You can use your DigiCert® Document Signing Certificate to add a visible digital signature inside a Word document or Excel workbook. Your signature appears within the document to let recipients know that the document was 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 an invisible digital signature to a Word document, Excel workbook, and PowerPoint presentation. See How to Sign Microsoft Office Documents: Office 2013, 2010, and 2007.

How to Create a Signature inside a Microsoft Word Document or Excel Workbook

Microsoft Office 2013

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

  1. Plug in your Document Signing Certificate token.

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

  3. In the word document or worksheet, place you cursor (pointer) where you want the signature line to appear.

  4. Click Insert.

  5. On the Insert tab, in the Text section, click Signature Line > Microsoft Office Signature Line.

    Document Signing

  6. In the Signature Setup window, enter the information that you want to appear below the signature line:

    Suggested signer Enter the signer’s full name.
    Suggested signer’s title Enter the signer’s job title.
    Suggested signer’s email address Enter the signer’s email address.
    Instruction to the signer Add any necessary instructions for the signer.
    Allow the singer to add comments in the sign dialog Check this box to permit the signer to type a purpose for signing.
    Show sign date in signature line Check this box if you want the signature date to appear with the signature.

    Document Signing

  7. When you are finish entering your information, click OK.

    The signature field should appear in the word document or worksheet.

    Document Signing

    Note: You can drag-and-drop the signature field to position it where you want on the page or in the worksheet.

  8. To insert your signature, right-click on the signature line and then, in the drop-down list, click Sign.

    Document Signing

  9. In the Sign window, in the X box, type your name and/or click Select Image to choose a signature image.

    Document Signing

  10. 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

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

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

    Document Signing

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

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

  15. In the Sign window, click Sign.

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

    Document Signing

  17. 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.

  18. The signature should be inserted in your document.

    Document Signing

  19. To verify the signature, right-click on the signature line and then, click Signature Details.

    Document Signing

Microsoft Office 2010

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

  1. Plug in your Document Signing Certificate token.

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

  3. In the word document or worksheet, place you cursor (pointer) where you want the signature line to appear.

  4. Click Insert.

  5. On the Insert tab, in the Text section, click Signature Line > Microsoft Office Signature Line.

    Document Signing

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

  7. In the Signature Setup window, enter the information that you want to appear below the signature line:

    Suggested signer Enter the signer’s full name.
    Suggested signer’s title Enter the signer’s job title.
    Suggested signer’s email address Enter the signer’s email address.
    Instruction to the signer Add any necessary instructions for the signer.
    Allow the singer to add comments in the sign dialog Check this box to permit the signer to type a purpose for signing.
    Show sign date in signature line Check this box if you want the signature date to appear with the signature.

    Document Signing

  8. When you are finish entering your information, click OK.

    The signature field should appear in the word document or worksheet.

    Document Signing

    Note: You can drag-and-drop the signature field to position it where you want on the page or in the worksheet.

  9. To insert your signature, right-click on the signature line and then, in the drop-down list, click Sign.

    Document Signing

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

  11. In the Sign window, in the X box, type your name and/or click Select Image to choose a signature image.

    Document Signing

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

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

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

  15. In the Sign window, click Sign.

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

    Document Signing

  17. 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.

  18. The signature should be inserted in your document.

    Document Signing

  19. To verify the signature, right-click on the signature line and then, click Signature Details.

    Document Signing

Microsoft Office 2007

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

  1. Plug in your Document Signing Certificate token.

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

  3. In the word document or worksheet, place you cursor (pointer) where you want the signature line to appear.

  4. Click Insert.

  5. On the Insert tab, in the Text section, click Signature Line > Microsoft Office Signature Line.

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

  7. In the Signature Setup window, enter the information that you want to appear below the signature line:

    Suggested signer Enter the signer’s full name.
    Suggested signer’s title Enter the signer’s job title.
    Suggested signer’s email address Enter the signer’s email address.
    Instruction to the signer Add any necessary instructions for the signer.
    Allow the singer to add comments in the sign dialog Check this box to permit the signer to type a purpose for signing.
    Show sign date in signature line Check this box if you want the signature date to appear with the signature.

    Document Signing

  8. When you are finish entering your information, click OK.

    The signature field should appear in the word document or worksheet.

    Document Signing

    Note: You can drag-and-drop the signature field to position it where you want on the page or in the worksheet.

  9. To insert your signature, right-click on the signature line and then, in the drop-down list, click Sign.

    Document Signing

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

  11. In the Sign window, in the X box, type your name and/or click Select Image to choose a signature image.

    Document Signing

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

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

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

  15. In the Sign window, click Sign.

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

    Document Signing

  17. 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.

  18. The signature should be inserted in your document.

    Document Signing

  19. To verify the signature, right-click on the signature line and then, click Signature Details.

    Document Signing

The DigiCert Difference

Document Signing Support

Certificate Types