Sign an approval
An end-to-end walkthrough — reach an approval gate, review the signing chain, and sign or reject with a Part 11 electronic signature.
This guide walks through acting on an approval gate — the formal, regulated sign-off that an electronic signature makes binding. For the concepts behind each step, see Approval chains & rules, Signing & rejecting, and Part 11 enforcement.
Find what’s waiting on you
- Open your pending approvals from your notifications or the approvals view.
- Locate the item, release, or document awaiting your signature — its Resource, the Current step, and the Pending signers are shown.
Result You can see exactly what needs your signature and where it sits in the chain.
Review before you sign
Before you start A signature is a binding attestation — review the content, not just the request.
- Open the resource and review what you're being asked to attest to.
- Check the chain — which steps have signed, who else must sign, and the Approval Meaning attached to your step.
Result You understand what your signature certifies and where it falls in the signing path.
Sign or reject
- Choose Review and Approve to open the signature, or Reject to send it back.
- To sign, confirm the Approval Meaning, add a Comment if useful (for example the basis for your signature), and enter your Password to re-authenticate.
- Submit the signature.
Result Your electronic signature is recorded with your identity, the meaning, the timestamp, and any comment. The gate advances to the next signer, or — if you rejected — returns for rework.
Note Re-authentication is required for every signature: the signature binds you to the meaning at that moment, which is what makes it a 21 CFR Part 11 electronic signature. See Part 11 enforcement for what the signature guarantees.
Where to go next
To see the complete signing record for an item, see Signature history. To approve a whole release, see Approving releases.