Is there a way to use the fill&sign signature without locking a PDF fillable?

[Guest]

I created a PDF fillable with two signature blocks. When one is signed only one block is locked when the second signature block is signed all of the other blocks lock. When users use the fill & sign feture on Pro DC it locks all of the fields. Can I change what happens to the form when signed using the fill & sign signature?

[Bernd Alheit · Accepted solution]

Not possible.

[Bernd Alheit]

Use the password security and allow form filling.

[Guest]

Thanks for the reply, that works for the signature block that is a field on the form. But, not for the sign feature on the fill&sign tool. After I use the sign feature on the fill & sign tool the fillable fields are locked. Is there a way to use the sign feature and not lock the form?

[Bernd Alheit · Accepted solution]

Not possible.

[KarlAGree]

Hi Bernd,

Can you explain to me how this works and gets around the issue? First signer signs the form. 2nd signer can still edit fillable form and sign. And so on for the 3rd and 4th etc?

[CHAZ28007882g0zr]

Allowing a change to the document after a person has signed defeats the point. The first person signing the form is doing so based on the current information shown. An example: lets say you have a contract price set at $1.00. The first signer agrees to this price and signs the contract. Great! Now lets say the next signer can change that price to $10,000, the first signer agreed to $1.00 but now it looks as though signer 1 agreed to $10,000. Thats why the form fields and editing are

locked.

[SOLAS28729642sr1d]

I understand the logic but unfortunately in the real world documents need multiple sign offs, signatures. For example I ask my manager for special leave. My manager has to sign the leave and then the director then has to sign it. If when the manager signs and the form is locked so that the next person cannot sign it...that's an issue. Same with if there is a situation where multiple of departments need to fill a part of a form, sign it and then pass it on for another department to complete their section and sign. This is real world paper based business processes that we should be able to do via digital forms and signatures. 

[Bernd Alheit]

Don't use Fill & Sign. Use a form with several signature fields.

[Maria38159814uefi]

I send out documents that require two signatures all the time.  I send it for the first signature before adding my signature so that I'm sure to get the signed document back. Whenever a vendor uses adobe sign or docusign, this is what happens. What I do is  print the signed document to PDF and then sign (using fill and sign) the needed signature on that document. If they've really turned on the security, I physically print it and then scan it back in and then sign the scan.

As you might imagine, it gets really annoying, which is why I'm here looking for how to override this "security" feature that is pretty easily gotten around. All I want to do is make a document that cannot be locked from adding signatures. This shouldn't be hard.

[S. S · Accepted solution]

Hi @Maria38159814uefi,

Hope you are doing well. Thanks for writing in! 

That is expected behavior. When a user signs a document, the document is locked or changes to a read-only file to keep the integrity of the digital signature. In case you print the document to a file, Acrobat will not be able to authenticate the signature.

In such scenarios, what is advisable is to use the Request Signature feature, and your signature block as the last signer. 

This will help you get the document only after all the other signers have done their part.

More steps here: Set up recipient signing order (https://adobe.ly/3zz3ggQ)

Hope this helps.

-Souvik