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james_cali
Participant
May 1, 2026
Question

How to we create an e-sign without a certificate

  • May 1, 2026
  • 1 reply
  • 11 views

Hi everyone,

We’re trying to determine the best way to handle a recurring multi‑signer PDF workflow without permanently locking the document.

Scenario:

  • We send a PDF to multiple signers.
  • At the end of the signing process, the PDF becomes locked due to a digital certificate.
  • The same PDF needs to be used again at the end of each month for a callback process and must be signed again.
  • Once a digital certificate is applied, the document cannot be modified unless it is printed/recreated, which breaks the workflow.

Additional issue:

  • After monthly reports are called back, we combine all signed PDFs into a single PDF for compliance submission.
  • When combining PDFs that contain certificates, the signatures are stripped from the final combined document upon saving.

Question: Is there a way to:

  • Send a PDF to multiple signers without applying a document‑locking certificate, or
  • Configure Adobe Sign/Acrobat so the document remains reusable and signatures are preserved when combining PDFs?

Any guidance, best practices, or recommended workflows would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

    1 reply

    Meenakshi0101
    Community Manager
    Community Manager
    May 1, 2026

    Hi james_cali,


    Thank you for reaching out.


    In Acrobat Sign, it is not possible to obtain a signature on a document without locking it first. This is designed to ensure the security of the document. However, you can combine multiple documents using the Portfolio feature in Acrobat. For more information about this feature, please refer to the document: Overview of PDF Portfolios.


    We also recommend reviewing the Workflow feature in Acrobat Sign, which might assist with your desired workflow. More details can be found in the document: Overview and configuration for custom sending workflows. Please note that this feature may not be available with your current plan.


    If you have any questions, feel free to let us know.


    Thanks,

    Meenakshi