Viewing Digital Signatures

You can review the list of signatures applied to a document and the properties of those signatures.

From the signature list, you can also sign, countersign, validate signatures, or remove signatures.

Note: The option to view digital signatures will not be visible if there are not yet any signatures applied to a document.

To view the digital signatures applied to a document in the Windows client

  1. Open the Digital Signatures tab of the Metadata dialog box in one of the following ways:
    • Right-click the document and selecting View Signatures.
    • Open the Tasks menu, point to Digital Signatures and select View Signatures.

    • Open the Metadata dialog box or Metadata Pane, then select the Signatures tab.

  2. The Digital Signature tab in the Metadata dialog box will open. Review the signatures applied to the document:
    • Signing Image: The signing image, if any, used for this signature.
    • Signed By: The certificate subject from the certificate used during signing.
    • Signed Date/Time: The date and time the version was signed.
    • Reason: The reason, if any, provided for signing the version.
    • Signed Version: The version of the document to which this signature was applied, if the document is under version control.
    • Countersigns: The signatures that this signature countersigns, if any.
    • Countersigned By: The signatures that countersign this signature, if any.
  3. Optional: Click the name listed after Signed By, or in any of the countersignature options, to view details for that signature's certificate.
    • In the General tab, review the following:
      • Signing Image: The signing image, if any, used for this signature.
      • Reason: The reason, if any, provided for signing the version.
      • Countersigns: The signatures that this signature countersigns, if any.
      • Countersigned By: The signatures that countersign this signature, if any.
    • In the Certificate tab, review the following:
      • Issued To: The user or organization to whom the certificate was issued.
      • Issued By: The certificate authority that issued the certificate.
      • Issued on: The start date and time for the certificate's validity.
      • Expires on: The end date and time for the certificate's validity.
      • Algorithm: The algorithm used to produce signatures with this certificate.  This will be either RSA or DSA.
      • Key Size: The size in bits of the RSA or DSA key.
      • Thumbprint: The thumbprint used by this signing certificate.
  4. Optional: Click the number listed after Signed Version to open that version of the document in a read-only state.

To view the digital signatures applied to a document in the web client

  1. Open the Digital Signatures tab of the Metadata dialog box in one of the following ways:
    • Right-click the document and selecting View Signatures.
    • Open the Tasks menu, point to Digital Signatures and select View Signatures.

    • Open the Metadata dialog box or Metadata Pane, then select the Signatures tab.

  2. The Digital Signature tab in the Metadata dialog box will open. Review the signatures applied to the document:
    • Signing image: The signing image, if any, used for this signature.
    • Signed by: The certificate subject from the certificate used during signing.
    • Signed date/time: The date and time the version was signed.
    • Reason: The reason, if any, provided for signing the version.
    • Signed version: The version of the document to which this signature was applied, if the document is under version control.
    • Countersigns: The signatures that this signature countersigns, if any.
    • Countersigned by: The signatures that countersign this signature, if any.
  3. Optional: Click the name listed after Signed By, or in any of the countersignature options, to view details for that signature's certificate.
    • In the General tab, review the following:
      • Signing Image: The signing image, if any, used for this signature.
      • Reason: The reason, if any, provided for signing the version.
      • Countersigns: The signatures that this signature countersigns, if any.
      • Countersigned by: The signatures that countersign this signature, if any.
    • In the Certificate tab, review the following:
      • Issued to: The user or organization to whom the certificate was issued.
      • Issued by: The certificate authority that issued the certificate.
      • Issued on: The start date and time for the certificate's validity.
      • Expires on: The end date and time for the certificate's validity.
      • Algorithm: The algorithm used to produce signatures with this certificate.  This will be either RSA or DSA.
      • Key size: The size in bits of the RSA or DSA key.
      • Thumbprint: The thumbprint used by this signing certificate.
  4. Optional: Click the number listed after Signed Version to open that version of the document in a read-only state.

Related Topics