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K
kAny*
Participant
November 18, 2020
Question

PDF/A format with digital signature

  • November 18, 2020
  • 2 replies
  • 377 views

Hello, I have a question. When I save a document in PDF/A format, eg using MS Excel and then digitally sign this signature using Adobe Acrobat Reader, the PDF/A format disappears. The document is then only a PDF.

 

My question is whether it is possible to keep the PDF/A format of the document even after the electronic signing of the document. If so, how do I do it?
Thank you.

This topic has been closed for replies.

2 replies

T
Test Screen Name
Legend
November 18, 2020

It's not forbidden; digital signatures are a permitted part of PDF/A. You may be seeing a limitation of Acrobat Reader, which does not have full signing features. Maybe Acrobat can do it, don't know. How do you sign digitally today?

try67
Community Expert
try67Community Expert
Community Expert
November 18, 2020

No, because the "A" in PDF/A stands for "Archive", which means you can't change the file once saved ("archived") in this format.

A digital signature does the same, really, so the two are not compatible with each other. You need to choose one or the other.

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