You can use your DigiCert® Document Signing Certificate to add an invisible digital signature to a Word document, Excel workbook, and PowerPoint presentation. Because the signature does not appear in the document, a small signature icon appears at the bottom of the page to let recipients know that the document has been signed. For more information about DigiCert® Document Signing Certificates, see DigiCert Document Signing Certificates.

You can also use your DigiCert® Document Signing Certificate to add a visible signature inside a Word document or Excel workbook. See How to Sign Microsoft Office Documents: Office 2013, 2010, and 2007.

How to Sign a Microsoft Word Document, Excel Workbook, or PowerPoint Presentation

Microsoft Office 2013

The screenshots provided in this instruction are from Microsoft word and are almost identical to the screens in Excel and PowerPoint.

  1. Plug in your Document Signing Certificate token.

  2. In Microsoft Word, Excel, or PowerPoint, open the document that you want to sign.

  3. In the selected Microsoft application, click File.

    Document Signing

  4. On the File tab, click Info and then,

    • Microsoft Word

      Click Protect Document > Add a Digital Signature.

      Document Signing

    • Microsoft Excel

      Click Protect Workbook > Add a Digital Signature.

    • Microsoft PowerPoint

      Click Protect Presentation > Add a Digital Signature.

  5. In the Sign window, in the Commitment Type drop-down list, select the commitment type that best represents the signer’s role.

    • None

    • Created and approved this document

    • Approved this document

    • Created this document

    Document Signing

  6. In the Purpose for signing this document box, enter your purpose for signing the document.

    Document Signing

  7. To add information about the signer, click Details. Then, in the Additional Signing Information window, enter the information and click OK.

    Document Signing

  8. Next, in the Sign window, click Change.

  9. In the Windows Security window, select the certificate that you want to use to sign the document and then, click OK.

  10. In the Sign window, click Sign.

  11. If you are using a DigiCert® Document Signing Certificate, enter your token password, and then click OK.

    Document Signing

  12. In the Signature Confirmation window, read the message and then, click OK.

    Note: If you checked Don’t show this message again, this window does not appear.

  13. The document is MARKED AS FINAL, and a small page with a ribbon icon is displayed at the bottom of the document window, which means the document has been signed.

    If you edit any of the information in the document, the signature is removed and must be resigned.

    Document Signing

    Document Signing

  14. To see information about the signer, click This document contains signatures (small page with a ribbon icon).

    You can also click File > Info > View Signatures.

    Document Signing

Microsoft Office 2010

The screenshots provided in this instruction are from Microsoft word and are almost identical to the screens in Excel and PowerPoint.

  1. Plug in your Document Signing Certificate token.

  2. In Microsoft Word, Excel, or PowerPoint, open the document that you want to sign.

  3. In the selected Microsoft application, click File.

    Document Signing

  4. On the File tab, click Info and then,

    • Microsoft Word

      Click Protect Document > Add a Digital Signature.

      Document Signing

    • Microsoft Excel

      Click Protect Workbook > Add a Digital Signature.

    • Microsoft PowerPoint

      Click Protect Presentation > Add a Digital Signature.

  5. If the Microsoft Office digital signatures… window appears, click OK.

  6. In the Sign window, in the Purpose for signing this document box, enter your purpose for signing the document.

    Document Signing

  7. Next, click Change.

  8. In the Windows Security window, under Select a Certificate, select the certificate that you want to use to sign the document and then, click OK.

  9. In the Sign window, click Sign.

  10. If you are using a DigiCert® Document Signing Certificate, enter your token password, and then click OK.

    Document Signing

  11. In the Signature Confirmation window, read the message and then, click OK.

    Note: If you checked Don’t show this message again, this window does not appear.

  12. The document is Marked as Final, and a small red ribbon icon is displayed at the bottom of the document window, which means the document has been signed.

    If you edit any of the information in the document, the signature is removed and must be resigned.

    Document Signing

    Document Signing

  13. To see information about the signer, click This document contains signatures (red ribbon icon).

    You can also click File > Info > View Signatures.

    Document Signing

Microsoft Office 2007

The screenshots provided in this instruction are from Microsoft word and are almost identical to the screens in Excel and PowerPoint.

  1. Plug in your Document Signing Certificate token.

  2. In Microsoft Word, Excel, or PowerPoint, open the document that you want to sign.

  3. In the selected Microsoft application, click the Microsoft Office symbol.

    Document Signing

  4. Next, click Prepare > Add a Digital Signature.

  5. If the Microsoft Office digital signatures… window appears, click OK.

  6. In the Sign window, in the Purpose for signing this document box, enter your purpose for signing the document.

    Document Signing

  7. Next, click Change.

  8. In the Windows Security window, under Select a Certificate, select the certificate that you want to use to sign the document and then, click OK.

  9. In the Sign window, click Sign.

  10. If you are using a DigiCert® Document Signing Certificate, enter your token password, and then click OK.

    Document Signing

  11. In the Signature Confirmation window, read the message and then, click OK.

    Note: If you checked Don’t show this message again, this window does not appear.

  12. A small red ribbon icon is displayed at the bottom of the document window, which signifies that the document has been signed.

    To edit any of the information in the document, the signature must be removed, and the document must be resigned.

    Document Signing

    Document Signing

  13. To see information about the signer, click This document contains signatures (red ribbon icon).

    You can also click the Microsoft Office symbol and then, click Prepare > View Signatures.