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Adobe Acrobat Sign for Microsoft Word/PowerPoint Add-in: User Guide

  1. Adobe Acrobat Sign Integrations
  2. What's New
  3. Product Versions and Lifecycle
  4. Acrobat Sign for Salesforce
    1. Install the package
    2. Configure the package
    3. User Guide
    4. Developer Guide
    5. Advanced Customization Guide
    6. Field Mapping and Templates Guide
    7. Mobile App User Guide
    8. Flows Automation Guide
    9. Document Builder Guide
    10. Configure Large Documents
    11. Upgrade Guide
    12. Release Notes
    13. FAQs
    14. Troubleshooting Guide
    15. Additional Articles
  5. Acrobat Sign for Microsoft
    1. Acrobat Sign for Microsoft 365
      1. Installation Guide
    2. Acrobat Sign for Outlook
      1. User Guide
    3. Acrobat Sign for Word/PowerPoint
      1. User Guide
    4. Acrobat Sign for Teams
      1. User Guide
      2. Live Sign Guide
      3. Mobile User Guide
      4. Release Notes
      5. Microsoft Teams Approvals
    5. Acrobat Sign for Microsoft PowerApps and Power Automate
      1. User Guide
      2. Release Notes
    6. Acrobat Sign Connector for Microsoft Search
      1. User Guide
      2. Release Notes
    7. Acrobat Sign for Microsoft Dynamics 
      1. Overview
      2. Dynamics Online: Installation Guide 
      3. Dynamics Online: User Guide 
      4. Dynamics On-Prem: Installation Guide 
      5. Dynamics On-Prem: User Guide
      6. Dynamics Workflow Guide
      7. Dynamics 365 for Talent
      8. Upgrade Guide
      9. Release Notes
    8. Acrobat Sign for Microsoft SharePoint 
      1. Overview
      2. SharePoint On-Prem: Installation Guide
      3. SharePoint On-Prem: Template Mapping Guide
      4. SharePoint On-Prem: User Guide
      5. SharePoint On-Prem: Release Notes
      6. SharePoint Online: Installation Guide
      7. SharePoint Online: Template Mapping Guide
      8. SharePoint Online: User Guide
      9. SharePoint Online: Web Form Mapping Guide
      10. SharePoint Online: Release Notes
  6. Acrobat Sign for ServiceNow
    1. Overview
    2. Installation Guide
    3. User Guide
    4. Release Notes
  7. Acrobat Sign for HR ServiceNow
    1. Installation Guide
  8. Acrobat Sign for SAP SuccessFactors
    1. Cockpit Installation Guide (Deprecated)
    2. Recruiting Installation Guide (Deprecated)
    3. Recruiting User Guide
    4. Cloud Foundry Installation Guide
    5. Release Notes
  9. Acrobat Sign for Workday
    1. Installation Guide
    2. Quick Start Guide
    3. Configuration Tutorial
  10. Acrobat Sign for NetSuite
    1. Installation Guide
    2. Release Notes
  11. Acrobat Sign for SugarCRM
  12. Acrobat Sign for VeevaVault
    1. Installation Guide
    2. User Guide
    3. Upgrade Guide
    4. Release Notes
  13. Acrobat Sign for Coupa BSM Suite
    1. Installation Guide
  14. Acrobat Sign Developer Documentation
    1. Overview
    2. Webhooks
    3. Text Tags

Overview

The Adobe Acrobat Sign add-in for Microsoft® Word and PowerPoint simplifies the process of creating agreements using Word or PowerPoint files that are 5MB or smaller.

This help document explains how to:

For administrators using Office 365, there's an option to centrally install the add-in at the tenant level and manage user access settings. This way, both Word and PowerPoint can be accessed by all users in the tenant.

Individual users who choose to install the add-in independently should remember to install it separately for both Word and PowerPoint.

Prerequisites

Ensure that your system meets these requirements:

Basic Microsoft® requirements to use Office.

Windows® operating System:

Supported Microsoft® Office Versions for Windows®:

  • Office 2016 (build 16.0.4390.1000+)
  • Office 2019 (build 16.0.12527.20720+)
  • Office 2021 (build 16.0.14326.204454+)
  • Office for Windows®, subscription (version 1602, build 6741.0000+)

 Supported Microsoft® Office Versions for Mac:

  • Office for Mac (v15.34+)

Supported Web browsers:

  • Office Online (365) with current versions of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge
  • Office Online Server (version 1608, build 7601.6800+)

Important notes:

  • Private/Incognito browser sessions aren’t supported.
  • Mobile browsers and mobile apps aren’t supported.

Edge browser configuration: For seamless operation in Edge browsers, trust the following sites in your browser's security configuration:

  • https://*.echocdn.com
  • https://*.echosign.com
  • https://*.adobesigncdn.com
  • https://*.adobesign.com/
  • https://*.microsoftonline.com
  • https://*.office.com
  • https://*.office365.com
  • https://*.live.com (if using a live account)
  • https://*.sharepoint.com
  • If you use a third-party identity management system, add its URL as well.

For Mac high Sierra OS Users: If you encounter an issue when accessing the add-in from Word/PowerPoint desktop apps (version 16.11 or later) in Mac high Sierra:

  1. Open the add-in settings and sign out.
  2. Reauthenticate to the service by clicking "Get Started."
  3. If the problem persists, contact customer support.

This concise guide will help you ensure compatibility and troubleshoot any issues effectively.

Install the add-in

  1. Log in to your Microsoft 365 account and select the Word or PowerPoint option.

  2. Open a Word or PowerPoint file.

  3. Select Insert tab and then select the Office Add-ins.

    It opens the Office Add-ins page.

  4. Select the Store option and then search for Adobe Acrobat Sign.

    Note:

    If the store button isn’t visible in your ribbon options, then it’s likely that your Office admin has disallowed individual store access.

    Contact your Office admin or IT team to allow access, or deploy the add-in to your organization.

  5. Locate Adobe Acrobat Sign for Word/PowerPoint add-in from the listing and then select Add.

    connect-sign-2

  6. On the dialog that appears, review the terms and privacy policy information, select the checkbox for agreeing to the terms, and then select Continue.

    connect-sign-3

  7. When the add-in is installed, the Adobe Acrobat Sign icons are added to the Home tab ribbon. The add-in has the following three options:

    • Fill and Sign - For documents that only you need to fill out and sign.
    • Send for Signature - Documents that at least one person other than yourself needs to sign.
    • Agreement Status - A list of the ten most recently updated documents.
    acrobat-sign-word-addin

Note:

For individual users, here's a simple guide:

  • You must only install the add-in once, either in Word or PowerPoint.
  • The add-in automatically installs in both applications.
  • If you can't see the ribbon buttons, go to your "My add-ins" section and enable the add-in from there.

Establish the authenticated relationship

After enabling the add-in, you must connect your Microsoft® account with your Adobe Acrobat Sign account. This ensures that only you can send agreements through your Adobe Acrobat Sign user. The configuration is quick and involves authenticating to both systems.

If you don't have an Adobe Acrobat Sign account, you can try it for free (see step 3 below). Note that Acrobat Sign for government accounts doesn't offer free trials.

Once you've established this connection, you won't need to reauthenticate with Adobe Acrobat Sign unless you explicitly sign out from the add-in.

Please note that the Office may prompt you to reauthenticate after one hour of inactivity or after 24 hours.

To establish the trust:

  1.  Open any file in Word or PowerPoint.

    Ensure the application has the Acrobat Sign add-in. 

  2. From the Home menu, locate Adobe Acrobat Sign panel and then select Send for Signature.

    It opens the add-in panel on the right side of the window.

  3. From the panel, select Get Started.

    The Get Free Trial link opens a new window to the Adobe Acrobat Sign 30-day free trial registration page. If you don’t already have an Adobe Acrobat Sign account, sign up for the free trial before you continue.  Accounts in the Acrobat Sign for Government environment do not have access to free trials.

    Connect Adobe Acrobat Sign
    Connect Microsoft Word to Adobe Acrobat Sign.

  4. If prompted to authenticate into Microsoft 365 environment, select the user you intend to use. The user you are already authenticated as appears at the top of the list.

  5. When prompted to grant access to the add-in, select Accept.

    A new window opens to capture the authentication for Adobe Acrobat Sign.

  6. Authenticate using your Adobe Acrobat Sign credentials and then on the 'Confirm access for..' dialog, select Allow Access.

    Once the Adobe Acrobat Sign authentication is successful, the add-in panel on the right changes to show the add-in splash page.

  7. Select Got It to open the configuration panel.

Use the add-in

Once the add-in is active, you can easily initiate a signature process for any Word or PowerPoint file, as if you were doing it through Adobe Acrobat Sign by logging in and uploading the file.

  • Signature functions: For documents in Word or PowerPoint, the current file is automatically attached when you initiate a signature process. You also have the option to add more files as needed.
  • Agreement status: The Agreement Status feature displays recent agreements along with helpful links for managing them based on their current status.

Note that:

  • If you're using the desktop application (not online), remember to save the file at least once before you can sign or send it.
  • You may be prompted to reauthenticate if you're inactive for an hour or if you've continuously used the add-in for 24 hours.

Fill and sign documents

The Fill and Sign feature lets you fill in a document and add your signature. You can't include other recipients in this process.

Once you've added your signature, the document is saved in your Adobe Acrobat Sign account. You can view it, save it as a PDF, or share it.

Note:

You can only use e-signatures in Microsoft Office web applications. Signatures aren't available in the Microsoft Word desktop application.

  1. In the Adobe Acrobat Sign panel under the Home tab, select Fill & Sign.

  2. In the Fill & Sign panel, you can remove or add more files by selecting + Add File.

  3. Confirm your selected files and select Continue.

  4. In the Signing interface, select Ab to enter text in the required fields. You can adjust the text size using the toolbar.

    global-corp-sign

  5. For option fields, choose the appropriate bullet option from the top menu.

  6. Apply your signature and initials as needed, then select Done.

    Remember, you must apply at least one signature. For more details, see how to Fill & sign a document.

    Once you fill and sign the document, the Adobe Acrobat Sign panel in the Word/PowerPoint interface changes to show that the signature process was completed successfully.

    The success panel includes following three options:

    • View signed PDF - Opens a new tab, displaying the signed document
    • Save a copy - Opens the signed PDF on your local system, where you can save a copy
    • Adobe Acrobat Sign Menu - refreshes the add-in panel to show the three functions 

Send for signature

To send agreements for signature:

  1. Open your file and then from the Adobe Acrobat Sign panel on top menu, select Send for Signature.

    It opens the Send for Signature panel on right side, as shown below.

    connect-sign-4

  2. To send the agreement from a particular group, select the group name in the Send from field.

  3. Notice the list of attached document files at the top of the panel. The default open file is automatically attached but can be deleted.
    To add more documents, select + Add Files.

  4. In the Recipients field, start typing a name or email address to add recipients.
    The order determines the signature sequence. All recipients are considered Signers by default. For other roles, select More Options.

  5. In the Message section:

    • Verify the agreement name and manually change it if required.
    • Change the message for the recipients if required.
    • To check 'Message templates' and 'Private messages', select More Options.
  6. To open a windowed authoring page with form creation tools, select Preview & Send checkbox.

  7. Select Send (or Continue if 'Preview & Send option is selected).

    A success notification appears in the add-in panel. Post-send options include "View Agreement" or accessing Adobe Acrobat Sign Menu for additional features.

Supported file formats:

  • Word (.docx)
  • PowerPoint (.pptx)
  • Excel (.xls, .xlsx)
  • PDF
  • HTML
  • RTF

 

  • TIF/TIFF
  • JPG/JPEG
  • BMP
  • GIF
  • PNG
Caution:

The Acrobat Sign add-in is disabled when viewing .doc and .ppt files to comply with Microsoft restrictions. To request signatures on a file in .doc or .ppt format, we recommend that you use Acrobat Sign on the web.

Check agreement status

The Agreement Status option displays the last ten agreements (based on last update date) that are still open and waiting for some action. This includes drafts that are waiting for authoring, agreements waiting for your signature, and agreements waiting for some other recipient.

Each listed agreement can be expanded to expose the most recent event posted for that agreement, indicating where in the signature process the agreement is.

  • The three most recent events logged against the agreement are listed (with the most recent on top), such as Created, Viewed, or Signed. 
  • Select View Agreement within the agreement information to view the document in its current state.
  • Documents waiting for your signature display a Sign Agreement link that opens a new window containing the document ready to sign
  • At the bottom of the events list is a Track All Agreements link that opens a windowed instance of the Manage page from the application. From the Manage page, the whole history of the account is available.

Add-in Settings

From the lower-right corner of the add-in panel, select  to access the following options: 

  • Upgrade - for Trial accounts: This link takes you to the Adobe Acrobat Sign Upgrade page in a new window. There, you can subscribe to Adobe Acrobat Sign on a monthly basis.
  • Sign Out - Ending the connection: The add-in remembers the connection between your Outlook and Adobe Acrobat Sign accounts, so you don't have to keep authenticating.
    However, if you use multiple Adobe Acrobat Sign accounts, you can use the Sign Out function to end the existing trusted connection. To do this, click the gear icon at the lower-right of the add-in panel, and select "Sign Out" from the menu that pops up.
  • Help: Find a link to this guide and any other information related to the add-in.
  • About: Clicking this will show a brief drop-down list with information about the add-in.
  • Privacy policy: It directs you to the Adobe privacy policy.

Enable users to consent to applications (for admins)

The Office 365 Admin must allow users to consent to use applications using the following steps:

  1. Log in as the Office 365 Admin and then select Admin portal.

  2. Go to Admin centers > Azure AD.

    It opens the Azure Active Directory admin center.

  3. Navigate to Users and groups > User settings.

    Make sure that Users can consent to apps accessing company data on their behalf is set to Yes.

    azure-2

Install at the tenant level (for admins)

Installing at the tenant level allows the admin to expose the add-in by default, saving the users the installation steps, and ensuring that all users have smooth access. 

To install at the tenant level: 

  1. Log in as the Tenant admin and go to the Admin panel.

  2. From the left-hand menu, select Services & add-ins.

  3. Select + Upload Add-in.

    This opens the New Add-in panel.

  4. Select Next.

    The New Add-in panel updates to provide add-in file options.

  5. Select the option for I want to add an Add-in from the Office Store.

  6. Search for and select Adobe Acrobat Sign.

  7. On the Adobe Acrobat Sign add-in panel, select Next.

    The Adobe Acrobat Sign panel appears with access options:

    • Everyone: Enable the add-in for all users.
    • Specific Users/Groups: Choose specific groups for add-in access.
    • Only me: Enable the add-in for your user only.
  8. Select your enablement option and then select Save

  9. On the final landing panel, select Save.

Common questions

Try the following steps:

  1. Log out from Word 2016 /PowerPoint 2016.
  2. Install Adobe Acrobat Sign add-in or any other add-in.
  3. Log in to Word 2016 with your Adobe account.
  4. You’re able to use the add-in without any problems.

If an error still persists:

For Windows®:

  • Delete the content of the folder %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Wef\
  • Clear the …\16.0\WebServiceCache

For Mac:

  • Delete the content of the folder /Users/{your_name_on_the_device}/Library/Containers/com.Microsoft.OsfWebHost/Data/
  • Start word and add the add-in if not prompted already
  • You’re asked to trust the add-in again

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