How to build the NotaryLive & SmartAdvocate Integration

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Setup requires a SmartAdvocate admin user.
• The SmartAdvocate Case ID is what allows NotaryLive to return completed documents to the correct case file.
• Your team can start notarization sessions from NotaryLive or directly from within SmartAdvocate.

Audio Summary:

Before You Start

You will need:

• SmartAdvocate: Admin access to your account
• NotaryLive: An active NotaryLive Business account

Important: If your SmartAdvocate API account credentials change, update them in NotaryLive immediately.

Initial Integration Setup

Step 1: Create a SmartAdvocate API Account

A SmartAdvocate admin must complete this step.

Go to Admin → Users → New User. When creating the user:

• Check API Access
• Uncheck Active

Unchecking Active prevents this account from being used to log in to SmartAdvocate. It exists solely for API access.

The API account must have access to all cases requiring notarization. This is necessary to return completed documents to the correct case files.

Step 2: Add the API Credentials to NotaryLive

In a new browser tab, go to https://notarylive.com/smart-advocate/upload-credentials

Enter the API account’s account ID (username) and the API account password on this page. If your firm self-hosts SmartAdvocate, enter your server URL as well.

Click Submit.

Understanding Your Workflow Options

There are two ways to use the NotaryLive SmartAdvocate integration:

Option 1: Start Sessions from NotaryLive

1. Create a notarization session in NotaryLive
2. Enter the SmartAdvocate Case ID when prompted
3. Send the secure link to your client
4. The notarized documents automatically return to the correct SmartAdvocate case when complete

Finding your SmartAdvocate Case ID:

1. Open the case in SmartAdvocate
2. Go to the Case Summary page
3. Look at your browser URL
4. Copy the Case ID number

Example URL:

https://app.smartadvocate.com/SA/CaseSummary.aspx?CaseID=123

In this example, the Case ID is 123.

Option 2: Start Sessions from Within SmartAdvocate

You can add a NotaryLive action to the SmartAdvocate case sidebar. From there, your staff can launch sessions without leaving the case and existing case documents are imported into NotaryLive automatically.

Setup takes a few minutes in the Case Menu Configurator. See the next section.

Setting Up the NotaryLive sidebar action in SmartAdvocate

The Case Menu Configurator lets admins control the navigation sidebar that appears inside every case. Adding the NotaryLive integration page to this menu means your staff can start a notarization from any case. SmartAdvocate passes the current Case ID through automatically — no manual lookup needed.

To add the view:

1. Go to Admin → Case Menu Configurator.
   The page has three columns: Case Groups on the left, all available pages in the center, and pages assigned to the selected Case Group on the right.
   
2. Select the Case Group you want to update. Please note that you will have to repeat these steps for each Case Group.
   
3. In the center column (“Choose Pages”), select Integration Frame1 and Click ADD.
   
4. To rename the page as it appears in the sidebar to your users, select it in the right column and click Rename.
   
   
   
5. Use the arrows to position the page in the menu.
   
6. Click Save.

Note: Case Menu Configurator changes are universal. Every user will see the updated sidebar for that Case Group. After saving, refresh your browser or log out and back in for the change to take effect.

Next, create the NotaryLive Document Tags in SmartAdvocate

You will create two new tags in SmartAdvocate, notarylive-to-notarize and notarylive-notarized-document. notarylive-to-notarize marks a document for notarization through the integration, while notarylive-notarized-document marks a document as already notarized. These tags must exist before staff can use the NotaryLive integration sidebar workflow.

Go to Admin → Picklist Maintenance, or navigate directly to:

https://app.smartadvocate.com/SA/PickList.aspx

Scroll to Document Tags in the left-hand list. Click Add New Item and enter the tag name exactly as shown:

notarylive-to-notarize

Set the tag to Active and save.

You are now ready to start notarizing through the NotaryLive Sidebar workflow in SmartAdvocate!

Notarizing a notarized document:

When NotaryLive completes a notarization, it automatically applies a notarylive-notarized-document tag to the finished document. This prevents it from appearing in future notarization workflows for that case. To notarize that document again (for example, in a daisy-chain workflow) go to the Documents page, right-click the document, and select Edit Properties. In the Tags field, remove notarylive-notarized-document, add notarylive-to-notarize, and click Save.

What Happens After Session Creation:

Once you’ve initiated a session, here’s what happens:

1. Your client receives a secure link
2. They complete identity verification and connect with a licensed notary by video conference
3. The notary verifies their identity and witnesses the electronic signature
4. The document receives a digital notary stamp and seal
5. The completed document is automatically sent to SmartAdvocate and attached to the correct case

What you’ll see in SmartAdvocate:

• The notarized document with digital seal
• A timestamp of completion
• The notary’s information and credentials

Getting Help

Questions about setup? Contact NotaryLive to schedule a personalized walkthrough for your firm.

If You’re New to SmartAdvocate

Ask us how SmartAdvocate can centralize your case management while keeping NotaryLive as your trusted notarization partner.

If You’re New to Both Platforms

Start with NotaryLive for remote notarization first. This allows you to:

• Begin notarizing documents immediately
• Get comfortable with the online notarization process
• Build your workflow

Then explore how SmartAdvocate can organize your complete case management process around it.

Once both platforms are in place, complete the integration steps above to connect them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Do I need to integrate with SmartAdvocate to use NotaryLive?

A: No. You don’t need to integrate with SmartAdvocate in order to use NotaryLive. You can sign up with a business account at any time to use our remote online notarization service.

Q: What is NotaryLive and how does remote online notarization work?

A: NotaryLive is a secure online notary service that allows clients to sign and notarize documents remotely with a commissioned remote notary. Clients verify their identity, connect with a notary online, and complete the notarization in minutes. Finished documents are available immediately after the session.

Q: Is online notarization legally valid?

A: Yes. Online notarization completed through NotaryLive is legally valid and accepted across the United States. NotaryLive follows state requirements for identity verification, audit trails, and notarial records.

Q: How does NotaryLive work with SmartAdvocate cases?

A: NotaryLive can work alongside SmartAdvocate to help firms initiate notarization from cases, track notarization status, and associate completed notarized documents with the appropriate case file. Firms can explore this workflow after getting started with NotaryLive.

Q: Is NotaryLive available 24/7?

A: Yes. NotaryLive provides on-demand access to an online notary 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This allows clients to complete notarizations outside of normal business hours, without scheduling appointments or coordinating availability.