Description:

The Get Form Signature step belongs to the Forms category in FlowWright. Its XML definition identifies the step as getformsignature, with the label “Get Form Signature absolute and virtual paths” and display name “Get Form Signature.” It uses the FlowWright.Workflow.GetFormSignature namespace and FlowWright.Workflow.dll. The step is defined as a Process step with two input connections and two output connections.

The step provides four properties:

• Variable/Global/FormVariable that holds the form instance ID
• Signature field ID
• Variable/Global to store the signature absolute path
• Variable/Global to store the signature virtual path

The first three properties are required. The virtual-path output is optional.

The primary purpose of this step is to make the file location of the form signature available to subsequent workflow steps. It is particularly useful when a signature needs to be incorporated into document processing, archived, referenced, or otherwise handled by the workflow.

Usage:

The Get Form Signature step is typically used after a workflow has obtained or created a form instance and needs access to the signature associated with one of its signature fields.

A common workflow pattern is:

The step requires the form instance ID and signature field ID, and stores the resulting absolute path in a Variable/Global. The virtual path can optionally be stored as well.

Typical workflow scenarios include:

• Retrieve a Signature for Document Processing
• Retrieve a Signature After Approval
• Store the Signature Path for Later Processing
• Retrieve Both Absolute and Virtual Paths
• Signature-Based Workflow Routing

Example:

Let’s build and execute the “getFormSignatureDef” example:

• Create a new Form Definition named “getFormSignatureDef” and open it in designer mode. 
• Drag the “BootstrapGrid, Labels, TextArea, Signature, Submit button” to the canvas and arrange them as shown in the image below. Configure the label text with a description. Click the Save button. 

• Create a new Process Definition named “getFormSignatureDef” and open it in designer mode. 
• Drag the “RouteForm, GetFormFieldValues, GetFormSignature, GenerateDoc” steps to the canvas.
• Connect the dots between the “Start” and other steps as shown in the usage image above. 
• Define a few variables or globals to store the values. 
• Click the "RouteForm" step to configure its "Required" properties. Enter a name and a task description for the step. Select the Form Definition from the drop-down list. Provide a variable reference to store the form instance ID. Click the Save button. Note: Click the "AI Predict" button to have the Copilot add new process steps that match your process description. 

• Click the "RouteForm" step to configure its "Optional" properties. Provide a task description. Select users to route the Form to. Click the Save button. 

• Click the "GetFormFieldValues" step to configure its "Required" properties. Provide a name for the step. Provide the variable reference that holds the form instance ID. Click the button to map the form fields to variables or globals. Select the Form Definition from the drop-down list. Click the Save button. Note: Click the "AI Predict" button to have the Copilot add new process steps that match your process description. 

• Click the button to map form fields to variables or globals. Click the plus sign (+) to add an empty row. Select a form field from the drop-down list, then map it to a variable or global reference. Click the Save button. You can add multiple form fields to variables using the “Add Row” feature. 

• Click the "getFormSignature" step to configure its "Required" properties. Provide a name for the step. Provide the variable reference that holds the form instance ID value. Provide the form field name that holds the digital signature. During runtime, the form field signature is fetched and stored on the application server. Provide the variable or global reference to hold the image's absolute path. Click the Save button. Note: Click the "AI Predict" button to have the Copilot add new process steps that match your process description. 

• Click the "getFormSignature" step to configure its "Optional" properties. Provide the variable or global reference to hold the image virtual file path. Click the Save button. 

• Create a Word document named “getFormSignature.docx”. Format the document as shown in the image below. Use the Insert feature to draw a “Text box” and include this ASPOSE script to <<image [@“ variable.varSigRFilePath ”] >>, which refers to the digital signature’s absolute file path via a variable reference. 

• Click the "GenerateDoc" step to configure its "Required" properties. This step generates Word and PDF documents that include the digital signature retrieved from the Form Instance. Provide a name for the step. Upload the report template document (docx) from the local folder. Provide the variable reference to store the physical and virtual file paths for the DOCX and PDF files to be generated. Click the Save button. Note: Click the "AI Predict" button to have the Copilot add new process steps that match your process description. 

• The “Logging” configuration is necessary for documentation and also measures workflow progress and percent complete. This is achieved by configuring the step state and percent fields individually, as shown below. Configure the “Logging” using the following properties.

• Save the Process Definition. Create a new Process Instance and execute it. The process pauses at the “Task” step for manual completion. 

• Navigate to the Tasks page to view the task. In this example, the task is assigned to the user who started the process instance. Select the Form task to complete it. 

• The Form opens on a new page. Enter the user comments and the signature as shown in the image below. Click Save, then click Submit to complete the Form. 

• The workflow completes with the “GetFormFieldValues” step fetching the comments, the “GetFormSignature” step fetching and storing the digital signature, and the “Generate Doc” step creating a new PDF document with the signature. 

• Render the Process Instance and view the variable values. Fetch the path to the generated PDF file. 

• The generated PDF includes the digital signature submitted through the Form. 

Tips:

• Ensure the form instance ID identifies the intended form instance.
• Ensure the Signature field ID corresponds to the signature field in the form.
• Always configure the required absolute-path Variable/Global.
• Configure the virtual-path Variable/Global only when the workflow needs it.
• Use meaningful Variable/Global names such as SignatureAbsolutePath and SignatureVirtualPath.
• Place the step after the form instance is available to the workflow.
• Validate the signature field ID when moving workflows between environments or form definitions.
• Use appropriate handling for the False execution path.
• Test the workflow using an actual form instance that contains the expected signature.
• If the signature is subsequently processed as a file, ensure the downstream step expects the path type produced by this operation.
• The XML does not specify signature validation, signature cryptographic verification, authentication, or signing behavior. This step should therefore be documented as a signature-path retrieval operation rather than a signature-validation operation.

Notes:

• Category: Forms. 
• Internal name: getformsignature. 
• Label: Get Form Signature absolute and virtual paths. 
• Display name: Get Form Signature. 
• Namespace: FlowWright.Workflow.GetFormSignature. 
• DLL: FlowWright.Workflow.dll. 
• Step definition type: Process. 
• Input connections: 2. 
• Output connections: 2. 
• Form instance ID: Required. 
• Signature field ID: Required. 
• Signature absolute path Variable/Global: Required. 
• Signature virtual path Variable/Global: Optional. 
• Returns: True and False. 
• All four properties use the string data type and the FlowWright.DataTypes.ClsTextBox property type. 
• The XML does not expose a Form Definition selection property.
• The XML does not expose a signature validation or cryptographic verification property.
• The XML does not expose a sanitization option.
• The XML does not expose timeout, transaction, retry, or scheduling properties.

GetFormSignature vs. GetFormFieldValues:

The two steps are related because both operate on FlowWright form instances, but they serve different purposes.

GetFormSignature is specialized for retrieving a signature's paths.

GetFormFieldValues is designed to retrieve general form field values and map them into workflow Variables/Globals.

The GetFormFieldValues XML exposes:

• Form instance ID
• Field-to-Variable/Global mappings
• Form Definition
• Optional field-value sanitization 

The GetFormSignature XML instead exposes:

• Form instance ID
• Signature field ID
• Absolute signature path output
• Optional virtual signature path output

When to Use GetFormSignature.

Use GetFormSignature when the workflow needs the location of a signature associated with a form.

Examples:

• Retrieve a customer signature after form submission.
• Obtain an approval signature for processing the document.
• Pass a signature file to a downstream document step.
• Store a signature path for later workflow processing.
• Retrieve both the absolute and virtual paths when needed.

When to Use GetFormFieldValues

Use GetFormFieldValues when the workflow needs the actual values contained in ordinary form fields. The step explicitly supports field-to-Variable/Global mappings and requires a Form Definition.

Definition Sample:

You may download and extract the sample process definition, form definition, and document templates, then import it by drag-and-drop into the FlowWright Process Definition (XML file) page.

After importing the sample, verify and complete any missing configuration, including:

• Form instance ID
• Signature field ID
• Absolute-path Variable/Global
• Optional virtual-path Variable/Global
• Form and signature configuration
• Workflow connections
• Environment-specific settings

After verifying the configuration, save the Process Definition before executing it.

Click here to download the sample file.