The AWARDS electronic signatures functionality allows you to capture an image of your signature and initials and use those images along with a PIN to sign progress notes, group notes, service plans, plans and reviews, discharge records, and more.
Prior to electronically signing documents, you must set up your electronic signature information. This information, which is unique to you and can only be entered/updated by you, is maintained in the E-Signatures feature accessible from the user name drop-down in the navigation bar. It includes actual signature images, a PIN that can be entered each time you sign a note, and default settings that control the detail included in the signature.
Required Permissions
The E-Signatures setup feature is available to all users with employee logins. The following optional permission may also be needed based on your role:
- E-Signatures PIN Resetting (only required in order to reset e-signature PINs for users other than yourself)
Step-By-Step Guide
Setting Up or Modifying Your E-Signature
- Click your name from the navigation bar, then click E-Signatures. The Electronic Signatures page will display.
- Create your initials and full signature. You have a few options:
Choose file (saved image upload)
To upload either type of image for the first time, or to replace a previously uploaded image, click the corresponding Choose File button. When prompted, select the file to be uploaded from its location on your PC, and then click Open to return to the settings page.
Signature Pad
To capture your signature directly using a signature pad and to then save it for use in AWARDS, click Signature Pad. The page is refreshed to display related options. Click Draw to give focus to the signing area before signing on the pad, Clear if you'd like to clear what has been entered using the pad, or Cancel to close the signing area and remove the signature pad-related options.
Touch
To capture your signature directly using "touch" functionality and to then save it for use in AWARDS, click Touch. The page is refreshed to display related options. Use your finger or a stylus on a touch-screen device (such as a tablet) or a touchpad, or use a mouse to sign within the white signing block on the AWARDS page. Click Clear if you'd like to clear what has been entered, or Cancel to close the signing area and remove the touch-related options.
- Set your PIN.
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To set a new PIN - To create a PIN for the first time, enter a five-digit number in the PIN field, and then re-enter that number in the PIN Confirmation field.
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To reset an existing PIN - To replace your existing PIN, enter it in the Current PIN field. Enter your new five-digit PIN in the New PIN field, and then re-enter it in the New PIN Confirmation field.
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- Set your defaults. The "Your Default Signature" portion of the settings page enables you to specify a default image type for use when signing in the future. Click the radio button next to one of the image type selections to indicate whether the default signature should use No Image, your Initials Image, or your Full Name Image.
- Click Update to save your selections.
E-Signature FAQs
Q. Can I remove the requirement for an e-signature PIN?
A. Yes. By default, AWARDS requires staff e-signing records to enter a saved PIN as a second level of security to ensure e-signatures are being applied by the logged-in user. Clients who have a client login and who are signing with a saved image are also required to enter a saved PIN. An option is available to remove the PIN requirement allowing users to apply their saved e-signature image to records without entering a PIN. This configuration can be requested by contacting the AWARDS Help Desk.
Q. How do I reset an e-signature PIN when I don't know the current PIN?
In the event that you know your current PIN and would like to change it, you can complete the reset using step 3 of Setting Up or Modifying Your Electronic Signature process. If you do not know your current PIN (or if you are asked to reset the PIN for someone else), you must use the RESET PIN button at the bottom of the Electronic Signatures settings page accessed using the E-Signatures feature from the navigation bar's user name drop-down.
To reset a PIN from this page:
- Click RESET PIN to open the Electronic Signatures PIN Resetting page.
- Click the Worker drop-down arrow and select the name of the staff member whose PIN is to be reset. (By default the selection list is limited to your own name; however, workers with the E-Signatures PIN Resetting permission can also reset PINs for all staff, in which case those names are listed in the Worker list as well.)
- Click Continue.
- When asked to confirm that you want to reset the PIN, click Continue to complete the reset process.
The selected staff member's PIN and electronic signature images are now reset. An internal audit message is also generated to alert the staff member that they will need to re-configure their e-signature.
Q. How do I see which staff have set up their electronic signatures? (for AWARDS Administrators)
A. You can see details on which staff have their electronic signatures set up (and how) by using the Employees ReportBuilder. On the ReportBuilder settings page, check off the option to Display One Row Per Employee. The data variable selection page will then include a section for "Electronic Signatures Configuration Details" from which you can choose to report on information about which employees have configured their electronic signature and with which settings.
Other Helpful Resources
Training Films & Demonstrations
- Capturing Electronic Signatures in AWARDS (4 min) - A quick look at commonly used hardware solutions for agencies implementing (or upgrading) electronic signatures functionality. (November 2018)
Related Documents