Using certified signatures in forms in Workspace

Modifying the Render PDF Form process to use certified signatures in a dynamic form with Workspace
Using certified forms with Acrobat or Adobe Reader version 6 or earlier

When Adobe XML forms (XFA-based PDF forms) are used in processes that involve users with Workspace, the forms invalidate certified signatures. This is because when Workspace loads a static PDF, it breaks certification when the Submit button is hidden.

To use forms with certified signatures, perform the following steps when you create a process:

Create a dynamic PDF by using an Adobe XML form and add the standard Process Fields to use the form in Workspace.
Configure the xfaForm variable in your process to render the XDP file to a PDF. This requires that you configure the xfaForm variable with the Render PDF Form and Submit PDF Form services.
Depending on the version of Adobe Reader or Acrobat you use, perform one these procedures:
- For Adobe Reader 7 or Acrobat 7 and later, when using dynamic forms, modify the default Render PDF Form process. (See Modifying the Render PDF Form process to use certified signatures in a dynamic form with Workspace .)
- For Adobe Reader 6 or Acrobat 6 and earlier, when using static forms, modify a setting on the form. (See Using certified forms with Acrobat or Adobe Reader version 6 or earlier .)

Modifying the Render PDF Form process to use certified signatures in a dynamic form with Workspace

Use a modified copy of the Render PDF Form process that is installed with AEM forms to enable the use of certified forms in Workspace. Modify the process when your organization uses Workspace and Adobe Reader 7 or Acrobat 7 and later to open PDF forms.

The Render PDF Form process is installed with AEM forms. This process is used as the render process in the default action profiles of PDF and XDP forms. Do not modify this process directly. Create a copy, modify the copy, and change the action profile to use the modified copy.

Note: To use Adobe Reader, use the Acrobat Reader DC extensions service operation in your process to extend the usage rights for the form to include Enable Basic Form Fill-in and Enable Form Data Import/Export.

Important: If a user digitally signs a form, to prevent changes to the form after it is signed, the form must be submitted to the AEM forms Server as a PDF document. (See “To insert a submit button that embeds a PDF” in Designer Help .)

To change the Render PDF Form process:

Click File > Get Application, select forms workflow (system) > forms workflow (system)/1.0 > Render PDF Form, and click OK.
In the Applications view, right-click forms workflow (system) > forms workflow (system)/1.0 > Render PDF Form, and click Copy.
Right-click the application version to contain the modified process and click Paste.
Open the process and select the renderPDFForm operation.
In the Process Properties view, ensure the All button is pressed so that the properties are not filtered.
For the Acrobat Version property, select an Acrobat version that is Acrobat 7.0 or later. Select the earliest version that your users use.
Expand Render Options and for the Render At Client property, select Yes.
Save the process and deploy the Application.
Modify the action profile that you are using for your form so that the modified render process is used. (See Modifying and creating action profiles .)

Using certified forms with Acrobat or Adobe Reader version 6 or earlier

If your organization uses Adobe Reader 6 or Acrobat 6 or earlier, modify XML forms so that they can be certified. Modify a value in the process fields that you add to a form for use with Workspace. For the AWS_SUBMIT field, change the value of the Presence property from Visible to Hidden (Exclude From Layout). (See “Preparing form designs for AEM forms forms workflow” in Designer Help ).

Important: After you complete the procedure, the form cannot be used offline.