Digital Seal and Signature

[LOTE]

I know this topic has been discussed before, but I would like to see if the opinions have changed in recent years. What is your practice for digitally sealing documents?

For my particular case, I had been applying a photocopy of my seal with signature to every page, then additionally applying a digital signature to the document using 3rd party verification (Identrust). Even though I set the document security to allow for markups and stamps, I have been getting big push back from the owner/AHJ (DOTs in most cases). They either do not want any security applied to the drawings, or they don't want any visual digital signature (they only want to see the photocopy of the seal). This of course does not follow the guidance given by the engineering board, which is state law in some cases.

I am considering just having a photocopy of my seal with a signature but no date, then applying just the date (no other text) with the digital signature tool to the cover page. However, I foresee getting push back if I do not apply my seal and date on every sheet of a drawing set. Alternatively, I am considering a disclaimer along the lines of "this document is void unless verifiable digital signature is present", then saving a version with the digital signature applied just for our records.

I would love to know your all's thoughts.

 

[LOTE]

It embeds it into the PDF. When you put a stamp on a PDF in Bluebeam (or Adobe, I imagine), it's a markup, which are stored differently. The contain attributes such as who placed it and when, and the ability to copy, move, or delete it. If you flatten it, it removes the markup status and it makes it as though it was there when the PDF was created.

In Bluebeam, it's important to check the box that makes it impossible to unflatten again in the future.

Does this matter if you place the seal in CAD and publish to PDF? Or only if you place as stamp or image in the PDF?

 

[EngDM]

Does this matter if you place the seal in CAD and publish to PDF? Or only if you place as stamp or image in the PDF?

Depends how you have you CAD set up. I'm not sure when AutoCAD did this, but they made text items appear as SHX Text in pdf viewers, which have attributes similar to comments and stamps but they aren't editable as comments. In PDF Xchange you can use the edit tool and can pick these items up and delete/copy them. Oddly enough if you flatten in PDF Xchange you can still use the edit function, it just no longer is shown/selectable as a comment. Maybe bluebeam can do a true flatten, but that would be similar to just printing to PDF.

 

[Craig_H]

I do think that we need to push back on our provincial & state regulators a wee bit on this. They need to demonstrate that by adding the cost and complexity of a digital signature platform, that they have reduced incidences of document falsification/modification and incidences of seal theft. If they can't do that, then the logical question is why are we doing all this?

In my humble opinion, the same goes for tracking CPD. Most good professionals do enough CPD by default of being good professionals. We stay current because we are curious, continuous learners and not because someone told us to fill out a spreadsheet and track it. The regulators need to show us that CPD tracking and audits are actually making an improvement in our profession. If it's not doing that, then the program has little value.

 

[XR250]

I do think that we need to push back on our provincial & state regulators a wee bit on this. They need to demonstrate that by adding the cost and complexity of a digital signature platform, that they have reduced incidences of document falsification/modification and incidences of seal theft. If they can't do that, then the logical question is why are we doing all this?

In my humble opinion, the same goes for tracking CPD. Most good professionals do enough CPD by default of being good professionals. We stay current because we are curious, continuous learners and not because someone told us to fill out a spreadsheet and track it. The regulators need to show us that CPD tracking and audits are actually making an improvement in our profession. If it's not doing that, then the program has little value.

I agree with this. As far as CPD goes, if it was not required, i would not do the quick and dirty shitty online stuff every December. i feel i get all the CPD i need being present in this forum.

 

[canwesteng]

Planning and tracking is one thing... the requirement for verifiable CPD certs is just a cash grab