Form Signature Requirements

Owned by Megan Bickel
Last updated: Feb 16, 2023 by Will Rensmith
6 min read

Before submitting a form in nFORM, an electronic or hardcopy signature can be required. There are several options for this. Once the Signature(s) required box is checked, a few options will become available.

Signature Type

Options

Notes

Signature Type

Options

Notes

Electronic Signature

See below for how each signing page will look with the different options chosen.

Hard Copy Signature

  • When Hard Copy Signature is checked, a button will appear to download the hard copy signature document for the user to sign and mail into the appropriate agency.

Signing Invitations

  • Signing invitations can be utilized to ask for multiple signatures by role or by email.

Configuring a Form for Electronic Signature

When the Electronic Signature box is checked, it will simply add an ‘I agree to the terms above’ checkbox under the Certification Statement in the form, as shown below.

Configuring a Form for Enhanced Certification (CROMERR)

When an extra layer of certification is needed, the checkbox for enhanced certification can be checked.

This will add four checkboxes with validating statements as well as an answer to a security question, and the user will also be required to input their password. This can be used for security regulations like CROMERR.

 

Configuring a Form for Hard copy Signature

A hard copy signature can be added for wet-ink signatures; regulations where a hard copy signature is required. This option can be configured to hold the submission until the hard copy signature is received by the agency, or to allow the submission to be received and start processing.

Once the Hard Copy Signature checkbox is checked in the form configuration, either by itself or in addition to the Electronic Signature, a new box will appear at the signature section of the form.

The user will have the option to select either option to continue submission.

Configuring a Form to Enable Signing Invitations

Signing invitations can be utilized when multiple signatures are required or if the application preparer is different from the signer.

Signing Invitations

  • This will allow the application preparer to invite someone else to sign the form using their email address.

Note: In this case, only one person will sign the form.

Multiple Signatures

  • This will allow multiple people to sign one form before it is submitted.

  • When this option is selected, you can also add multiple signatures by role using the next feature.

Role-based Signing

  • This allows multiple signatures to be collected based on the different roles added.

  • Different certification text can be used per role.

  • Only enabled when ‘Multiple Signatures’ is enabled.

 

Signing invitations is a feature that can be used when the application preparer is different from the signer.

 

When the application preparer has completed all questions and gotten to the Certify and Submit section, an option will appear to choose whether they will sign the form, or if someone else is needed to sign the form. When ‘Someone else’ is chosen, the user will add an email and optional message to the invitation. Once that is done, the invited user will receive an email and be prompted to follow the link to finish signing the application.

Enabling Role-Based Signing

Role-based signing is a great way to have multiple signatures that need different certification texts. When the multiple signatures setting is enabled, role-based signing can be utilized. The configuration user will need to add role(s), depending on what is needed.

 

Once the external user comes to the section, now named Signing, they will see the different role(s) that have been added. They will need to continue through each step, by clicking Next, in the signing section to complete their role based signing.

Inviting a Signer When Completing a Submission with Role-based Signing

The second step in role-based signing is for the external user to either invite all role(s), or check Include myself as a signer (email). If they check that box, they will have the opportunity to sign for one of the role(s). If not, they will add all email(s) necessary and click Send Invite.

At the time the invitation is sent, if the invitee does not yet have an nVIRO account that is affiliated with the submission’s site, an account invitation is created for the invitee. This is the same process by which an external administrator or agency user can grant an external user access to a specific site.

Once that has been done, the application preparer will only be able to click View Submission.

Accepting an Invitation to Sign a Submission

When someone is invited to sign a submission, they will receive an email stating that they have been assigned to a submission. A link is included in the email to access the submission.

If the invitee does not have an nVIRO account, they will be required to complete the steps to create their account. Upon successfully logging in, the invitee will automatically be affiliated with the site for which the submission relates with a role of “Editor”. The dashboard will display a message that they have one or more submissions to sign with a link to begin the signing activity.

Signing a Submission

If the user has checked Include myself as a signer (email), then after clicking Send Invite (for the other user), they will be able to proceed to the next step where they can sign one of the role(s) added. They can also sign multiple times, if necessary.

In order to sign for one of the roles, they will click Sign next to the role needed.

A popup will appear that provides them with the certification statement specific to that role, and they will click on the checkbox next to I agree to the terms above.

 

If they have not checked the ‘sign for multiple’ option, then they will automatically be prompted by another popup that shows their role as ‘Signed’ and the only option they will have is to click Sign Submission.