PDF Sign&Seal supports advanced verification of PDF digital signatures including the ability to do historical PDF signature verification and checking of signer’s certificate status using CRLs and/or OCSP. It’s unique in providing simple high-level PDF signature validation results as well as the ability to drill down into the details (e.g. its own OCSP request/response viewer) in case something has gone wrong.

PDF Sign&Seal integrates with context shell so that you can right-click on documents within Windows Explorer. Use this feature to perform one-click PDF creation, signing, encryption, etc. – all in one simple and instant operation, with no annoying pop-up windows or signing wizards.

You can save signature profiles (called preferred signing locations). This makes it easy to sign standard business documents that always need to be signed in the same place and using the same style. The exact location and appearance can be defined and remembered using names that you define such as “invoice PDF signature”, “financial report signature” etc. You can also automatically create blank PDF signature fields on multiple pages. Special Time Saving Feature: Administrators can predefine PDF signature locations and appearances and copy these to all users during installation.

PDF Sign&Seal fully supports Tablet PC ink, including the ability to add “wet” ink PDF digital signatures and mark-up notes on an opened PDF.

Drag a signature appearance anywhere on your open document and drop it where you want the signature to be applied. This will initiate the PDF digital signature process and your chosen signature appearance will be created exactly where you wanted. Now you can see how your PDF signatures will look on the document before actually applying them.

You have complete control in the design of your PDF signature appearance to be stamped on your PDFs – an important requirement for tailored signature appearance in many fields. No other PDF signature software provides same level of flexibility in defining signature appearance items, their size, shape and positions, text font, size and colour, whether to include borders and many more options. The inbuilt design utility makes it easy to drag/drop and resize individual text and graphic PDF signature appearance items.

Define the workflow you want PDF Sign&Seal to perform and show this in the right-click context menu, e.g. the workflow may be to create a PDF, or sign and attach to an email, etc. Just select the required operations and give your workflow a name and it will be shown when you right-click on a file within Windows Explorer!

PDF Sign&Seal allows users to view PDF in tabbed interfaces. The neat user interface is designed like Microsoft Office 2010. This allows users to work with many PDF documents at a single time and easily switch between open PDF files. It also supports zoom, navigate bookmarks, links and thumbnails. It provides easy access to comments and signature details while maximising the document view.

PDF Sign&Seal includes a print driver utility called PDF Sign&Seal Make that enables users to create PDF files from Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, TIFF images, AutoCAD, Visio and many other file types using the File > print command or via Windows Explorer right click operations. Multiple files can be selected and processed automatically so that you don’t need to separately open and convert each file.

You can either sign the first page, last page, all pages or user selected pages in one operation in your preferred signing location. You can also change the page selection whilst signing. This saves time and effort and creates a much more intuitive user interface. PDF Sign&Seal “instant signing” option ensures no pop-up windows are shown and the operation is instantaneous.

Batch processing capability in PDF Sign&Seal allows you to select multiple files in Windows Explorer and then for all of these files you can select options to “create PDFs” or “create PDFs and sign” and/or encrypt and/or email them etc. You can even create your own designed workflow.

PDF Sign&Seal has been designed to be compliant with a range of digital signature legislation and regulatory frameworks, including EU law (EU Directive for Electronic Signatures), EU Directive for E-Invoicing, IdenTrust, US Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act (E-Sign), The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), 21 CFR Part 11 (a regulation governing the use of electronic signatures within the pharmaceutical industry), Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) and others. A configurable legal statement can be shown to the user before signing to ensure the user understands the implications of their digital signature.

PDF encryption enables the author to control who can open the document and define the access rights of that user, e.g. whether or not printing and cut/paste, etc. is allowed. PDF Sign&Seal supports both password-based encryption as well as strong certificate based encryption of PDFs. It is easy to define recipient groups and thus protect PDF documents for entire groups. Each member of the group can have their individual access rights set.

PDF Sign&Seal allows server-side verification (and notarisation) of PDFs so that the PDF signatures can be centrally checked and archived in the ADSS Server centralised database (or document management system). Status information on all PDF signatures found is returned.

PDF Sign&Seal records all signing and sealing operations performed by the user. The History Viewer shows the date/time of signing (or sealing), who performed the action, output file location and success/failure of the operation.

PDF Sign&Seal supports easy viewing and completion of PDF form fields. PDF Sign&Seal automatically recognises a PDF form and allows you to fill in text, select from a drop down list, check boxes, select radio buttons and press the Submit button. Locally saving filled or partially filled forms helps you avoid losing any work, plus allows you to retain a copy of the completed form locally for your own records.

Add text fields directly on a PDF document for commenting or data entry purposes. These fields are visible when the document is printed.

PDF Sign&Seal supports sticky note commenting, attachment of files of any type and also ability to add watermarks on selective pages.

Some times PDFs are scanned upside-down! PDF Sign&Seal allows easy rotation of such PDF documents before signing.

It’s often necessary to merge one or more documents into a final report, before signing the final version. PDF Sign&Seal supports document merging, including configuring the order in which documents are merged.

PDF Sign&Seal can use software keys, smart cards and USB tokens for signing and encryption purposes. PDF Sign&Seal uses the Windows keystore for accessing keys, so any smartcard or USB token that work with Windows will automatically work with PDF Sign&Seal.

PDF Sign&Seal is fully standards based and thus PKI neutral. It can use digital certificates from any Certificate Authority, retrieve CRLs and OCSP from any standards compliant certificate status provider, and work with RFC 3161 Time Stamp Authority. The PDFs produced by PDF Sign&Seal are compliant with the PDF specifications and can thus be opened and verified by other PDF compliant software.

All PDF Sign&Seal settings can be pre-configured by administrators (e.g. signing field locations and PDF signature appearances) before roll out. Administrators can perform automated silent installation to enterprise users through Microsoft SMS or SCCM.

Post deployment configuration updates are also easily handled. Administrators (and users) can export their configurations (either all or specific) and share with other users.

PDF Sign&Seal is standalone application and does not require any third party software (e.g. Adobe® Acrobat® or even Adobe Reader®). The PDF documents do not need to have any special privileges to enable signing. This dramatically reduces the total cost of ownership of this advanced PDF digital signatures solution.

Ascertia’s resellers can obtain a branded version of PDF Sign&Seal at no charge.

PDF Sign&Seal is available in a number of languages e.g. Dutch, English, French, Hungarian, Portuguese (Brazil, Portugal), Romanian, Slovenian, Spanish. New languages can be easily added via our local partner network.

PDF Sign&Seal also supports right-to-left languages such as Arabic.