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mauricew64055921
New Participant
March 21, 2018
Answered

How to combining pdfs with digital signature

  • March 21, 2018
  • 4 replies
  • 211302 views

Is there a way to combine pdfs without losing digital signatures?

If not, why not?

    Correct answer try67

    Digital Signature, unlike "wet" signatures, apply to the entire document as a whole, not just to the page where the signature is located.

    If someone could add new pages to a document you signed and it would appear you agreed to those pages without having seen them before you won't be too happy, would you?

    4 replies

    C
    Cassidy5EF1
    New Participant
    May 9, 2021

    Correct Answer: Unable to not lose them

     

    Work Around:

     

    Ex: File 1 has dig sig (or more) - File 2 dose not
    You sign the dig sig. - Print this to PDF - Use combine feature - Presto Done
    Reason: Print to PDF removes the Dig Sig but leaves the Sig.

    Pro Tip: Need another dig sig after you have combined files. Use Fill & Sign and add Place Signature. This is will allow you to create a size of the dig size box and then require to immediately save the combined file PDF. Now hover over your sig, right click and choose Clear Sig. Hit save. Presto you have not added a dig sig for the next person in the sig collection line. I am using Adobe Acrobar XI Version 11.0.09

      M
      Mark-in-Va
      Inspiring
      April 7, 2022

      As more organizations use electronic records for things like meeting minutes, where they want to create a set of signed minutes for each meeting, and then combine the files into a single file for a specific year, as the archive,  it would seem Adobe Acrobat would grow to allow each signed PDF to be combined, but have the signatures tied to each file remain. So one could look at a signatures tree for the packaged file and see that each individual file still  has its signature integrity. This equates to where one can put signed paper minutes pages into a locking record notebook, on numbered pages, and have each individual meeting (file) still be its own.

        try67
        try67
        Community Expert
        April 7, 2022

        A Portfolio allows you to do just that.

          FrixkyKitty
          FrixkyKitty
          Participating Frequently
          January 15, 2021
          1. Open the signed pdf in Adobe.
          2. Open print dialogue (Ctrl+p)
          3. Change the printer to "Microsoft Print to PDF" then print.
          4. The newly created PDF will have the signatures and will behave as a normal pdf for combine/merge activities.

             

            L
            Laurie234026205i7d
            New Participant
            March 2, 2022

            Thank you - it is rare to get such a simple answer upfront that works.  

             

             

            A
            Andy258952551x7a
            New Participant
            August 31, 2022

            Thanks EdZooks. This method works perfectly for me!

              try67
              try67Correct answer
              Community Expert
              March 21, 2018

              Digital Signature, unlike "wet" signatures, apply to the entire document as a whole, not just to the page where the signature is located.

              If someone could add new pages to a document you signed and it would appear you agreed to those pages without having seen them before you won't be too happy, would you?

                B-riana
                B-riana
                New Participant
                October 29, 2019

                What if you're trying to combine signatures?  I was able to use Acrobat DC distribute to send a document out to 4 people for signature, but the output is 4 duplicate documents with 4 different signatures when what I want is one document with all 4 signatures.

                try67
                try67
                Community Expert
                October 30, 2019

                I believe Adobe Sign offers that functionality. If not, you can do it in serial instead of parallel, ie, send to person 1, who sends their signed copy to person 2, etc.

                T
                Test Screen Name
                Brainiac
                March 21, 2018

                Yes, by making a portfolio. It is of course impossible to add pages to a signed document, because think what that could do to a signed contract. So they cannot be combined to a normal PDF, only a portfolio, which keeps them separate.

                  J
                  Jo248584221yx4
                  New Participant
                  August 2, 2024

                  And how do you send that portfolio to someone?

                   

                  try67
                  try67
                  Community Expert
                  August 2, 2024

                  Just like any other PDF file.

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