If you’ve ever worked with Application Designer or Security Groups applications in Maximo, you’ve likely come across the term Signature Options while granting security privileges to users. However, signature options are not just for defining security permissions in applications – in fact, there are multiple different ways Signature Options can be used within Maximo configurations. Below are a few examples:
Conditional UI
Signature Options are created in Application Designer under the Add/Modify Signature Options dialog. They can be associated to fields, tabs, sections, tables or buttons to apply conditional behavior to these controls. For example, a signature option can be associated to the Failure Class field on a Workorder, to make the Failure Class mandatory if the Work Type of the work order is CM (Corrective Maintenance). Conditional UI can be applied to make fields read-only, required, hidden, or formatted based on specified conditions. This is done using the “Configure Conditional Properties” dialog associated to the field being modified.
Figure 1 – Conditional UI
Figure 2 – Configure Conditional Properties
Custom Dialogs
Signature Options can be used to configure new dialogs, by using the signature option name as the ID of the custom dialog in an application’s XML. This signature option can then also be used to create Select Action Menu options or Toolbar buttons to trigger this new dialog as described further below.
Figure 3 – Application XML
Figure 4 – Add/Modify Signature Options
Select Action Menu Options and Toolbar Menu Buttons
Using the Element Type as OPTION, Signature Options can be added as Key Values to the Select Actions Menu or the Toolbar Menu. This lets Maximo administrators set up custom dialogs to be triggered via a Select Action menu option or a Toolbar button.
Figure 5 – Add/Modify Select Action Menu
Figure 6 – Custom Maximo Dialog
Automation Script Triggers
Signature Options can also be used to trigger automation scripts that have a launch point of type Action. This is done by setting up the Signature option to invoke a Maximo Action under the Advanced Signature Options section. The name of the signature option must be same as the name of the Action for Maximo invoke the action and run the automation script associated to it.
Figure 7 – Advanced Signature Options
Security Group Permissions
Lastly, one of the most common ways uses of Signature Options is in the Security Groups applications for granting permissions related to Maximo applications. By selecting the “Grant Access?” checkbox in the list of permissions, all users that are part of a security group can be granted access to a security privilege associated to a signature option.
Tip: If you don’t see a signature option listed for an application in Security Groups, ensure that the “Visible?” checkbox is selected for that signature option under the Add/Modify Signature Options dialog in Application Designer.
Figure 8 – Security Group Permissions
As you can see, Signature Options are an essential tool when it comes to configuring