Form Security & Digital Signatures

[Guest]

I have a couple of different Word forms that are protected so that they can
only be filled out. Is there any way to keep this setting and also be able
to digital signatures? I haven't been able to get both...sure would be nice
not to have to print!

 

[Graham Mayor]

What sort of digital signatures did you have in mind?

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Graham Mayor - Word MVP

My web site www.gmayor.com

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[Guest]

We are using PKI for our digital signatures. I can digitally sign a document
and I can protect a document, but I can't seem to do both at the same time.

 

[Graham Mayor]

I have not used this facility, but my feeling is that you will have to
temporarily unlock the form in vba, apply the signature then relock it
again. the code to lock and unlock the form will be similar to that at
http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/MacrosVBA/SpellcheckProtectDoc.htm

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Graham Mayor - Word MVP

My web site www.gmayor.com

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[Jay Freedman]

First protect the document for forms and save it. Then go to Tools > Options

Security, click the Digital Signatures button, and apply the PKI

certificate.

If you later open the document and enter anything in the form, and then
click Save, you'll see a message that the digital signature will be removed
if you continue. That's because the document content no longer matches the
hash used for the original signature. If you want the form to still be
signed, you'll have to sign it again after saving.

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Regards,
Jay Freedman
Microsoft Word MVP
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[Guest]

Thanks. That's what I was afraid of. We don't have that option. The form
needs to remain secure when we send it out. We wanted to take advantage of
digital signatures as a way to ensure who validated the form so we didn't
have to maintain hard copies.

 

[Guest]

Jay, Thanks! That's the problem. I kept trying to save the file after
signing it...now it works. I really appreciate your help. We are leveraging
technology whereever possible to cut down on our papertrail processes.

Now we're one step closer.

Julie

 

[Graham Mayor]

It will be secure if it is locked again?

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Graham Mayor - Word MVP

My web site www.gmayor.com

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[Matt Rasmussen]

We are also trying to use digital signatures with Word 2007 documents that
are protected. Users can't just double click the signature line to sign the
form unless the file is unprotected. Jay came up with a solution in an older
version of Word but the menu path doesn't match what's in Word 2007. There
is nothing for "Security" in the Word Options dialog now. Any advice?

 

[wgmeisheid]

The way to have both a protected form and a digital signature is to add a section break after the form elements and add the digital signature to the second section.

When you select the Protect Document option from the Developers ribbon, a Restrict Formatting and Editing window appears.

In the Editing Restrictions section, select Filling in Forms. A Select Section link appears. Click the link and make sure the Section with the digital signature is cleared.

Now when you protect the form, you can fill in the form element (no editing of anything allowed) AND digitally sign the document. However, once signed the document is locked and you can't do anything else.

I am looking for a way to edit after signing (invalidates the signature) then resigning, but so far no luck. If anyone has a solution to that issue - HELP!