Bluebeam Tip: Certify PDF Integrity with Certificate Signatures in Bluebeam Revu

Use certificate signatures in Bluebeam Revu when you need to certify a PDF’s integrity and set clear permissions for downstream edits and approvals.

What a certificate signature does:

• Applies a cryptographic “Certified” seal to the PDF, confirming origin and integrity.
• Defines what others can do after certification (e.g., add markups, fill forms, add approval signatures).
• Surfaces tampering instantly if anything beyond the allowed actions occurs.

Before you start:

• Create or import a Digital ID (PFX/P12, smart card, or Windows cert store). In Revu, go to Preferences > Signatures to manage IDs.
• Optionally configure a trusted timestamp server in Preferences > Signatures > Timestamp Servers for time-based, third‑party validation.
• Distribute your public certificate (.cer) to recipients so they can trust and validate your signatures.

How to certify a PDF:

1. Open the Signatures panel, choose Certify (not Sign), then place the certification field.
2. Select your Digital ID, choose an appearance, and enter reason/location/contact as needed.
3. Set permissions:
   • Allow markups/comments (for review workflows),
   • Allow form fill-in and additional signatures (for approvals), or
   • No changes allowed (for final issue).
4. Enable timestamp (if configured) and optionally lock the document after certifying.
5. Save the file. Share the certified PDF and your public certificate with stakeholders.

Best practices:

• Use a company-issued CA-backed certificate for external stakeholders; self-signed is acceptable for internal use.
• Set a consistent certificate appearance template that includes name, company, and timestamp.
• Certify first, then route for additional approval signatures per the permissions you set.
• Avoid post-sign changes that invalidate signatures (flattening, optimizing, page edits). Export a copy if you must modify visuals.
• Signing is not supported inside Studio Sessions; use Studio Projects or local files for signature workflows.

Need licensing guidance or training? Engage NOVEDGE. Looking for Bluebeam solutions and add-ons? Explore NOVEDGE’s Bluebeam offerings.

You can find all the Bluebeam products on the NOVEDGE web site at this page.