You can select a Signing Context in the Signature section of the Resource Info Panel for the Signature Block display. This allows a single Resource link (the same Resource linked in multiple collections) to be signed in two different contexts, such as in two different Notebooks.
For a link to be created in a Notebook, the Workgroup must be the same in both collections. However, the two collections may have different signature workflows. Because cosigners can hold multiple signing roles based on the Signature Group they belong to, they may be able to sign the same resource in two different contexts (different collections) using different signature roles.
Resource Management Scenarios
When moving resources from a File Cabinet into a Notebook, the method you choose to “paste” the resource will determine how it behaves regarding edits and signing contexts.
1. Paste as Link
Use this method when you want the Notebook to reflect the current state of the source file in the File Cabinet.
- Behavior: Once you sign the notebook link, the source file in the File Cabinet can no longer be edited.
- Note of Caution: Because the notebook link is directly tied to the File Cabinet link, any edits made to the File Cabinet source will automatically update the link in the Notebook. If you copy the same resource into multiple notebooks, an edit to the source file will reflect across all those notebooks simultaneously.
2. Paste as Version
Use this method to create an independent copy of the resource for a specific project while maintaining a connection to the original source.
- Behavior: The source file in the File Cabinet remains editable under a new version branch.
- Independence: Edits made to the version in the File Cabinet will not affect the version in the Notebook. This is the recommended method for keeping source/template resources separate from active notebook work.
3. Pre-Signed Resources
If you sign a resource in the File Cabinet before copying and pasting it as a link into a Notebook:
- Behavior: The linked copy in the Notebook will not appear as “signed” within the Notebook context until the contributor initiates the signing process specifically within the Notebook.
Best Practices for Laboratory Workflows
To ensure data integrity and clear audit trails, we recommend the following:
- Use “Paste as Version” when you need to mentally and technically separate a source/template resource from an active notebook. This allows you to follow the edit trail back to the source via the Resource Info panel while ensuring that changes to the template do not unexpectedly alter your active data.
- Use “Paste as Link” only when real-time synchronization between the File Cabinet and the Notebook is required.
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