Approval with e-signature

  • Release version: Zurich
  • Updated July 31, 2025
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Approval with e-signature

    The Approval with e-signature plug-in enables ServiceNow customers to approve or reject records by re-entering their login credentials, ensuring secure and compliant electronic approvals. This feature is essential for organizations needing to comply with Title 21 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 11 requirements for electronic signatures.

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    Each approval action captures and stores critical information such as the signer’s printed name, the date and time of the signature, and the meaning of the signature (approval or rejection). This data is maintained within the activity stream and audit history of the approval record, providing full traceability and accountability.

    Key Features

    • Supported Tables: By default, the plug-in supports approval on Change Request and Standard Change Proposal tables. Additional tables can be added to require e-signature authorization for approvals.
    • Approver Authentication: Approvers must authenticate by entering user credentials. Failed authentication prevents changes to the approval state.
    • Approval History Tracking: All e-signature approvals are recorded as field changes within each Approval record’s activity stream, ensuring detailed audit trails.
    • Multiple Approval Methods: Approvals can be performed via context menu options, UI actions on the form, or by changing the state field on the Change Request table, each prompting the Approver Authentication dialog.
    • User Credential Sources: Supports authentication against local ServiceNow User records or remote identity providers integrated via Multi-Provider Single Sign-On (SSO) using SAML 2.0.

    Practical Benefits for ServiceNow Customers

    • Ensures compliance with regulatory standards requiring electronic signatures, such as 21 CFR Part 11.
    • Enhances security by requiring approvers to re-authenticate, reducing risk of unauthorized approvals.
    • Provides transparent and auditable records of approval actions, aiding in governance and compliance reporting.
    • Flexible integration with existing identity management systems, simplifying user credential management.
    • Easy to extend approval e-signature requirements to additional tables as business needs evolve.

    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 to create local User records.

    See to create an integration to a Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML) 2.0 identity provider.