In paper systems we use the “dated signature” or “dated initials” to do so many things:

• Identify people
• Identify when something happened
• Signify that a step was completed
• Establish the order in which things were completed
• Ensure the correct person completed a step
• Prove that a document was reviewed by appropriate roles
• Approve or otherwise attest to something about a document

…and so on.

Basically the limitations of paper mean that anytime we want to distinguish a record from any random scrawl we add an initial or signature to it, assuming that a signature is somehow impossible to forge and uniquely traceable back to the person who applied it.

Digital systems don't have the same limitations as paper - the system can monitor, log and control all sorts of things without the need for something like a signature. It can keep track of who and when. I can enforce who can do what and in what order. It can reliably link various layers of metadata to any data.

We have many ways to accomplish those things digitally, including immutable audit trails and logs, timestamps and other metadata, tracking logins, putting functionality behind some kind of password, key or biometric barrier, and so on. You can even add blockchain to that list.

Furthermore, these other methods are more desirable than mere "dated signatures" because they can contain information that can be acted on by other parts of the digital system. Someone completing a document review workflow step in a certain way can automatically trigger not only the next step in the workflow, but might also automatically open up a deviation for late signing.

So an electronic signature is only actually needed when there's a requirement for someone to approve or otherwise attest to something about a document in a formal or legal manner. That is, when another human requires it!

Until next time, thanks for reading!

– Brendan

p.s. Enjoy this message? Read more at the Hyland Quality Systems website.