Approval with e-signature

  • Release version: Yokohama
  • Updated January 30, 2025
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Approval with e-signature

    The Approval with e-signature feature in ServiceNow enables users to approve or reject records by re-entering their login credentials. This process captures a legally compliant electronic signature as required by Title 21 CFR Part 11, ensuring regulatory adherence. The system records the signer’s printed name, date and time of signature, and the signature’s meaning (approval or rejection), storing this information in the activity stream and audit history of the record.

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    Key Features

    • Support for Compliance: Validated for Title 21 CFR Part 11 electronic signature requirements, essential for regulated environments.
    • Approval Tables: By default, supports Change Request [changerequest] and Standard Change Proposal [stdchangeproposal] tables. Additional tables can be added to require e-signature authorization for approvals.
    • Approver Authentication: Approvers must enter valid user credentials to change approval states, with credential verification against local users or integrated single sign-on (SSO) systems.
    • Approval History Tracking: Each approval record includes an activity stream that logs e-signature approvals as field changes, providing transparent audit trails.
    • Multiple Approval Options: Approvals or rejections can be performed via context menu options, UI actions on forms, or by changing the state field—all requiring credential re-entry.
    • User Credential Sources: Supports authentication through local User [sysuser] records or remote identity providers via Multi-Provider SSO using SAML 2.0.
    • Plugin Activation and Configuration: Activating the Approval with e-signature plugin enables e-signature requirements on all existing approval tables by default. Configuration includes setting up user credentials and optionally integrating SSO for authentication.

    Practical Considerations for ServiceNow Customers

    • Ensure local user records or SSO integrations are correctly configured before enabling e-signature approvals.
    • Use the Approver Authentication dialog to enforce credential verification, preventing unauthorized approval changes.
    • Leverage activity streams to maintain comprehensive audit trails for compliance and operational transparency.
    • Customize approval tables as needed to extend e-signature requirements beyond default tables.
    • Deactivate e-signatures when no longer required through the provided procedures to maintain system flexibility.

    Approve or reject an approval record by re-entering your login credentials. See the history of an approval from its activity stream or its audit history.

    Support for Title 21 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 11

    The Approval with e-signature plug-in is validated for Title 21 CFR Part 11 electronic signature requirements. This plug-in is required for compliance to 21 CFR Part 11.

    Each time someone approves a record, the system stores this information.
    • The printed name of the signer
    • The date and time when the signature was made
    • The meaning of the signature (approval or rejection)

    This information is stored as part of the activity stream and audit history of the record.

    Approval tables

    By default, Approval with e-signature supports these tables.
    • Change Request [change_request]
    • Standard Change Proposal [std_change_proposal]

    When you add an approval table, any approval for the table needs an e-signature authorization. See Select an approval table to add or remove a table from supporting Approval with e-signature.

    Approver Authentication dialog

    Approvers must enter their user credentials to change the approval state. If the credentials fail, then the approval remains unchanged. The system checks the user credentials against local user records or an active single sign-on integration.

    Dialog to enter user credentials

    Approval History

    Each Approval [sysapprover_approver] record has an activity stream that tracks changes to it. Approvals made by e-signature are stored as field changes.

    Figure 1. Example activity stream
    Example approval showing Bow Ruggeri approving a change request

    Available approval options

    The Change Request [change_request] table provides these approval options.

    List options
    The Change Request table provides context menu options to approve or reject records. When someone selects either the Approve or Reject context menu option, the system displays the Approver Authentication confirmation dialog.
    UI actions
    The Change Request form provides UI actions to approve or reject a record. When someone selects either the Approve or Reject UI action, the system displays the Approver Authentication confirmation dialog.
    Change record state
    The Change Request table provides a State field to approve or reject a record. When someone selects either the Approved or Rejected state, the system displays the Approver Authentication confirmation dialog.

    User credential sources

    Approval with e-signature supports these types of user credential sources.
    • A set of local User [sys_user] records.
    • A remote identity provider service accessed by the Multi-Provider Single Sign-On (SSO) integration.

    User credentials must be set up before enabling Approvals with e-signature. See Creating users to create local User records.

    See Multi-Provider Single sign-on (SSO) to create an integration to a Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML) 2.0 identity provider.