Air carrier first officer reported being notified that the flight release had not been signed prior ...

Narrative:

After reaching top of climb; operations notified myself and the captain via ACARS that the flight release was not signed prior to departure. Earlier; during our crew brief; the captain asked if I had reviewed the release. I answered in the affirmative. He said he would print it out via the ipad app due to our covid-19 procedures. This is 'our' usual work-flow due to covid procedures - we each review the release on our ipads individually and then discuss any concerns prior to the captain signing and printing the release from his ipad.technology challenges that are being experienced due to covid-19 procedures. [We] are used to reviewing the release on screen together and captain's sign via a network computer. Using the ipad is not as reliable.we should not be sent a final manifest unless the release has been signed. I'm not sure if the work-flow for the manifest being signed includes steps completed by operations/dispatchers; or if it is automated through the system ramp agents use; but add a 'checklist' step that checks for a signed release would 100% prevent this from happening in the future.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Air carrier First Officer reported being notified that the flight release had not been signed prior to departure. The FO stated that technology challenges as a result of COVID-19 procedures contributed to the event.

Narrative: After reaching top of climb; Operations notified myself and the Captain via ACARS that the flight release was not signed prior to departure. Earlier; during our crew brief; the Captain asked if I had reviewed the release. I answered in the affirmative. He said he would print it out via the iPad app due to our COVID-19 procedures. This is 'our' usual work-flow due to COVID procedures - we each review the release on our iPads individually and then discuss any concerns prior to the Captain signing and printing the release from his iPad.Technology challenges that are being experienced due to COVID-19 procedures. [We] are used to reviewing the release on screen together and Captain's sign via a network computer. Using the iPad is not as reliable.We should not be sent a final manifest unless the release has been signed. I'm not sure if the work-flow for the manifest being signed includes steps completed by operations/dispatchers; or if it is automated through the system ramp agents use; but add a 'checklist' step that checks for a signed release would 100% prevent this from happening in the future.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.

Attributes
ACN	1746439
Time
Date	202006
Local Time Of Day	0001-0600
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZ.ARTCC
State Reference	US
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Function	First Officer
Qualification	Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP) Flight Crew Multiengine
Events
Anomaly	Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy

Air carrier first officer reported being notified that the flight release had not been signed prior to departure. The first officer stated that technology challenges as a result of covid-19 procedures contributed to the event.