Approval with e-signature

  • Release version: Australia
  • Updated March 12, 2026
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Approval with e-signature

    The Approval with e-signature feature in ServiceNow enables customers to securely approve or reject approval records by re-entering their login credentials. This process ensures compliance with Title 21 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 11 by capturing essential electronic signature information such as the signer’s printed name, timestamp, and signature meaning (approval or rejection). This data is recorded in the activity stream and audit history for full traceability.

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    Key Features

    • Regulatory Compliance: Validated for Title 21 CFR Part 11 electronic signature requirements, essential for regulated industries.
    • Supported Tables: By default, supports Change Request [changerequest] and Standard Change Proposal [stdchangeproposal] tables. Additional tables can be added to require e-signature approval.
    • Approver Authentication: Approvers must enter valid credentials via a confirmation dialog to change approval states. Failed authentication leaves the approval unchanged.
    • Approval History Tracking: Each approval record includes an activity stream that logs all e-signature approval actions as field changes for auditability.
    • Approval Options: Approvals and rejections can be performed through context menu options, UI actions on the form, or changing the State field on the Change Request table—all requiring credential re-entry.
    • User Credential Sources: Supports authentication against local User [sysuser] records or remote providers through Multi-Provider Single Sign-On (SSO) integrations (e.g., SAML 2.0).

    Practical Use for ServiceNow Customers

    Enabling Approval with e-signature ensures that all approval decisions are securely authenticated and recorded, supporting compliance needs and audit requirements. Customers can expect a consistent approval workflow that enforces user identity verification before approval state changes, enhancing security and accountability.

    Before enabling this feature, ensure local user records or SSO integrations are properly configured for credential verification. Adding approval tables allows extension of e-signature requirements beyond the default Change Request and Standard Change Proposal records.

    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.