Document Workflow Setup in Bitrix24
Contracts are being negotiated via email. A manager sends a file to a director, who forwards it to a lawyer, the lawyer edits and sends it back—no version control, no statuses, no visibility into where the document is at any moment. Meanwhile, someone opens an old version from their desktop and starts working on it. The result: lost edits, duplicate files, missed deadlines. Bitrix24's document workflow module solves this—but only if properly configured.
Document Templates
The foundation of any workflow is templates. Instead of copying last year's contract and manually replacing fields, you generate documents from a template with data pulled from CRM.
What we configure:
- Contract, act, and invoice templates—created in .docx format with placeholders. Fields auto-populate from deal, company, or contact records: name, tax ID, address, amount, product list.
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Numbering—automatic sequential numbering with document-type prefixes. Contracts get
CON-2025-001, acts getACT-2025-001. The numbering scheme is configured through custom fields and business processes. - CRM binding—documents generate from deal cards with a single click. The finished file is saved in the deal's timeline and on the Drive.
Approval Routes
A document without a route is just a file. A route transforms it into a managed process with responsible parties, deadlines, and statuses.
Typical routes:
- Sequential approval—the document flows through a chain: manager → department head → lawyer → director. Each participant gets a notification, sees the document, and marks it "Approved" or "Needs Revision."
- Parallel approval—the document goes simultaneously to the lawyer and accountant. The process advances once both have approved.
- Conditional branches—if the contract value exceeds a threshold (e.g., $500,000), an approval stage with the CFO is added. Conditions are set in the business process designer.
Each stage has a deadline. If an approver doesn't respond in 2 days, the system sends a reminder; after 3 days, escalation to the manager.
Electronic Signature
Bitrix24 supports e-signature workflows through the Documents module. We configure:
- Integration with e-signature providers (via REST API)
- Signature status field in the document card
- Automatic deal stage advancement after both parties sign
Storage and Search
Signed documents are stored on Bitrix24 Drive in structured folders. The structure is created automatically: Documents / 2025 / Contracts / Company Alpha. A business process moves the final version to the correct folder after the route completes.
Document search works on file content—Bitrix24 indexes .docx and .pdf files. Plus filtering by custom fields: document type, status, counterparty, date.
Control and Reporting
Managers see:
- Pending documents—who's holding up the process, how many days the document has been at this stage
- Approval history—who approved when, who sent back for revision, what comments they left
- Statistics—average approval time by document type, number of revisions
What We Configure
- Document templates with data substitution from CRM
- Automatic numbering by document type
- Approval routes: sequential, parallel, conditional branches
- Deadlines and escalations at each stage
- Integration with e-signature providers
- Storage structure on Drive with automatic file organization
- Team training on routes and templates