Collect Signature Workflow in SharePoint Online

This SharePoint workflow tutorial explains collect signature workflow in SharePoint Online, how to create and use a collect signature workflow in SharePoint Online or SharePoint 2013/2010.

There are various out of box workflows available in SharePoint which we can use in list or document libraries.

1. Approval Workflow
2.  Collect Feedback Workflow
3. Collect Signatures Workflow
4. Publishing  Approval Workflow
5. Three-State Workflow

Approval Workflow:

Approval  Workflow is one of the out of box workflow in SharePoint. Approval workflow is used to share documents or items which is stored in a list or library between one or more people for their approval. Read Approval Workflow in SharePoint Online with an example.

Collect Feedback Workflow:

Collect feedback workflow is useful to share documents and item stored in SharePoint list or library between one or more users for their feedback. Read SharePoint workflow examples: Collect Feedback Workflow.

Collect Signatures Workflow:

The collect signature workflow is a workflow used to share documents which are created in  Excel, Word, or Info Path for collecting the signature of one or more users for a document.

Publishing Approval Workflow:

Sharing of content to SME(subject matter expert) and stake holder for review and approval. Publishing site approval workflow specially designed for the publishing site.

Three-State Workflow:

The Three state workflow is used to track the status of list item or library  through three states or phases. In each transitional state, a task will assign for a user and user will get an email notification that a task is created for him. After the task is completed the status will be updated.

The three state workflow is  also useful for issue tracking in a list. Read Three State Workflow in SharePoint with Example.

Create and Attach a Collect signature Workflow to a Document Library in SharePoint Online

Now we will see how we can create and attach a collect signature workflow to a document library in SharePoint Online or SharePoint 2016/2013.

Here, I have taken a document library and uploaded some of the important document and I want a signature from the employee.

So I have to create and attach a collect signature workflow to the Document Library.

Step-1: First we create a “DocumentLibrary” in SharePoint online and named as “CompanyDocumentSignatureWF”. We uploaded some of the documents. We want to attach a Collect Signature workflow into “CompanyDocumentSignatureWF” document library.

Step-2: In “CompanyDocumentSignatureWF” document library  in the ribbon we can see  three option “BROWSE” ,”FILES” and  “LIBRARY”.  Select the Library option. Click on  “Workflow Settings” under Settings.

Step-3: We can see a “Workflow Settings” page. Click on “Add a workflow”.

Step-4: By clicking on Add a workflow we will get a “Workflow setting” page for ” Add a workflow”. This Workflow setting page contains below  field.

Workflow field: This field contains all the out of box workflow. We need to Select a workflow template. So here we have to select the workflow page as  “Collect Signature-SharePoint 2010“. What ever the type of workflow we select that will attach to the document library.

Name: This name field is for workflow name. We need to give a unique name for workflow. The name whatever we will give is the identify for this workflow to users of this document library.

Task List: The task list field we can see a drop down list.  To whom we assign the task a task list is created for the assigned user. We can create a new task list or we can use the existing task list.

The drop down contains all the task list is there in our site and we can see one more option for creating a new task list. Here i have selecting the existing task list which name is CollectSignatureWorkflow Tasks.

History List: In the History list field also we can create  a new history list or can select existing History list in the drop down we can see two option. Here I have select the existing history list.

In the same page below the History List, we can see a start Options field.

In the “Start option” field contains below checkbox option.

1. Allow this workflow to be manually started by an authenticated user with Edit Item permissions.
2. Start this workflow to approve publishing a major version of an item
3. Creating a new item will start this workflow
4. Changing an item will start this workflow

The start option specify how the workflow can be started.

• When we want to start the workflow manually when an item is added to a list then select the  “Allow this workflow to be manually started by an authenticated user with Edit Item permissions” check box.
• If we require to permission to start the workflow then start the workflow then select the Workflow then select “Require Manage Lists Permission to start the Workflow”.
• Similarly, If you want to start the Workflow automatically when item added to a list then select the checkbox as “Creating a New Item will start this workflow”.
• If you want to start the workflow while the item will be changing, Then select the checkbox as “Changing an Item will start this workflow”.

Then click on to “Next” as like below screenshot.

After clicking on next we will get a “Change a Workflow” page. This  “Change a Workflow”page contains “Signers”  and CC fields. In Signers field we have to give the name to whom we assign the task . In Order we can see two option 

• One at a time(serial): Assign the task to more than one user one at a time serially means one after another. Before completing the task we can’t assign the task to another user.
• All at Once(parallel): All at One means task will assign to all the user irrespective of any one completing the task or not.

Here I have choose the Order option as One at a time means at a time we can assign the task to a single user.

CC:  The person name who are attach to CC without assign the tasks to them , they then can get notification of when the workflow starts and ends. Click on “Save”.

Now our workflow is attach to our document library We can see in our Document Library, One column is created for workflow. Automatically task list is created for the user and user will get s notification”. After user complete the task the status is changed from In Progress to completed.

To check particular each item status right click on “In Progress” we can see some option click on “Advanced”. Then click on “Workflows”. This option will show  for particular that item what is the workflow status.

Now we will get the Workflows page. In the Running Workflows option, we can see our workflow name, when the workflow was started and what is the internal Status of the workflow. While clicking on Collect Signature workflow we can able to see a pictorial representation of to whom the task is assigned.

Below one is the pictorial representation of current the task assigned to whom. Here currently the task assigned to the user named as  “Preeti Sahu” . So it is showing to “Preeti Sahu”. In the below of pictorial representation, we can able to see the outcome of the particular task. The user is not started the work so the outcome is blank.

While clicking on the title we will get the below page. We can see below option “Status” ,” Requested By”, “Consolldated Comments” , “Due Date” and “Comments”.

In the below of the page  we can see “Sign”, “Cancle” and “Reassign Task”.

While I open workflow page, using “Preeti Sahu” user name we can able to see the below page. The page contains “Reassign Task To” ,” New request”, “New Duration” and “New Duration Units” .Here the user “Preeti Sahu” reassigned the task to  another user “BibhuDutta Bhanja”.

New Request field we can attach the message which will be included with our request.

New Duration: Here the user will give new duration time. If the user don’t want to give a new duration date then leave this field as blank. To remove the due date type “0”.

New Duration Unit: In the new duration unit give the time units. Whatever the time we gave newly put the unit of the time. We can give the unit as “Days”, ” “Months” and “hours”. Here I have given the New Duration Units as Day(s). Then click on “Send”.

Now the task is newly assign to another user. The things we have to remember the task can reassign by the user to whom the task is assigned. In the pictorial representation, we can able to see now “Preeti Sahu” reassign the task to another user “BubhuDutta Bhanja”.

In the below of the pictorial representation we can able to see while the task reassigned the task to another user it will so the user that the task is compled.

For example “Preeti Sahu” reassign the task to  “BibhuDutta Bhanja”. It is showing that for “PreetiSahu” the task is completed.  Because “BibhuDutta Bhanja” is not statrted till now. So in the status, it is showing that not started.

When click on cancel then it will cancel the page. While Clicking on “Sign”, it will directly show the below page. In the Outcome, we can able to see Signed. That means for particular that item task is completed. The user is completed the signed task. In status also we can able to see the task is completed.

You may like following SharePoint workflow tutorials:

• Copy Document SharePoint Designer 2013 Workflow Action
• SharePoint designer workflow: Create Laptop Request Approval Workflow
• SharePoint designer 2013 Workflow: Assign task to a group using Assign a task workflow action
• SharePoint Designer 2013 Workflow: Create List Item Action with Example
• SharePoint designer 2013 Workflow Condition: person is a valid SharePoint user with Example
• SharePoint Designer Workflow Declare item as a record
• SharePoint Designer 2013 Workflow: Do Calculation Action Example
• Learn SharePoint Workflow

In this SharePoint workflow tutorial, we saw how can we use the Collect Signature workflow in SharePoint Online.