Adobe Sign - Signing Documents

Other Adobe Sign Frequently Asked Questions

• Adobe Sign - General Information
• Adobe Sign - Accessing Adobe Sign
• Adobe Sign - Requesting Signatures
• Adobe Sign - Signing Documents
• Adobe Sign - Managing Documents

What is an Electronic Signature?

An electronic signature is a broad term for any electronic process that indicates acceptance of an agreement or a record. 

What is a Digital Signature?

A digital signature is a type of Electronic Signature that uses a certificate-based Digital-ID. These can either be obtained from a cloud-based trust service provider (Sectigo) or from the Texas A&M Identity Management office (identity@tamu.edu). These may be a more secure electronic signature that is generated using a digital certificate and cryptographically bound to the document. 

Where can I create my Signature?

1. Log in to Adobe Sign and click on the blue/turquoise icon on the right – select Profile Settings
2. Under Personal Preferences, select My Signature
   1. You can create your signature and initials here by using your mouse, uploading an image of your signature, or by sending yourself a text
   2. The text sends you a URL which will allow you to sign with your finger
   3. Additionally, when you receive your first document to sign, you can set up a signature that’s more ‘computer’ based

Who is authorized to sign my form in Adobe Sign?

A “signer” in Adobe Sign is anyone assigned to provide information in a document.

How can I confirm that an agreement is valid?

1. Click on Manage in your Adobe Sign account.
2. Click on Completed in the left hand menu.
3. Select the document you want to verify validity of.
4. Click on Download Audit Report from the right hand options. This will display some information about the agreement including a Transaction ID.
5. Copy the Transaction ID into the Adobe Sign Verification Tool at https://tamusignature.na4.adobesign.com/verifier. A green bar will indicate a verified document. A red bar will indicate an invalid document.

Do I have to own a Digital Signature to use Adobe Sign?

Adobe Sign provides and collects electronic signatures. E-signatures provide an audit trail and a tamper-proof process by preventing changes to the document once it has been signed. Electronic signatures can be verified by corporate IDs, phone, or, most commonly, email. 

Full digital signatures are based on trusted third-party certificates, and the signature is encrypted on the document.

Adobe Sign supports both signature types. Your recipients do not need a digital signature, though it's okay if they use one.