Since the digital signature issue below, I’ve been asked by several people how to prepare a PDF document for multiple signatures. It’s simply a matter of indicating which fields a signature “locks.” The PDF tutorial (click here to download) shows how to set up multiple signatures to sign off on a review process. Another example is a document that needs multiple approvals such as an expense report or purchase order. The tutorial contains three signature fields to experiment with and see how signature fields for multiple signatures are set up.

Note also that comments can be made on the PDF after being signed. Acrobat notes that annotations have been added post-signature. See example below:



On a related matter, I’m working with an attorney and have been digitally signing documents that need my signature. She recently sent documents to submit to the court and asked if I would “wet sign” (my terminology, not hers) them. She actually said, “... send them back to me with original (not digital) signatures, pdf-style?  I think the court might prefer real ink, sorry.” She’s a good attorney, but not at the leading edge of technology, as she will readily admit. And, of course, it was still an electronic document that the court would receive, note, “pdf-style.” Grudgingly, I printed out the documents, wet signed them, scanned them to PDF and returned them. Later she sent another document without that request, so I merrily made it into a PDF (it was a Word doc), digitally signed it and returned it noting that my digital signature and “wet signature” look the same. I also sent my digital signature certificate so she could verify it was my signature and explained how to use it. She replied that moving forward my digital signature would be just fine.

Have I won a digital signature convert? In my case, yes, but I suspect only because I’m a technologist and made a point of it.

I also sent her these links just to prove my point on the legality of digital signatures. Digital signatures are also now legal signatures in the EU.

American Bar Association on Digital Signatures
http://www.abanet.org/scitech/ec/isc/dsg-tutorial.html
http://www.abanet.org/scitech/ec/isc/dsgfree.html

Find Law on Digital Signatures (note the Jan. 1999 date)
http://library.findlaw.com/1999/Jan/1/241481.html

Rick Borstein’s excellent Acrobat for Legal Professionals blog on digital signatures
http://blogs.adobe.com/acrolaw/2009/07/signing_pdfs_using_the_topaz_dig.html