How To Digital Sign A Word Document

This article explains digital signatures (also known every bit digital ID), what they tin exist used for, and how yous can utilize digital signatures in the following Microsoft Office programs: Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

In this commodity

What is a digital signature?
Signature lines in Word and Excel
Create a signature line in Word or Excel
Sign the signature line in Word or Excel
Remove digital signatures from Word or Excel
Invisible digital signatures in Word, Excel, or PowerPoint
Add together invisible digital signatures in Word, Excel, or PowerPoint
Remove invisible digital signatures from Word, Excel, or PowerPoint

What is a digital signature?

A digital signature is an electronic, encrypted, stamp of hallmark on digital data such as e-mail letters, macros, or electronic documents. A signature confirms that the data originated from the signer and has non been altered.

Signing document and certificate authority

Signing certificate To create a digital signature, you have to have a signing document, which proves identity. When y'all ship a digitally-signed macro or document, you also send your document and public key. Certificates are issued past a certification authority, and similar a driver's license, tin can be revoked. A certificate is usually valid for a year, afterwards which, the signer must renew, or get a new, a signing document to establish identity.

Document authorisation (CA) A certificate authority is an entity similar to a notary public. It issues digital certificates, signs certificates to verify their validity and tracks which certificates have been revoked or have expired.

What does a digital signature guarantee?

Authenticity The signer is confirmed as the signer.
Integrity The content has not been changed or tampered with since information technology was digitally signed.
Non-repudiation Proves to all parties the origin of the signed content. Repudiation refers to the act of a signer denying any association with the signed content.
Notarization Signatures in Word, Excel, or PowerPoint files, which are time stamped by a secure time-postage stamp server, nether sure circumstances, have the validity of a notarization.

To make these assurances, the content creator must digitally sign the content by using a signature that satisfies the following criteria:

The digital signature is valid.
The document associated with the digital signature is electric current (not expired).
The signing person or organization, known equally the publisher, is trusted.

Important:Signed documents, which accept a valid time postage, are considered to have valid signatures, regardless of the age, or revocation status, of the signing document.
The document associated with the digital signature is issued to the signing publisher past a reputable certificate authority (CA).

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Signature lines in Word and Excel

A signature line resembles a typical signature placeholder that might appear in a printed document. However, it works differently. When a signature line is inserted into an Function file, the writer tin can specify information about the intended signer, and instructions for the signer. When an electronic copy of the file is sent to the intended signer, this person sees the signature line and a notification that their signature is requested. The signer can:

Blazon a signature, or
Select a picture of an inked signature, or
Write a signature past using the inking feature of a touch-screen PC

When the signer adds a visible representation of a signature to the document, a digital signature is added at the aforementioned time to authenticate the signer's identity.

Of import:A digitally-signed certificate becomes read-only to prevent modifications.

Create a signature line in Word or Excel

In the document or worksheet, place your arrow where y'all want to create a signature line.
On the Insert tab, in the Text group, click the Signature Line list, and so click Microsoft Part Signature Line.
In the Signature Setup dialog box, type information that will appear beneath the signature line:
- Suggested signer The signer's full name.
- Suggested signer's title The signer's title, if any.
- Suggested signer'south e-postal service address The signer's email accost, if needed.
- Instructions to the signer Add instructions for the signer, such equally "Before signing the document, verify that the content is correct."
Select one or both of the following bank check boxes:
- Allow the signer to add comments in the Sign dialog box Allow the signer to blazon a purpose for signing.
- Testify sign engagement in signature line The date the document was signed will announced with the signature.

Tip:To add additional signature lines, echo these steps.

Notation:If the document remains unsigned, the Signatures Bulletin Bar appears. Click View Signatures to complete the signature procedure.

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Sign the signature line in Give-and-take or Excel

When you sign a signature line, you add a visible representation of your signature and a digital signature.

In the file, right-click the signature line.

Note:If the file opens in Protected View, click Edit Anyway, if the file is from a reliable source.
From the menu, select Sign.
- To add a printed version of your signature, blazon your name in the box next to the 10.
- To select an prototype of your written signature, click Select Epitome. In the Select Signature Image dialog box, discover the location of your signature prototype file, select the file that you want, and then click Select.
  Notes:
  - For customers using Chinese- (Traditional or Simplified), Korean-, or Japanese-linguistic communication versions, the Stamp Signature Line option appears.
  - In addition, you tin sign a signature line by double-clicking the signature line. Type your proper name next to the X. Or, in the Signature Pane, in the Requested Signatures section, click the arrow adjacent to the signature. From the menu, select Sign.
- To add together a handwritten signature (Tablet PC users just), sign your name in the box adjacent to the X by using the inking characteristic.
- Click Sign.
- The Signatures button appears at the bottom of the document or worksheet.

The following image shows the Signatures button.

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Remove digital signatures from Discussion or Excel

Open the document or worksheet that contains the visible signature you want to remove.
Correct-click the signature line.
Click Remove Signature.
Click Yeah.

Notation:In addition, you can remove a signature past clicking the pointer next to the signature in the Signature Pane. Click Remove Signature.

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Invisible digital signatures in Word, Excel, or PowerPoint

An invisible digital signature, such every bit a visible digital signature line, assures the authenticity, integrity, and origin of a certificate. You lot tin can add invisible digital signatures to Discussion documents, Excel workbooks, and PowerPoint presentations.

Signed documents will have the Signatures button at the bottom of the certificate. In addition, for signed documents, signature data appears in the Info department that you run into later you click the File tab.

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Add together invisible digital signatures in Word, Excel, or PowerPoint

To protect the authenticity of a certificate's content, you tin can add an invisible digital signature. Signed documents have the Signatures button at the bottom of the certificate.

Click the File tab.
Click Info.
Click Protect Document, Protect Workbook or Protect Presentation.
Click Add a Digital Signature.
Read the Discussion, Excel, or PowerPoint message, and then click OK.
In the Sign dialog box, in the Purpose for signing this document box, type the purpose.
Click Sign.

Later a file is digitally signed, the Signatures button appears, and the file becomes read-only to forestall modifications.

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Remove invisible digital signatures from Word, Excel, or PowerPoint

Open the document, worksheet, or presentation that contains the invisible signature you desire to remove.
Click the File tab.
Click Info.
Click View Signatures.
The document, worksheet, or presentation view returns, and the Signatures pane appears.
Adjacent to the signature proper noun, click the pointer.
Click Remove Signature.
Click Yes.

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