Add a time stamp to signatures

You can include the date and time you signed the document as part of your signature. Like signatures, time stamps are easier to verify when they’re associated with a time stamp authority’s trusted certificate. Including a timestamp helps to prove that the document wasn’t changed after you signed it and reduces the chances of an invalid signature. You can obtain a time stamp from a third-party time stamp authority or from the certificate authority that issued your digital ID.

Time stamps appear in the signature field and in the Signature Properties dialog box. If a time stamp server is configured, that time stamp appears on the Date/Time tab of the Signature Properties dialog box. If no time stamp server is configured, the signatures field displays the local time of the computer at the moment of signing.

Configure a time stamp server

To configure a time stamp server, you need the server name and URL or a Forms Data Format (FDF) file that contains the server settings.

  1. Choose Advanced > Security Settings.
  2. Select Time Stamp Servers on the left.
  3. Do one of the following:

    • If you have an FDF file with the time server settings, click the Import button . Select the FDF file, and click Open.

    • If you have a URL for the time server, click the New button . Type a name and then type the server URL. Specify whether the server requires a user name and password, and then click OK.

Set a time stamp server as the default

If you have two or more time stamp servers configured, you can set one of them as the default.

Note: Before you set a time stamp server as the default, you may want to check if the time stamp authorities charge a usage fee.
  1. Choose Advanced > Security Settings.
  2. Select the time stamp server, and click the Set Default button .
  3. Click OK to confirm your selection.