Signature column is a special column type for SharePoint. It enables signing SharePoint items or document content and properties. One of the most common requirements for using the column is to comply with regulatory requirements. The column stores, in an encrypted form, the user identity, time and date of signing, item version (if enabled) and a hash sum of signed columns' values.
The Signature column supports different signature providers:
- Active Directory (user name and password combination)
- Hand-written signature
- Declarative, using the currently logged-in user’s credentials.
The column can be set up to sign one or more of the other column in the list, the signature will only affect the field that the field is attached to, changes to other fields of the item will not break the signature.
Authenticating using the selected provider during the data entry or editing phase will sign the item. It will display an icon to indicate that the item has been signed and the signature is intact. If the item’s signed column is edited afterwards, without re-signing, the signature is broken and the icon is replaced to indicate this fact.
