• Home
• Submit a Request
• Check on a Request

• Knowledge Books
• Using LincDoc 3.0
• Using LincDoc 3.1+
• Client Onboarding
• Employee Onboarding
• Admit+

Home → Using LincDoc 3.0 → Signatures → Topaz signatures

12.2. Topaz signatures

LincDoc supports the use of Topaz signature pads with PDF source documents.  In order to use this technology, several steps must be followed to properly configure your form, the LincDoc application and Adobe Reader. Currently we support SignatureGem and SigLite pads. For a list of Topaz products please visit click here.

Prerequisites

• Valid LincDoc Signature Capture license
• Signing certificate - this can be acquired through LincWare or any of Adobe's CDS providers
• PDF document with signature field(s)
  • Note: the minimum size of a signature field is 20 pt x 20 pt (using Adobe Acrobat measurement tools)
  • Note: Word source documents are not supported with this signature type at this time
• Topaz signature pad (SignatureGem and SigLite pads are currently supported)
• Java Runtime Environment installed on the workstation that pad is connected

Set-up Procedure

1. Upload the signing certificate (Note: This step must only be completed once. Once the certificate is set up, it can be used repeatedly, and for any signature type.  If this step has been completed, move to step 2)
   • Under the desktop System menu, select upload signing key
   • Fill in the appropriate fields
     • Format - the format of the certificate.  If LincWare is your signature certificate provider, it will be a Java keystore.  If the certificate is from Adobe, it will be of the PKCS#12 format.
     • Upload file - upload your certificate file
     • File password - the certificate password
     • Private key password - the private key password
2. Add an Adobe digital signature to your PDF document
3. Commit the document and reparse to enable configuration in LincDoc
4. Set up the appropriate fields via the administrator interface.
   • Set the field type to signature
   • Select Topaz signature pad from the list of signature providers
   • Choose which person will be signing this field
   • Select the certification level:
     • None
     • Not Certified
     • Form Filling Allowed
     • Form Filling and Annotations Allowed
     • No Changes Allowed
   • Choose which fields to lock (if any)
   • Check exempt from flattening
5. Set the trust levels for the certificates in order to validate signatures.  (Must be completed only once)
   • When a document is signed, the signing certificate is used to validate the signature and raise a warning when the document is changed.  When you see the Validity unknown mark inside the signature, that means that the PDF viewer does not have the certificate installed.  In order to do that, do one of the following:
     • Read these instructions
     • Click on the validity unknown icon in the upper right corner of the screen and follow the directions contained within.

Signature provider

Defines the type of signature. Types of signatures can be:

• Topaz
• Mouse
• LDAP

Signer name field

Defines the field value that will be used in the signature signing process.  This must either be the current LincDoc user or a field in the document that will be filled out with the signer's name.  For example, suppose a document has a field called "first_signer", which will be filled with the name of the person who will be signing the document.  By placing first_signer into Signer name field, when the user selects sign inside the generated document, the name typed into first_signer will be used to populate the list of signature fields to sign.

Certification Levels

• Not Certified: Additional signatures may be added. Changes to the document and the form data may be made. Document meta-data may be added.
  • Use case: You have a document detailing a proposal.  In order to fill this out the form must be approved.  However, the contents of the form may be subject to change (new sections, schedules, etc...).  This certification level would be used in this case.
• Form Filling and Annotations: Additional signatures may be added. Editable form fields may be changed or locked. Annotations may be added. Document meta-data may be added.
  • Use case: Suppose that your documents need to be annotated after signing, you must choose this option.
• Form Filling: Additional signatures may be added. Editable form fields may be changed or locked. Document meta-data may be added.
  • Use case: Suppose that there is an office only section of a form that must be completed after the rest of the form is signed. This certification level will allow this functionality
• No Changes Allowed: No additional signatures may be added. All form fields are set to read-only. No changes may be made at all.
  • Use case: You have a document that once signed, such as a contract, that cannot be modified.  This certification level will essentially lock all fields.

Note:These options only affect the ability of the PDF to be modified through Adobe Acrobat.

Fields to lock:

These are the fields that will be locked - which prevents the user from changing the values after a signature has been applied to the document.  Consider the following:In this example, once the signature is applied, the fields Order_Number and Total_Price will be locked.  They can no longer be edited through Adobe Acrobat.  If a document is reopened in LincDoc, the signature is removed - the document is no longer signed.

Exempt from flattening:

This must be selected for any signature field if flatten generated PDFs is checked under PDF options on the Other Options tab. If it is not, the signing process will fail and an error will be shown.