How to combining pdfs with digital signature

[mauricew64055921]

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

If not, why not?

[Test Screen Name]

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.

[Jo248584221yx4]

And how do you send that portfolio to someone?

[try67]

Just like any other PDF file.

[try67 · Accepted solution]

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]

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]

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.

[try67]

Or, if you don't want the people to be in direct contact with each other, send to person 1, who sends it back to you, you send it to person 2, etc.

[John38097327ipc0]

I have worked with numorous  architecture firms and the county/ city often has unresonable demands to move forward in the permitting process such as "please combine all NOA's in a single document for review" this can lead to months of aguments with the county/ city because they are never wrong and NOA's have to signed and sealed. 

Not adding documents to cheat a party, simply trying to fufill a goverment request required by a person that writes a laws without consulting adobe 1st. 

If there were differant kind of signitures that would be helpful but also likly not understood or used correctly. Point being there are goverment requirments to combined signed and sealed documents. 

[John38097327ipc0]

This is coninually an issue that costs all users and parties time and money, if adobe is dead set on having fixed, uneditble signiture than Adobe should spend the money to lobby to congress and local goverment accencies to help them understand that signed pdf can not be combined. 

[try67]

There is a way to combine signed documents to a single file: Use a Portfolio.

[John38097327ipc0]

Thanks, some times you have to throw a tantrum and get embaressed to hear what some one is trying to tell you, glad it is free as well! 
https://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/using/create-customize-pdf-portfolios.html#:~:text=Open%20Acrobat%20....

[John38097327ipc0]

Good afternoon try67 the city rejected the portfolio submission so I will refer back to my original statement, you have to be able to combine sign and sealed pdf's to fulfill goverment requirments for building permits. This happenes on almost every job and waists a lot of time and resources to navagate. Adobe needs to spend thier time money to inform local goverments, at least across Florida, that Adobe does not allow combining of S&S pdf's.

Luckly there are third party sites that combine S&S-ed pdf's regaurdless of signiture requirments and that how I will resolve this issue for now. 

[Robert38679965ol48]

I'm having the same issue....

Honestly, after working in the Engineering field for 30+ years, many of them working on the protocol for moving CADD plans from hard copy to all digital, I've come to the conclusion that it's just not worth the trouble.

[FrixkyKitty]

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.
   

   

[Test Screen Name]

EdZooks, thanks, but that is nonsense. Printing cannot preserve digital signatures, only pictures of signatures, which are useless and not legally valid.

[FrixkyKitty]

"Test Screen Name's" comment deserves some consideration.  My suggested approach converts the digitally signed document to a standard pdf.  The result displays the signature information but the underlying digital signature is lost.  In my case the original signers understand the distinction. 

Creating a summary file is my goal.  I combine a variety of digitally signed, along with other related, documentation into a single summary pdf.  The original, digitally signed documents, are stored for future reference.  I am increasingly convinced that it is not possible to combine digitally signed documents into a single, summary pdf, while maintaining the underlying digital signatures.  

Users needing summary packets will benefit from my suggested approach.  However as "Test Screen Name" suggests, my approach remains "legally valid" to the extent that the original digitally signed documents are available on demand.

[Min5E15]

EdZooks, thanks for the tip. I'm in exactly the same situation. I don't actually need the combined document to be "legally valid" but I do need a one file "packet" of various documents, some which are signed and some which are not. The portfolio method works in some cases but many users just see a screen that tells them to upgrade to Acrobat X or Acrobat Reader X.

[debra_1866]

Concur that this does not result in a document with "legal" digital signatures (such as needed for permitting purposes or other), but it does result in a set (all pages in one file) that can be printed without the digital signature disappearing. The portfolio method retains the signature, but still with each page in a separate file. FrixkyKitty's method worked for my purposes.

[SAMiAMiSay]

This method does not work.  Acrobat refuses to print as you highlight above to Microsoft Print to PDF or I also have a Adobe Acrobat printer option.  Both come back with a log fail saying the files are protected and can't be printed to pdf.

[try67]

Good. It shouldn't allow you to do that.

[Laurie234026205i7d]

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

[Andy258952551x7a]

Thanks EdZooks. This method works perfectly for me!

[Shanna26604069k69v]

Thank you so much. Worked perfect for me as well.

[Christie23424173jm9x]

Hi EdZooks,

I came here looking for an actual work around and came across your comment.   This is what I've been doing but wanted to see if there was a proper way to go about this.  Good to know that there isn't.

Thanks !