Append Signed Document After Signing

[Help531]

I have been looking for an answer to this in the Sign forum for weeks now with no replies from Adobe.  Posting here as this seems to be much more active.

Hello, hoping someone knows the answer to this.  I know that the purpose of signing documents is to secure them.  We are using Adobe Sign, but often, after a document is signed, a corresponding dept (say, HR) needs to catalog the document for future audit/searches/filing. 

They normally have fields that they fill in after the file is signed, which they can quickly look at in the future.  In the past, using digital signature fields in the forms, we could specify certain fields to leave open after signing but with Sign, it seems to ignore all that and just locks everything, regardless of form field settings.  Is there any way around this?

We tried to see if there was a way to specify to NOT lock fields when signing but could not find one while using Adobe Sign.

[Amal.]

Hi there,

Hope you are doing well and sorry for the trouble. As described you want to append the document after it is signed.

If a PDF is signed using a digital ID or certificate, it’s locked to prevent changes to the document. Occasionally, you or the signer may choose to lock the document after signing. In this case, the document becomes read-only and no further changes are allowed; even a signature can’t be added in the document. The Lock document after signing option is useful if you’re the last signer or the only one signer. 

If you received a PDF digitally signed by others, you can sign it, but can’t edit it.

While signing a PDF, if the signer chooses to lock the document after signing, the document becomes read-only for everyone, including the signer.

For more information please check the help page https://helpx.adobe.com/in/acrobat/kb/edit-signed-PDF.html

Hope this information will help

Regards

Amal

[Help531]

Hi, thank you very much.  So I tried the security envelope but that was shot down.  So I am now looking to do it as an attachment.  So, the fields that they want to fill out would be in the attachment, not the main form.  However, whenever we send via Sign, the attachments do not come through.  Does Sign not allow for attachments? 

Thank you!

[margueritek]

The final document you get from AdobeSign cannot be modified. You need to make a "cover" PDF and include the signed file as an attachment. The cover PDF can have any fields you like. Take a look at the "Security Envelope" option in Acrobat.

[Help531]

Hi, thank you very much.  So I tried the security envelope but that was shot down.  So I am now looking to do it as an attachment.  So, the fields that they want to fill out would be in the attachment, not the main form.  However, whenever we send via Sign, the attachments do not come through.  Does Sign not allow for attachments? 

Is there another way to do the 'cover' item you mentioned?

Thank you!

[B.A.S.I.C.S., LLC]

@Help531   I am not sure if this would be the better solution, but if the other solution as are not preferred,what about cross referencing the 2nd form as as a link?

[Help531]

Hi, so there is just a box in the corner where the depts place specific items just for filing, for future audit purposes, etc.  Not a full form, just maybe 5 or 6 lines.  The problem is that once someone signs, they can no longer change anything.  So I thought maybe adding a second attachment just with those fields would handle the issue.  The files are stored all over, on separate servers, different depts, etc.  For the audits, the forms must be together. 

So is the answer that Sign does not send with attachments in a file?  Does it just remove the attachments?  Honestly, much of what we are finding with Sign seems short-sighted by Adobe.  Businesses need to be able to append signed docs with things like 'contract amount, amount paid, employee number, account number,' and so on.  If they will not allow for that in Sign by allowing for options for fields like they do if using regular signature fields, then they should allow for another option.  We found the same thing with how it cannot send secure documents.  It is Adobe's own security, but they made it so that secured docs do not work with their other product, Sign. 

We are hoping that they did not do the same sort of thing now with Sign and being able to send documents with attachments.  Can someone from Adobe please reply to confirm so we know if we need to move on from Sign? 

Thanks!

[margueritek]

AdobeSign does not preserve attachments. What I suggested earlier is to create a cover document (think of a file folder) that contains the signed document as an attachment. The cover document could have the additional fields that need to be filled in for filing and audit. The cover document does not need to be signed or encrypted, though it could be if you like.

[Help531]

Thank you for that answer...I am a bit over my head with creating cover sheets...is that just the security envelope option? 

[margueritek]

The cover sheet can be any PDF you choose or create. Security envelope is a built-in PDF that looks like an envelope.

[Help531]

Thank you, I did try the security envelope but people found it confusing when they opened the PDFs remotely.  How do you do a cover sheet...I mean, I know how to create a PDF, but how does it become a part of the file I need signed if not an attachment?  I tried to just add a page to the file, but when it was signed, it locked up all pages in the PDF.

[margueritek]

It's the other way around. The cover document contains (as a file attachment) the document to be signed. The user opens the attached file, fills in the form, and signs it. The signed file replaces the attachment (by default), so that saving the cover file, with the attached signed file, is the file you get back. Accounting fields are in the cover document (not the signed file) so you can fill those out when you get the package back. Think of the cover file as similar to a FAX cover page and routing slip.

[Help531]

Okay, so then we are back to attachments, right?  But Sign does not keep attachments, so when someone uses Adobe Sign, the attachments do not come through, so this would not work, correct?  I tested a few ways, attaching files and saving them, then trying to both send for signature with and without signing first and every time, Sign only sent the main document, no attachments.  Is there something I am missing?  Thank you!!

[margueritek]

If you are using AdobeSign, you take the signed document and add it as a file attachment to a cover page you create. Then file the cover page.

[Help531]

Okay, so you are saying after the fact to add it as an attachment, once all is said and done in Sign?  Do I have that correct?  Thanks!