Adobe Signature

HOW TO CREATE A DIGITAL SIGNATURE AND USE IT TO SIGN IN 

ADOBE ACROBAT PRO DC

PART ONE

• Requirements to be able to digitally sign a PDF document:
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• Be in possession of a valid Named User License issued by Adobe. If not, email adobe@ukzn.ac.za using your valid UKZN staff email account to request a Named User License.
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• Have the Adobe Acrobat Pro DC software installed on your computer.
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• Have a JPEG format picture of your handwritten signature saved on your computer. This picture may be cropped the same way as the example used below using the MS Paint software located on your computer.
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• Launch the Adobe Acrobat Pro DC program.
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• CLICK on the EDIT menu and choose the PREFERENCES menu option
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• Scroll down and Choose the option SIGNATURES from the list on the left and then CLICK on the MORE button under the third option IDENTITIES AND TRUSTED CERTIFICATES on the right pane.
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• CLICK on the icon shown below to create a DIGITAL ID
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• On the next screen choose the radio button as shown below to create a new Digital ID and then choose NEXT to continue.
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• Choose NEXT on the following screen to continue.
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• Please fill in the necessary details for all the fields listed and note to change the Country/Region to ZA - SOUTH AFRICA. Leave all entries as they are set below the Country/Region field. Once complete, choose NEXT
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• On this screen you will need to choose the BROWSE button to set a location of where your new Digital ID would be saved for future use. You will also need to set a PASSWORD. The password is needed as it stops other individuals from using your digital ID in case it gets into the wrong hands. CLICK on FINISH once you have made a note of the save location and the set password.
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• OPEN a PDF document that you wish to Digitally sign (An example was used below)
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• You may notice that your PDF document is NOT in the correct format to Digitally sign and will need to be reformatted within Adobe. You will need to CLICK on the TOOLS menu tab at the top left of the screen and scroll down to the section under FORMS & SIGNATURES.
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• CLICK on the icon PREPARE FORM and NOT the ADD button.
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• Note: If your document already contains blue boxes which allow you to enter data in those blue boxes then your document DOES NOT need to be prepared by Adobe – you may skip ahead to STEP 15.
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• Once clicked, this will open the PREPARE FORM feature where you will need to CLICK on START to convert the PDF document into a format that you can digitally sign. Leave all other default settings as they are set.
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• Your document will now be shown in an editable format where you can make further changes/deletions and PREVIEW the document. Once you are happy with the format you can save the document.
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• Note: you must change the name of the file if you want to keep the original format before preparation. CLICK on CLOSE on the Prepare Form toolbar once complete.
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• After form preparation you will see that you will be able to enter data on all or most fields in your document (Blue boxes). The Signature blue boxes will have a red tab which says ”Sign Here”.
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• Once you have filled out the necessary information on the rest of the document and are ready to digitally sign, CLICK on the blue Signature box and this will open a window and prompt you to use your Digital Signature that you have created above. CLICK the radio button to choose your Digital ID and then CLICK on CONTINUE.
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• The following screen will allow you to customize your Digital Signature. CLICK on the CREATE button to create a profile of your handwritten signature.
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• CLICK on IMAGE at the top of the window and then CLICK on the BROWSE link to search for the JPEG image file of your handwritten signature saved on your computer. Also set a PRESET NAME.
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• Once you have browsed to where your JPEG image file of your handwritten signature is located, you will need to change the file format to view all JPEG files in the target folder. As default it is set to only show Acrobat PDF Files (*.PDF). You will need to OPEN the dropdown menu list at the bottom right corner of the window and choose JPEG (*.jpg *.jpeg *.jpe) from the list.
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• Note: Use MS Paint to crop image to the correct size needed for use before importing it into your Digital ID.
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• Once the file format has been changed you will be able to see JPEG image files listed in the target folder. CLICK once to choose your Signature image file and then CLICK on OPEN.
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• Your Signature image will now be imported into your Digital ID. Remember to Fill in a “Preset Name” for this customized signature. You will be able to tick and untick the various items under the “Include text” options. All enabled ticks are on by default. CLICK on SAVE once you are happy with your signature appearance.
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• You will now have the option of Digitally signing either in “Standard Text” (As shown in screenshot at STEP 16 Above) or with hand written signature chosen from the dropdown list as shown as “Rajiv – Sample” created in screenshots above and listed below. You will need to enter in the password that you created at the beginning. CLICK on the SIGN button to Digitally sign the PDF Document once you have chosen the desired Digital ID appearance.
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• A “Save As PDF” window will pop up to immediately prompt you to save the file after clicking on SIGN.
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• Rule of thumb is never overwrite your original file. Rather rename the file with a “- signed” to indicate its status, as shown below so that you may reuse the original file in the future.
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• The signature box that you clicked on now has your digital signature. You can verify that your file has been correctly digitally signed by closing and reopening your Digitally signed PDF document.
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• You will see a blue bar at the top of the document to indicate that the file has been digitally signed and contains a valid Digital ID Signature.
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• When you prepared your form (STEP 10 above), Adobe recognized in your document the amount of digital signature placeholders and digital signatures required to complete your document. If your document requires more than one digital signature, as is the case of the sample PDF document used. The first person would digitally sign as shown above and save a copy.
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• That signed copy will then be sent to the next person who will put the last and final Digital Signature on the document. As Adobe knows that this is the final Digital Signature to be completed on the document it provides an additional option when digitally signing to “Lock document after signing”. This option prevents any tampering with the document after all parties have digitally signed.
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• Once all parties have digitally signed and the document is successfully saved you will see the blue bar at the top of the document (you may need to close and reopen the document) stating that the document is digitally signed and all signatures are valid. You can CLICK on the SIGNATURE PANEL to see all signatories and their details.
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• THE END……of PART ONE.....…
  

• PART TWO
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• If you have already created a Digital ID signature on your computer and saved it in the cloud, USB stick or in your email and would like to use it on another computer then start following this document STEP 10 above.
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• When clicking the blue signature box in a document that requires a Digital ID signature on a new computer, you will be prompted with a message to CLICK the “Configure Digital ID” button.
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• Since you have not used your signature on this new computer before, the system will provide three options. Choose option two “Use a Digital ID from a file”.
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• The next screen will ask you to BROWSE to the location where your Digital ID is saved. Once located you will need to enter in your corresponding password that you set when creating your Digital ID. CLICK on CONTINUE.
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• A confirmation window will be shown to inform you that your Digital ID will be added to the list of signatures that can be used to digitally sign a PDF document on this computer.
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• Continue from STEP 14 above to complete digitally signing your document…..THE END