)) a QES is recognised across every EU Member State. This is the legal backbone DokDesk is built on, and it is why the evidence we capture around each signature is what gives a court the full picture.

Question 22

What signature levels does DokDesk support — SES, AES, or QES?

Accepted Answer

DokDesk is built around the three eIDAS levels: Simple (SES), Advanced (AES), and Qualified (QES). Today the focus is signing through national eIDs such as Smart-ID and Mobile-ID, which are widely used across the Baltics and carry strong identity verification. QES is architecture-ready rather than already live in production: the platform is designed so that qualified trust service providers (for example Smart-ID acting as a qualified signature creation device, Mobile-ID, and other qualified providers) can plug in for QES — we will not claim QES is fully operational until it is.

Question 23

What exactly is in the court-ready evidence base for each signature?

Accepted Answer

For every signature, DokDesk records the who, when, and how: the signer's verified identity from the national eID used (such as Smart-ID or Mobile-ID), the exact timestamp, the signing method and signature level, and which specific contract version was signed. This is tied to a tamper-evident audit trail of the full contract history — versions, negotiation, and signing events — so the signed document and the surrounding activity can be reconstructed. The aim is to give a court a clear, self-contained record of who agreed to what, and when.

Question 24

If the other party disputes the contract later, how does DokDesk help?

Accepted Answer

Because every signature is bound to a verified identity, a precise timestamp, the signing method, and the exact contract version, DokDesk lets you show what was signed, by whom, and when — rather than relying on memory or scattered emails. The audit trail captures the full history, so you can demonstrate which version was agreed and that it was not altered after signing. DokDesk provides this evidence and the technical record; it does not provide legal representation or advice, and the weight a court gives any evidence is ultimately decided by that court.

Question 25

Where is our signed-contract data stored, and does that affect its legal standing?

Accepted Answer

Contract and signature data stays within the EU and is handled under the GDPR, which keeps your records inside the EU data-protection framework rather than transferring them to other jurisdictions. Keeping the documents, identity records, and audit trail together in one EU-based system means the evidence around a signature stays intact and retrievable if it is ever needed. We focus on EU and Baltic requirements; for advice on your specific obligations or a specific dispute, you should consult a qualified lawyer.

Question 26

Where is my data stored, and does it stay in the EU?

Accepted Answer

DokDesk is built to keep your contract data inside the EU, processed under GDPR. Templates, contracts, every version, the negotiation history, and the signing evidence are held within the EU data region rather than being moved outside it. As an early-access product, we are happy to walk a prospective customer through the specific hosting and processing arrangements before they commit.

Question 27

How is my data encrypted?

Accepted Answer

Contract data is encrypted in transit and at rest, which is the baseline we hold ourselves to for everything you store in DokDesk. Encryption in transit protects documents and negotiation activity as they move between you and the service, and encryption at rest protects the stored contracts, versions, and evidence records. We are not yet publishing detailed cryptographic specifications, and we will not overstate what is in place; we can discuss the current configuration directly with serious evaluators.

Question 28

How do you verify the identity of the person who signs?

Accepted Answer

Signer identity is verified through national electronic identity schemes such as Smart-ID, Mobile-ID, and other national eIDs, accessed via a no-account secure link so the signer does not need to create a DokDesk login. This ties a signature to a verified national identity at the eIDAS SES or AES level rather than to a self-declared email address. QES (the qualified, handwritten-equivalent level under eIDAS Article 25) is architecture-ready, meaning qualified trust providers can plug in; we do not claim QES is already live in production.

Question 29

What evidence do you keep about each signature, and is it court-ready?

Accepted Answer

Every signature produces a court-ready evidence base capturing the relevant signing details so the act of signing can be demonstrated after the fact. Because identity is anchored to a national eID rather than a plain email, that evidence ties a specific verified signer to a specific contract version. DokDesk is not a law firm and gives no legal advice, but the evidence base is designed to stand up to scrutiny if a signed contract is ever disputed.

Question 30

Who can see my contracts, and how is access controlled?

Accepted Answer

DokDesk uses access control and roles so that contracts, templates, and their history are visible only to the people who should see them, while negotiation happens on a single live version that the involved parties work on. Signers reached through a secure link get access only to the specific contract they are asked to sign, not to your wider workspace. We can detail the exact roles and permission boundaries available at the current stage with any team evaluating the product.

Question 31

What happens to my data if I stop using DokDesk?

Accepted Answer

Your contracts, versions, and signing evidence remain yours, and under GDPR you retain rights over your personal data, including access and erasure. If you leave, we work with you so you can retrieve your contracts and evidence and have the rest handled according to your instructions and applicable law. As an early-access product we have not yet published a fixed retention and deletion schedule, so we will set clear expectations with each customer directly rather than point to terms that are not finalized.

Question 32

Which countries and regions does DokDesk support?

Accepted Answer

DokDesk is built for the Baltics and the wider EU, and signing is designed around national eID rails such as Smart-ID and Mobile-ID, plus other national eIDs, under the eIDAS framework. Signature levels span SES and AES, with QES architecture-ready so qualified trust providers can plug in. All data stays in the EU and is processed under GDPR. We're focused first on teams in the Baltics and EU, so that's where onboarding support is strongest today.

Question 33

Is DokDesk available yet, and how do I join early access?

Accepted Answer

We're in early access ahead of a public launch, so we're onboarding a limited set of first teams rather than opening sign-ups to everyone. To join, reach out through the early-access link on this page and tell us a bit about the contracts your team handles and which countries your signers are in. We'll get back to you to talk through fit and next steps. There's no commitment in reaching out, it's a conversation about whether DokDesk solves a real problem for you.

Question 34

How much does DokDesk cost?

Accepted Answer

We don't have pricing numbers to share yet, because pricing is being shaped together with our first teams during early access. What we can commit to is that we will never take a cut of your deals or contract values, DokDesk is a contract workflow and signing tool, not a payments, invoicing, or commission product. When we set pricing, it will be straightforward and tied to the workflow itself, not to what your contracts are worth. If you join early access, you'll have a direct hand in how that pricing approach takes shape.

Question 35

What does onboarding look like for an early-access team?

Accepted Answer

Onboarding starts with a conversation about the contracts and templates your team relies on most, so we can map your real workflow into DokDesk's Template to Contract to Negotiation to Signing to Evidence flow. Because signers use a no-account secure link, the people you send contracts to don't need to set anything up, sign in, or learn the tool. As an early team you'll have a close line to us, and your feedback directly influences what we build next. We'll work with you to get your first templates and live contracts running rather than leaving you to figure it out alone.

Question 36

Do the people I send contracts to need an account or a subscription?

Accepted Answer

No. Signers receive a no-account secure link, open the contract, and sign with their national eID, with nothing to install and no account to create. Early access and any future pricing concern the team running the contract workflow, not the counterparties signing. This keeps signing low-friction for clients, partners, and counterparties across the Baltics and EU.

Question 37

Will DokDesk roll out to more countries after launch?

Accepted Answer

Our scope is the Baltics and the EU, and signing is tied to the eIDAS framework and the national eID schemes available across member states. As more qualified trust providers and national eIDs connect into the signing architecture, coverage naturally broadens within that EU footprint. We're not promising a specific country-by-country timeline during early access, since that's part of what we're shaping with first teams. If a particular EU market matters to you, mention it when you reach out so we can factor it into our priorities.

Frequently asked questions

Getting started & what DokDesk is

How the contract workflow works

Signing & eIDAS levels

Legal validity & evidence

Security & data

Access, regions & pricing

Still have questions?

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