How To Add A Signature In Word 2016

This article explains digital signatures (also known every bit digital ID), what they tin can be used for, and how y'all can use digital signatures in the following Microsoft Role programs: Discussion, Excel, and PowerPoint.

What is a digital signature?
Signature lines in Discussion and Excel
Create a signature line in Word or Excel
Sign the signature line in Word or Excel
Remove digital signatures from Word or Excel
Invisible digital signatures in Word, Excel, or PowerPoint
Add invisible digital signatures in Word, Excel, or PowerPoint
Remove invisible digital signatures from Word, Excel, or PowerPoint

What is a digital signature?

A digital signature is an electronic, encrypted, postage of authentication on digital data such as e-mail messages, macros, or electronic documents. A signature confirms that the information originated from the signer and has not been altered.

Signing certificate and certificate authority

Signing certificate To create a digital signature, you have to take a signing document, which proves identity. When yous transport a digitally-signed macro or certificate, you besides send your certificate and public key. Certificates are issued by a certification authority, and like a commuter'south license, can be revoked. A certificate is usually valid for a year, later on which, the signer must renew, or get a new, a signing document to establish identity.

Certificate authority (CA) A certificate dominance is an entity similar to a notary public. Information technology issues digital certificates, signs certificates to verify their validity and tracks which certificates have been revoked or have expired.

What does a digital signature guarantee?

Actuality The signer is confirmed as the signer.
Integrity The content has non been changed or tampered with since it was digitally signed.
Non-repudiation Proves to all parties the origin of the signed content. Repudiation refers to the act of a signer denying whatever association with the signed content.
Notarization Signatures in Give-and-take, Excel, or PowerPoint files, which are time stamped by a secure fourth dimension-stamp server, under certain circumstances, take the validity of a notarization.

To brand these assurances, the content creator must digitally sign the content by using a signature that satisfies the following criteria:

The digital signature is valid.
The certificate associated with the digital signature is current (not expired).
The signing person or organization, known as the publisher, is trusted.

Important:Signed documents, which have a valid fourth dimension postage, are considered to have valid signatures, regardless of the historic period, or revocation status, of the signing document.
The certificate associated with the digital signature is issued to the signing publisher past a reputable certificate authority (CA).

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Signature lines in Word and Excel

A signature line resembles a typical signature placeholder that might appear in a printed document. However, it works differently. When a signature line is inserted into an Role file, the author can specify information virtually the intended signer, and instructions for the signer. When an electronic copy of the file is sent to the intended signer, this person sees the signature line and a notification that their signature is requested. The signer tin can:

Type a signature, or
Select a moving-picture show of an inked signature, or
Write a signature past using the inking feature of a bear upon-screen PC

When the signer adds a visible representation of a signature to the document, a digital signature is added at the aforementioned time to cosign the signer's identity.

Important:A digitally-signed certificate becomes read-just to prevent modifications.

Create a signature line in Give-and-take or Excel

In the document or worksheet, place your pointer where yous desire to create a signature line.
On the Insert tab, in the Text group, click the Signature Line list, and then click Microsoft Office Signature Line.
In the Signature Setup dialog box, type information that will appear below the signature line:
- Suggested signer The signer's total name.
- Suggested signer'south title The signer's championship, if any.
- Suggested signer's e-mail address The signer'south e-mail accost, if needed.
- Instructions to the signer Add together instructions for the signer, such as "Earlier signing the document, verify that the content is right."
Select one or both of the following cheque boxes:
- Allow the signer to add comments in the Sign dialog box Permit the signer to type a purpose for signing.
- Show sign date in signature line The date the certificate was signed will announced with the signature.

Tip:To add additional signature lines, repeat these steps.

Annotation:If the document remains unsigned, the Signatures Message Bar appears. Click View Signatures to complete the signature process.

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Sign the signature line in Word or Excel

When you sign a signature line, you add together a visible representation of your signature and a digital signature.

In the file, right-click the signature line.

Note:If the file opens in Protected View, click Edit Anyway, if the file is from a reliable source.
From the carte, select Sign.
- To add together a printed version of your signature, type your name in the box next to the X.
- To select an image of your written signature, click Select Epitome. In the Select Signature Image dialog box, observe the location of your signature prototype file, select the file that you want, and so click Select.
  Notes:
  - For customers using Chinese- (Traditional or Simplified), Korean-, or Japanese-language versions, the Postage Signature Line option appears.
  - In add-on, you lot tin can sign a signature line past double-clicking the signature line. Type your name next to the X. Or, in the Signature Pane, in the Requested Signatures section, click the arrow adjacent to the signature. From the carte, select Sign.
- To add a handwritten signature (Tablet PC users only), sign your name in the box side by side to the X by using the inking feature.
- Click Sign.
- The Signatures push button appears at the lesser of the document or worksheet.

The following image shows the Signatures push button.

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Remove digital signatures from Give-and-take or Excel

Open the document or worksheet that contains the visible signature you want to remove.
Right-click the signature line.
Click Remove Signature.
Click Yes.

Note:In add-on, you can remove a signature past clicking the pointer adjacent to the signature in the Signature Pane. Click Remove Signature.

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Invisible digital signatures in Word, Excel, or PowerPoint

An invisible digital signature, such as a visible digital signature line, assures the authenticity, integrity, and origin of a document. You lot tin can add together invisible digital signatures to Word documents, Excel workbooks, and PowerPoint presentations.

Signed documents will have the Signatures push at the bottom of the document. In add-on, for signed documents, signature information appears in the Info section that you see after you click the File tab.

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Add invisible digital signatures in Word, Excel, or PowerPoint

To protect the authenticity of a document'southward 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 Certificate, Protect Workbook or Protect Presentation.
Click Add a Digital Signature.
Read the Give-and-take, Excel, or PowerPoint bulletin, and then click OK.
In the Sign dialog box, in the Purpose for signing this certificate box, type the purpose.
Click Sign.

After a file is digitally signed, the Signatures button appears, and the file becomes read-only to prevent modifications.

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Remove invisible digital signatures from Give-and-take, Excel, or PowerPoint

Open the document, worksheet, or presentation that contains the invisible signature you want to remove.
Click the File tab.
Click Info.
Click View Signatures.
The document, worksheet, or presentation view returns, and the Signatures pane appears.
Next to the signature name, click the pointer.
Click Remove Signature.
Click Yes.

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