How to electronically sign the ELN pages? - LabCollector

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How to electronically sign the ELN pages?

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SUMMARY:

Electronic Lab Notebook (ELN) add-on is a replacement of paper lab note book that provides various features compared to paper lab notebook. In the LabCOllector’s ELN you can electronically sign the pages and also add erratum to the same.

Follow the below process to electronically sign the pages.

1. Create a digital certificate

2. Manage digital certificate options

3. Assign signing rights to a user on a project/Book

4. Sign and validate a page

1. Create a digital certificate

  • To set up digital signature you need first manage and create digital signature.
    Warning
    Only a superadmin can add digital signatures.
  • Go to ELN -> ADMIN -> MANAGE -> DIGITAL CERTIFICATES -> CREATE NEW USER CERTIFICATE & KEYS

  • When you create a certificate you need to fill in the below information.
    *You can keep the validity as as per your requirements.
    *The users are the ones that are in LabCollector (Lab members in LABCOLLECTOR -> ADMIN -> MANAGE USERS ) and have no digital signature assigned yet.

  • Once you create the certificate you will see it in the list.
  • Now you can add the signature image by clicking on the icon.
  • You can drag and drop or choose the signature like below image and click on submit button.

    Tips/Hints
    You can create/customize the signature in microsoft powerpoint for example and save the picture as png or jpg in your computer. You can use this as your signing image.
  • You will the image in front of the signature.
  • For certificate authentication (see below section 2), you will require the private key in order to sign.
    • In order to use the private key you can click on the  icon  under the private key column header.
    • You will see a new pop-up with the key, where you need to copy paste this key in the notepad (.txt) file and save it.

2. Manage digital certificate option

  • Once the sign is created you need to assign how the signing option can be validated.
  • To do this, you need to go to ELN -> ADMIN -> MANAGE -> DIGITAL CERTIFICATES OPTIONS
  • You will see 3 options, like below and you need to choose one option according to your requirements.
  • No Authentication: This means when you sign a page you will not be prompted anything and the page will be signed.
  • Login Authentication: This means when you are about to sign a page you will be asked to enter your login ID and password before the page is signed. (see below section 4)
  • Certificate Authentication: This means that you will be asked the key for your signature. (see below section 4)
    You will require a private key option. (see above section 1)

3. Assign signing rights to a user on a project/Book

  • The book/Project owner needs to define who is responsible for signing his/her book and assign them the right to do so.
  • This setting can be done when you go to ELN -> BOOK (of your choice) -> USERS’ ACCESS 

  • You need to assign the signing rights to the user by checking the box under sign pages and submit the changes.

  • Once the rights are assigned you will see the signature icon in front of the users name in the book level.

4. Sign and validate a page

Admin Signing:

  • A page not signed will have an option called “close/sign pages”.
  • Now if the book needs to be signed by the user with signing rights (supervisor for example) they can sign the pages and you will see the signature like example below and you can no more edit the page. However, you be able to add an erratum by editing it.
  • Incase you dont have a digital image uploaded in Section 1 above, your signature will look like this.

    Warning
    Once the pages are signed off, they can no more be edited and you will see the page is locked with a lock sign. Only an erratum can be added.
  • If you have “login authentication” option chosen ( see above section 2) then you will be prompted to fill in your LabCollector ID and password before the page is signed.
  • If you have “Certificate authentication” option chosen ( see above section 2) then you will be prompted to fill in your private key before the page is signed. You can browse the notepad (.txt) file with the private key and upload it here in order to sign the page.

Witness Signing:

  • ELN also allows a witness to electronically sign the pages. 
  • For the witness to sign they have to go to ELN -> ADMIN -> PAGE -> PAGE SIGNING
  • Here you will see all the closed pages that need to be signed by the witness (admin). The oldest page waiting for signature will be seen on the top and the most recent one will be the last.
  • The witness can either “reopen” a page or sign it. You also have an option to sign all the pages at once.
  • If the sign it you will see the below pop up.
  • Once you choose to sign the pages, you will see the signature like below example on the witness (right) side.
    *Depending upon the authentication mode, it will either ask to authenticate with login ID or with private key as explained in admin signing above.
    You cannot edit the page anymore, but you can add an erratum by editing it.

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