What is eSignature?

An electronic signature, or e-signature, is any electronic means that provides a reliable method of identifying the signer and which binds that person to the contents of the electronic document.

Why eSignature is important?

Electronic Signature helps to boost the data security by providing user authentication and activity tracking for compass issues.  For, example e-Signatures may be a requirement to keep your Compass environment compliant with US FDA

• It helps to enforce user authentication to access any record type before each transition or change.
• Supports requiring e-signatures when approving or rejecting an approval record.
• Display history of transitions and their authors in a dedicated panel.

It works like this:  The eSignature package is applied to a record type.  The records of that type include a new tab of eSignature fields: Username, Password, Signature Log, and Is Current. If a signature is required, the username and password become required fields; otherwise, they are read-only.

How to apply eSignature package can be applied? 

Only a user with schema administrator privileges or a SuperUser/Compass Admin can apply the package. They must do this from a machine with Compass Administrative tools installs.

1. Launch HCL Compass Designer
2. Connect to the schema repository where you want to apply eSignature package.

3. Right click on schema version and click on apply packages.

4. Select eSignature package and the version you want to apply.

5. Select the record types you want to enable for.

6. Click on Finish to install the selected package.

7. After it gets installed successfully, you need to check-in the latest changes in schema version and then upgrade the user DB. This step is irreversible, so remember to take a full set of backups with your DBA.

Configure eSignature for the record type in the WebUI

These next steps are performed with Compass web itself.  You (or a designated user) should have the privilege to create an eSig_Config for the selected record types and for which action you want get digitally signed. Select the required options and hit save.

The eSig_Config record provides a field for selecting the record type to be signed and two options that you use to indicate when records of that type are to be signed: State and Action. If the record type is stateful, both the State and Action options are available. If the record type is stateless, only Action is available. The State and Action selections are cleared when you change the record type.

If you select both action-based and state-based criteria for an eSig_Config record, records of the specified type must be signed when they meet either criterion.

When a signature is required, the username and password entered here  are compared with the username and password that were used to log in to the HCL Compass environment. If the identities match, the change is accepted, and the signature is logged. If the identities do not match, an error message is displayed, and no change is made to the database.

Once setup is complete, if anyone modifies an existing record or new record, the eSignature username and password fields will be mandatory to save the changes.

The information which gets displayed under the eSignature Log.

• The username of the person who signed the record.
• The user’s printed name.
• The user’s group membership.
• The action being taken.
• The final state of the record.
• The time stamp of the action.

A signature is valid only if the record has not changed since the signature was applied. The read-only field Is Current contains the value “True” if the last change to the record included a signature; otherwise, it contains the value “False”.

The eSignature tab includes the field eSignature Log, which displays the signature history of the record. This field contains only the changes that have been signed.

eSig logs are customizable as well. For further customization please refer https://help.hcltechsw.com/compass/2.0.2/com.hcl.compass.doc/webhelp/oxy_ex-1/com.ibm.rational.clearquest.schema.ec.doc/topics/sch_pkgs/c_customize_esig.html

Does your organization have a similar requirement like eSig package in your schema? Join the discussion below.