For many years we have used our computer equipment to carry out all kinds of office tasks. For all this we can use a multitude of programs and specific types of files such as DOCX, XLSX or the popular PDF.
In this way we have the opportunity to create all kinds of text documents, spreadsheets full of numerical data, multimedia presentations, etc. But that is not all that concerns this type of document in particular, since we can go one step further. This is something that over time we have largely achieved thanks to the programs and equipment that we currently have. This is a set that does not stop evolving and improving, thus being able to access a greater amount of content.
We tell you this because the documents that we can carry out in these times are already much more complex and complete than in the past. Only a few years ago these were basically limited to the use of texts and numbers , but today they go much further. In fact, as many of you will already know first-hand, at the moment we can use many more elements than until relatively recently. Today we can add photos, diagrams, digital signatures, videos, graphics, buttons, etc. to these documents.
Usefulness and advantages of files in PDF format
There is no doubt that the versatility and utility that we achieve with all this opens up a wide range of possibilities. And of course, how could it be otherwise, for all this we also have the possibility of using a multitude of programs. Among these we find some of the most used in the world such as those that are part of the Office or LibreOffice suites.
But along these lines, we want to focus on a very specific type of file that over time has not stopped growing and improving in use. Here we are going to focus on working with files in PDF format . This is a format originally owned by a firm of the importance of Adobe, which over time has become common for most. This focuses on working in office programs , of which we can find a wide variety.
In these we can find a huge amount of additional elements that are perfectly integrated into the document as such. We refer to many of the objects that we discussed before and that serve to achieve much more complete and useful documents. In fact, we can say that these PDF files are increasingly common as an office format on our PC. Besides, one of its main characteristics is that editing it is not an easy task.
It is true that there are specific programs for this, but modifying a file of this type is not as simple as a DOCX , for example. Considering that this format was developed by Adobe in 1993 and released as a standard in 2008, they have already accumulated a lot of experience. Hence, they are used in official documents , invoices, to archive for long periods of time, etc.
Usefulness of digital signatures in PDFs
Specifically in this case we are going to focus on the possibility of adding a digital signature to these documents in PDF format. This is something that can be very useful in a large number of environments and areas of use. With these digital signatures we can convert a PDF into an official document, request the signatures of a working group, in the educational field, for the storage of these files for posterity, etc.
Therefore, the real meaning of this digital signature that we add would be the same as when we sign a paper, just as we have been doing it for years. However, in this case it is done in a more digital and current way, something that is increasingly widespread throughout the world. Therefore, below we will talk about the way to achieve this that we discussed with Adobe Acrobat Reader.
How to add a digital signature to a PDF with Acrobat Reader
As we told you, there are many applications that we can use right now to work with PDF. But one of the original and that has been with us the longest is the owner of Adobe. We are referring specifically to Adobe Acrobat Reader. This is one of the most complete solutions that we can find in this sense and that is most used in the sector. In fact, it offers us a good amount of functions and tools to work with these PDFs . To see them, we just have to go to the Tools tab.
But here what really interests us and what we want to focus on is a specific type of use that is increasingly used over time. These are often used in order to make a document official, something for which PDFs are perfect thanks to their properties .
How to upload the document to sign the Adobe Acrobat
Well, for this that we tell you, the first thing we must do is load the document in question that we want to treat, in the Adobe program. To do this we run it like any other program so that it appears on the screen. Once here, we go to the Start menu of the main interface and we opt for the Open option.
Then we can move through our disk drives in search of the PDF as such and thus load it into the program. Once we have it on screen, let’s move on to what really interests us here, sign it. Say that this document is located in a tab at the top of the program interface.
Sign PDF documents in Acrobat
To do this, we will go back to the Tools tab that we mentioned earlier. So we have to locate the functionality called Fill and Sign .
At that moment, another window will appear on the screen where we choose the action we want to carry out in this case. And it is that at this point we must be clear that just as we can sign our own PDF, we can ask others to sign it anyway. Therefore here we no longer have to select the option that most interests us in each case.
In the first of the cases, if we are the ones who are preparing to sign the loaded document, we opt for the first option, You. At that time, the PDF document will appear again on the screen with a new button called Sign.
Therefore, we only have to click on it so that it gives us the choice between adding the complete signature, or only the initials. On the other hand, if we opt for the second option, we will see that now we have the possibility to send this request by email . Here we will only have to add the addresses of the recipients that we want to sign this document, as well as a personalized text.
