multiple signature fields in a Form ES2

[EvanJan]

Hello everyone ,

     I've a question when we  use the PDF form with multiple signature fields . I want  the initiator can start the process with this form ,and he/she must sign this form , so the data have to be submitted as PDF document (can not be xdp ) , but I also want to change some fields value in the PDF document after it is send out through the process , because I want to make some fields readonly by the different roles , now , what can I do to solve this problem , or is it impossible ?

[Former Community Member]

When you sign a form you are creating a hache value of the state of your form. If you make changes to the layout of your form or the data then you will be breaking this signature. Typically people will make the changes to the layout before the signature is applied.

Paul

[zorg008]

Hello Paul,

We have the same kind of problem, we would like to apply multiple signatures to the same XFA form document in a PM ES workflow with some fields filled at each step of the workflow but the  transmitted document does not seem to be able to keep the datas and history of the different signatures between each step.

We have the following modules Forms ES2, Process Management ES2 and Reader Extensions ES2.

We do not understand why it is possible by using only Adobe Reader with a reader-extended document to be able to sign an XFA form including multiples signature fields and to be able to keep all the history and snapshots of the signatures by saving the document at each step and not in a Process Management ES2 workflow.

So does it exist a workaround for making this working in PM ES2. If not, so could you please confirm here that Process Management ES2 is not the right tool to use for modeling that kind of digital signatures workflow as the digital signatures applied to the document are not kept from step to step and that any field modification provokes the break of the first one ?

Thank you.

[Former Community Member]

Sounds like you are sumitting the form data inbetween steps (hence loosing the signatures). If signatures are involved in a workflow then you will have no choice but to submit the entire PDF. If you need to make decisions based on the data in your process you will have to use the data extraction services to separate data from PDF to interogate the data.

Paul

[zorg008]

Hello Paul,

You're right, for solving my problem, I have just put a formbridge object and a button positionned on "submit" with a PDF format on my XFA Form and I submit now my form from the AssignTask activity by checking the box "Submit via Reader - submit via PDF" in the "Reader Submit" section of "Presentation & Data" settings of the activity and it works. The extractData activity allows well in fact to extract the XML datas (corresponding to my associated XML Schema).

One question though, when each signer of the workflow has signed the XFA Form document , theAdobe Reader shows in the Signature Panel a message telling that the document has been modified after the last signature though the signer has directly pressed the "Terminate" button in the Workspace after apposing his digital signature on the corresponding field ot the form, is it normal ? Maybe some modifications are made to the form by the workflow after submitting ?

Thank you for quick answer and your great help in any case.

[Former Community Member]

Does you form have the wokflow fields (Process Fields object) on the form? If so that is why you are getting those results.

Paul

[zorg008]

No because it dit not seem mandatory for applying signature on a XFA Form when I read the online help page below :

http://help.adobe.com/en_US/livecycle/9.0/designerHelp/index.htm?content=Creating_for_WorkFlowServer...

I will try with the Process Fields objecttoo  and I will post the result here.

Thank you Paul.

[zorg008]

Paul,

After putting the "Process Fields" object on the form layout, I do not have the yellow triangle warning anymore  indicating that non signed modifications have been applied to the document after the last signature. I just have a message telling that the document has been modified after the signature but as I have a green checkmark inside the Reader signature panel, that's OK for me.

Thank you again for your help.