The purpose of this document is to help you set up a digital signature. The digital signature/certificate created by this process can be used to seal a document, proving it has not been altered after signing.
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| This certificate is 'self-signed,' meaning it does not rely on an external authority to validate the identity of the author. If you require a certificate that validates the author's identity for legal non-repudiation, please open a support ticket with IT. |
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This gives you a drop-down menu in order to add how you want to use this digital ID.
Preparing to use this Signature in Word or Excel
If you created your signature in the Windows Certificate Store (Step 6 above), then you may also use it for signing documents in Word and Excel right away. If you created a PCKS#12 file, then you must import it to your Windows Certificate Store first.
- Browse to the folder where you saved the .pfx file and double click it.
- Make sure Current User is select and click Next.
- If this is the correct file, click Next again.
- Enter the password and check the bottom two boxes. Do NOT check the "Enable strong private key"
- Select "Place all certificates in the following store" and click Browse. Select Personal, then click Okay and Next.
- Click Finish and Okay.
Add invisible digital signatures in Word, Excel, or PowerPoint
To protect the authenticity of a document's content, you can add an invisible digital signature. Signed documents have the Signatures button at the bottom of the document.
Click the File tab.
Click Info.
Click Protect Document, Protect Workbook or Protect Presentation.
Click Add a Digital Signature.
Fill out the Commitment and Purpose lines as desired.
Click Details to provide additional information about yourself as the signer.
Info title VERY IMPORTANT Check the Signing as very closely. Your PC may have multiple certificate available, particularly if you are an OPERA user, and Windows may default to choosing the incorrect certificate.
If the Signing as box has the incorrect certificate, click Change.
- Click More Choices, select the correct certificate, then click OK.
Click Sign.
After a file is digitally signed, the Signatures button appears, and the file becomes read-only to prevent modifications. If you or another user need to edit the document, you may click Edit Anyway, but the signature will be removed. When your edits are complete, you may re-add the signature by repeating the previous steps.