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Overview
This tutorial will go over the process of adding signature and date forms into PDF files that other people can sign. Common problems that can occur will be dealt with in the troubleshooting section.
Requirements
If you do not Acrobat DC installed to your computer please check the KB article: HERE
Checking PDF compatibility
Launch Acrobat DC either by clicking on the desktop item or by searching for it in the start menu. Once the program is launched you will need to open the specific PDF that needs edited.
After the PDF file has been opened you will need to check and make sure it's compatible. On the right-side panel click on Edit PDF.
If you receive an unknown error please see the troubleshooting section before continuing. If no error is received click the close button on the Edit PDF line that appeared.
Applying the forms to the PDF
On the right-side panel click on More Tools.
Scroll down to the section marked Forms & Signatures and click on Prepare Form.
On the next screen check to see if form fields are being automatically detected. By default it's turned on so you will need to click the change button.
On the menu that pops up uncheck the box labeled "Automatically detect Form fields" and then click OK and click the blue Start button.
There are two forms that will need to be added, both of them being dates. The button is located on the menu bar above the PDF and is marked in the screenshot below.
When you click on the date button the mouse will change to a box that can be placed on the form. Place this box over the line where you want a date to be applied and left click to place.
A yellow box will appear after placing the field. Click on All Properties on the bottom right of the box to open a new window.
On the first "General" tab check the box for required.
On the options tab change the alignment to center.
On the format tab switch to m/d/yyyy and click close.
Once all the forms have been applied you can save the PDF with the changes. It's recommended to Save As a new document to retain the original in case changes need to be made.
Signing the documents
Once the forms have been added you can send the modified PDF to whoever needs to sign it. When the recipient opens it through Adobe Reader they will see the date forms as red boxes within the PDF.
Above the PDF is a menu. Click on the pen icon to initiate the signature.
If this is the first time using the signature the system will ask you to add one. Click the Add Signature button and customize it however you'd like. When finished click the blue apply button. The signature by default will be saved for future use.
Once the apply button has been clicked the mouse cursor will turn into a signature. This can be applied to any location on the PDF file but is recommended to be placed on the signature line.
After the signature has been applied click on the date box and a small arrow will appear on the right side. Click on the arrow to bring up a box where a date can be selected.
When finished adding the signature and date save the PDF file. It can be sent over to the next party that will need to sign and date.
Troubleshooting
UNKOWN ERROR AFTER CLICKING EDIT PDF
If encountering this error it means the PDF file isn't currently compatible for adding forms or signatures. This usually can be resolved by printing the PDF as a new PDF. In order to do this use the following steps.
- On the top left of the Acrobat program click on "File" and then "Print" or simply hit CTL + P.
- In the new window that appears make sure the printer is set to Adobe PDF.
- Click print to save the PDF file as a new document.
- A new window will pop up prompting you to select a location. If this doesn't appear check the taskbar at the bottom of your screen for a printer icon flashing orange. Click on it to bring up the location selection.
- Save the file using a new name or a different location. You cannot save it in the same location with the same name.
- Re-check the new PDF file by using Edit PDF as described above to see if it works without error
There can be a bug with printing as a new PDF where the new file will not be properly rotated. To fix this you have to change the Adobe PDF printer properties.
- After hitting CTL + P click on the properties box
- Go to the layout tab and switch it to Rotated Landscape
The new PDF file should now display properly as well as being editable.