ValidSign
Integrations

SharePoint Online installation manual

This is the manual for installing the SharePoint app. Request the most current version of the ValidSign for SharePoint app via our support department.Installati

16 min readLast updated: 2025-12-12

This is the manual for installing the SharePoint app. Request the most current version of the ValidSign for SharePoint app via our support department.

Installation

Prerequisite

An Office 365 tenant with SharePoint 365 and Microsoft Azure.

Install the app via the app catalog

This installation requires the latest version of the ValidSign for SharePoint app. Ensure that you have the latest version. There are various apps that can be configured in different ways. For example, there is an app that automatically deploys across all site collections within the tenant. There is also an app available that can be deployed per site collection by adding the app to each site collection.

Below are the instructions to correctly install the app:

  1. Log into your SharePoint tenant as a global SharePoint administrator;
  2. Open the SharePoint admin page of your SharePoint environment and go to 'More features';
  3. Click on 'Apps';
  4. Go to the 'App catalog', if you don't have an App catalog you can create one using the following instructions: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sharepoint/use-app-catalog;
  5. Within the App catalog, click on 'Apps for SharePoint' on the left panel;
  6. Click on 'Upload' to upload the ValidSign app (.sppkg file) to the SharePoint site;
  7. A pop-up will appear, accept the app to be used in the entire SharePoint environment;
  8. Return to the SharePoint Admin Center and click on 'Advanced' – 'API access' on the left panel;
  9. You will find API access requests that are pending, click on each request and approve them;
  10. You have completed the installation process.

Update the app via the app catalog

  1. Log into your SharePoint tenant as a global SharePoint administrator;
  2. Open the SharePoint admin page of your SharePoint environment and go to 'More features';
  3. Click on 'Apps';
  4. Go to the 'App catalog';
  5. Within the App catalog, click on 'Apps for SharePoint' on the left panel;
  6. Remove the current 'ValidSign for SharePoint' app;
  7. Click on 'Upload' to upload the ValidSign app (.sppkg file) to the SharePoint site;
  8. A pop-up will appear, accept the app to be used in the entire SharePoint environment;
  9. You have completed the installation process.

Configure the app for automatically downloading signed documents

  1. Log into your AzureAD tenant as a global administrator;
  2. Click on 'Microsoft Entra ID' in the left menu;
  3. Go to 'App registrations';
  4. Click on 'New registration';
  5. Enter 'ValidSign for SharePoint' in the name field;
  6. Then click on 'Register';
  7. Go to 'API permissions';
  8. Click on 'Add a permission';
  9. Scroll down and click on 'SharePoint';
  10. Choose 'Application permission'; and select the option 'Sites.ReadWrite.All' and confirm by clicking 'Add permissions';
  11. Then click on ‘Grant admin consent for COMPANY NAME’;
  12. Go to 'Certificates and secrets';
  13. Go to 'Certificates';
  14. Click on 'Upload Certificate' and upload the certificate (.cer) that you received from the ValidSign consultant and then click on 'Add';
  15. Now go to 'Overview';
  16. Copy the Directory ID (tenant-id) and Application ID (client-id) and send this to your implementation consultant or our support department.
  17. You have completed the installation process.

Remove the app

  1. Log into your SharePoint tenant as a global SharePoint administrator;
  2. Open the SharePoint admin page of your SharePoint environment and go to 'More features';
  3. Click on 'Apps';
  4. Go to the 'App catalog';
  5. Within the App catalog, click on 'Apps for SharePoint' on the left panel;
  6. Remove the 'ValidSign for SharePoint' app;
  7. You have completed the installation process.

Configuration

Different implementation forms

The ValidSign for SharePoint app can be deployed in different ways within your SharePoint tenant. If you use a so-called SharePoint hubsite setup, the configuration for the app can be added to the hubsite. As a result, the configuration is also available on all sites that are linked to this hubsite.

If you do not use hubsites, configuration will have to be set up per site collection.

Add configuration

Below are the instructions to configure the ValidSign for SharePoint app:

  1. Log into your SharePoint tenant with administrator rights on the site collection or hubsite where you want to implement the specific setup;
  2. Click on the configuration button at the top right of the screen:
  3. A configuration window will open on the right side of the screen;
  4. Enter the API key that you can retrieve from the ValidSign integration page as a ValidSign owner;
  5. You will find a description of all options on the configuration page in the Settings section;
  6. Click 'Save', the configuration is now set;
  7. You have completed the configuration process.

Settings

Generic Settings

API key

The unique key to communicate with your ValidSign environment. You can find your API key via the Integration tab of the Admin page in the ValidSign environment when you are logged in as the owner of the ValidSign environment. Contact the servicedesk if you cannot see the API key.

Environment

Enter whether you want to link with the production environment or the acceptance environment.

Language

The language setting determines the language choice of the ValidSign transactions, emails, and the signer experience. The options are: Danish, German, English, French, Italian, Dutch, Portuguese, and Spanish.

ValidSign text tags

You can define the text tags used to extract the signature fields in the documents. There are two options for using text tags:

  • Classic text tags
    The first option is the Classic text tags, as available in all previous versions of the app. This functionality is limited to signature fields only.
    • Text tag (when using classic text tags)
      With this option, you can determine how your text tags are structured. The default is /SIGNATURE{0}/. In this case, the “{0}” is a placeholder for the signer where the first signer added to the package is 1, the second is 2, etc.
    • Signature internal recipients (when using classic text tags)
      The width and height of signature fields for internal recipients. This functionality only applies to signatures placed using the text tags functionality.
    • Signature external recipients (when using classic text tags)
      The width and height of signature fields for external recipients. This functionality only applies to signatures placed using the text tags functionality.
  • ValidSign text tags
    The second option is the ValidSign text tags option. This allows the ValidSign UI to automatically extract the signature fields and all other fields from the document. Refer to our support page on text tags to learn more about this feature.

Allow the use of templates

The template usage feature allows your organisation to use templates when creating transactions.

Download evidence document

This option determines whether the audit trail of the transaction (evidence document) is downloaded and stored in SharePoint along with the signed document. This document is designated with the type EVIDENCE in the ValidSign status and also contains the same transaction ID.

Delete transactions after (X) days

This option determines whether and after how many days the documents should be deleted from the ValidSign environment after the document is completed. This functionality only works if steps have been followed to enable automatic downloading.

External authentication methods

This list determines the external authentication/identification methods of the account available to select from the send panel in SharePoint. You can enable multiple signing methods. The sender of the transaction can select only one option for both internal and external signers per transaction. Examples of signing methods include personalCertificateSigning (qualified signing with a USB token or smart card), esvid1 (qualified signing in the cloud), iDIN, DigiD, eHerkenning, and BankID. Note that some options may require additional licenses.

Authentication methods

This list determines the authentication methods available to select from the send panel in SharePoint. It includes SMS and SSO as options. Note that some options may require additional licenses. Note: the SSO option currently does not work for signers who are also part of your ValidSign account as a user.

Show Fields

Transaction name

Determine whether this field should be visible and configurable by the sender.

Send transaction

Determine whether this field should be visible and configurable by the sender.

Signing order

Determine whether this field should be visible and configurable by the sender.

Signature (when using classic text tags)

Determine whether this field should be visible and configurable by the sender.

Internal authentication

Determine whether this field should be visible and configurable by the sender.

External authentication

Determine whether this field should be visible and configurable by the sender.

Internal signers' data can be adjusted

Determine whether this field should be visible and configurable by the sender.

Default values

Transaction name

Set the default value for this field. You can choose from the following options:

  • Empty
    The field remains empty by default and must always be filled in by the sender.
  • File name
    The field is filled with the name of the file you are sending for signing.

Send transaction

Set the default value for this field. You can choose from the following options:

  • Send directly
    This option sends the transaction directly from SharePoint without being redirected to ValidSign to review the transaction. It is necessary to prepare the document using the "text tags". If the text tags are not correctly configured, you will still be redirected to the Designer.
  • Designer
    With this option, you will be redirected to the Designer page in the ValidSign application. Here you can check and adjust the transaction configuration if necessary before sending the document for signing.

Signing order

Set the default value for this field. You can set this field to default on or off.

Signature (when using classic text tags)

Set the default value for this field.

Authentication internal signer(s)

Set the default value for this field.

Authentication external signer(s)

Set the default value for this field.

Use Azure AD for names of internal signer(s)

With this option, it is possible to configure the names of the internal signers by linking other fields from Azure AD, instead of the default first and last name fields. For example, if you want to use titles behind the last name, you can link an Azure AD field that contains your last name + titles.

Prepare library

The SharePoint libraries need to be prepared for using the ValidSign application. This action allows you to hold the transaction ID and transaction status for a document in this library. To prepare the library, perform the following steps (you need to repeat this procedure per site collection):

  1. Log into your SharePoint tenant with administrator rights on the site collection or hubsite where you want to implement the specific setup;
  2. Click on 'Prepare' in the library on the ribbon;
  3. Click on 'Prepare' again;
  4. You have completed the configuration process.

Troubleshooting

In some cases, preparing the library may result in an error message. This can occur when a site collection contains a large number of sites. To manually configure the site with the correct settings, follow this procedure:

  1. Log into your SharePoint tenant with administrator rights on the site collection or hubsite where you want to implement the specific setup;
  2. Go to 'Settings' in the top right corner of the screen;
  3. Select 'Library settings';
  4. Click on 'More library settings';
  5. Scroll down and check the lists of columns to see if the ValidSign columns already exist;
  6. If these columns do not exist yet, click on the 'Create column' button;
  7. Enter 'ValidSignTransactionId' in the column name field;
  8. Click on 'OK' at the bottom of the page;
  9. Click on 'Create column' again;
  10. Enter 'ValidSignStatus' in the column name field;
  11. Click on 'OK' at the bottom of the page;
  12. Then go to 'Indexed columns' from the library settings;
  13. Click on 'Create a new index';
  14. Select 'Transaction ID' in the 'Primary column' field;
  15. Click on 'Create';
  16. Click on 'Create a new index' again;
  17. Select 'ValidSign Status' in the 'Primary column' field;
  18. Click on 'Create';
  19. This process may take a moment, after which you will see the indexed columns appear in the overview.
  20. You have completed the configuration process.

Send documents

To send documents from a library, you need permissions to edit these documents. To send a document for signing, select one or more documents from the list and click on the 'Send' button.

The button does not appear when you select documents with an extension that cannot be used with ValidSign. Allowed extensions include .pdf, .doc, .docx, .txt, .rtf, and .odt. File formats other than .pdf are converted to the .pdf format in the ValidSign application.

If 'Allow use of templates' is enabled, you can use a ValidSign template when creating a transaction. When you choose 'Yes', a list of all templates in your account will appear. The transaction will be created when you click on the 'Send' button. You will be automatically redirected to the ValidSign environment to further prepare and send your transaction.

When you have not chosen to use a template for this transaction, the following screen will appear and you can select all configurations for this transaction.

After you have filled in the fields, click on the 'Send' button. The signers will be notified via email and you will be redirected to the library.

Ensure that you are an active user in ValidSign with the email address with which you are logged into SharePoint. Contact your organisation's ValidSign administrator to add your email address to the list of users if you do not yet have a ValidSign account.

Below you will find a description of all the options on the send page:

Selected documents

The selected documents are displayed with their names, so you know which documents you are going to send.

Use template

You can choose to create a transaction based on an existing ValidSign template. Here you will see the templates you have created or shared with you in ValidSign.

Internal Recipients

  • Authentication
    You can select what type of authentication should be used by the internal signers before they can view and sign the documents in the transaction.
  • Signing method for internal signers
    You can select what type of external authentication/identification should be used by the internal signers.
  • Signature (when using classic text tags)
    By default, a signature is requested when signing a document. When "Click to sign" is used, the signer only needs to click on the signature box. A timestamp and then the username are written in the document.
  • Signers
    Internal signers are known in SharePoint. The users are found using search and can be selected by selecting the search result. The phone number configured within the user in SharePoint will be used for SMS authentication.

External recipients

  • Authentication
    You can select what type of authentication should be used by the external signers before they can view and sign the documents in the transaction.
  • Signing method for external signers
    You can select what type of external authentication/identification should be used by the external signers.
  • Signature (when using classic text tags)
    By default, a signature is requested when signing a document. When "Click to sign" is used, the signer only needs to click on the signature box. A timestamp and then the username are written in the document.
  • Signers
    External signers are not known in SharePoint. The users are added by entering their first name, last name, and email address. You must fill in the phone number if SMS authentication is enabled.

Transaction details

  • Transaction name
    This becomes the name of the transaction that is displayed in SharePoint and in the email.
  • Create transaction
    When the “Send with text tags” option is selected, and the document contains the pre-selected text tags to define the signature positions. If the Designer is selected, the sender of the transaction is sent to ValidSign to manually drag and drop the signature to the correct position.
  • Signing order
    When the signing order is set to "Yes", the document must be signed in the specific order of the signers that have been filled in.
  • Message to all recipients
    You can optionally enter customized text that is sent to all signers, for example, "Please sign this document before Saturday."

Download documents

Automatic downloading of signed documents

Once a document is signed, it is uploaded to SharePoint. It can take up to 10 minutes for a document to appear in the SharePoint library. This only works if the following steps have been completed.

Manual downloading of signed documents

Stand in the library where you want to download the documents. Press the 'Download' button in the menu at the top of the bar. A side panel will open on the right where you can see all the documents that are still open. Click 'Download' at the bottom to initiate downloading the files. All files in the library are checked and downloaded where possible.

Tips & tricks

Adjusting my view to see the ValidSign status

To see the status of your documents, you can add some ValidSign fields to your view.

The following fields are available:

  • ValidSign Status
    Displays the status for the current document, for example, 'Pending' or 'Completed'.
  • ValidSign TransactionId
    The unique ID for the transaction. All documents in the same transaction have the same transaction ID. You can use this to find all documents in the same transaction.
    Select the + button in the view and select show/hide columns.

Select the columns you want to add and select Apply.

Release information

Version 1.0

Initial version.

Version 1.1

Optimisations for the ValidSign app for SharePoint:

  • Senders who are not recipients of a transaction are no longer shown in the transaction overview;
  • Language support of the app has been improved;
  • Addition of the automatic download feature, allowing signed documents to be automatically retrieved to your SharePoint library.

Version 1.2

Fixed an issue where the owner of the transaction was also a signer in the transaction.

Version 1.3
Optimised the app for the latest updates from SharePoint.

Version 1.4

Fixed an issue where the configuration button was not displayed correctly.

Version 1.5

Fixed an issue where a document could not be sent if it was locked by another user. Previously no error message was shown. Users now see a visual notification when a document is locked or checked out by another user.

Version 1.6

Fixed an issue where the app did not work in Microsoft Edge. Also fixed an issue where the DELETE status was not set at the document level when the transaction was deleted from the ValidSign environment.

Version 2.0
Major update of the SharePoint app with the ability to use templates, apply ValidSign text tags, support for SSO and external authentication/identification methods, and several small adjustments within the app.

Version 2.1
Bug fix for the SharePoint app: a document based on a ValidSign template was not returned to SharePoint once a transaction was signed. This issue has now been resolved.

Version 2.1.1
Added troubleshooting for the preparation option.

Version 2.1.2
Fixed an issue where internal signers could not be added to a transaction. Case sensitivity is now ignored when selecting internal signers in the people picker.

Version 2.2
Added an option to send the initials of the signers instead of the first name. This option is available in the configuration. By default, initials are generated from the first name field in SharePoint. It is also possible to configure an Azure AD field in the app to select the correct initials field in Azure AD.

Version 3.0
New release of the SharePoint app to connect to the new ValidSign environment via the my.validsign.eu domain. Added an option to use the acceptance environment of ValidSign, configurable with a toggle in the administrator.

Version 3.1
Added an option in the configuration panel to configure the first name and last name of the internal signers. Administrators can choose which fields from the AD should be used to compose the first and last name.

Version 4.0

The latest update to the SharePoint application introduces a new authentication method for downloading documents and an update to the architecture of the SharePoint app for sending. This makes the app fully compliant with the latest Microsoft standards.

Version 4.1

Version 4.1 includes several improvements to the app. For example, the 'origin-key' has been updated to send the value "sharepoint." Additionally, it is now possible to include an expiration date from the SharePoint app and to include it by default from the app settings. Furthermore, a bug was fixed where the expiration date was not correctly adopted when creating a transaction from a template.

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