NOTE: Before using Adobe Sign for the first time and following the steps listed below, you will need to request an Adobe Sign License by filling out the Adobe Sign Request Form.

Log into Adobe Acrobat Sign

1. Use a browser to navigate to esign.umd.edu.
2. Enter your umd.edu email address.
3. After being redirected to CAS and authenticating, you will be at Adobe Acrobat Sign Home page.

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Request signatures on a document

1. From the Adobe Sign Home page, click the blue Request e-signatures button near the middle of the screen or click Send in the top navigation bar.
2. Under Recipients enter the recipient's email address. Multiple recipients can be added in sequence. Subsequent recipients will receive an email only after the previous recipient has completed their portion of the form.
   
   • Click the Sign icon to change the role of the recipient.
     
     • See the FAQ section at the bottom of the article for more information on recipient roles in Adobe Sign.
   • If you need to CC someone, click Show CC and enter their email address. This person will receive email notifications when the agreement is initially sent out and when it has been completed by all participants.
3. Add an Agreement Name under the Message section. If this field is left blank it will auto-fill with the file name of the document that you upload.
   
   • Modify the Message field if there are any special instructions you would like to give to the recipients. This message will appear in the email that is sent to recipients and when the recipient first opens the document.
4. Click Add Files to browse and select the document you would like to send, or drag and drop the file onto the Files field.
   
   • The document can be a PDF, Word document, or a variety of other file types. Adobe will automatically convert the file into a PDF when you send it with Sign.
5. Select Preview and Add Signature Fields and then click Next.
6. Select a participant from the right pane, then drag the appropriate signature and participant information fields onto the form. These fields will be assigned to the selected participant.
   
   • NOTE: These field boxes have a colored triangle in the corner that matches the colored square next to each participant in the participant pane on the right of the screen. This will help easily verify which participant is assigned to which field.
7. If you are planning to use the current form multiple times, you can check the Save as template box above the blue Send button. This will allow you to send the document again later on without having to place all the fields again.
8. Once you have finished placing the desired fields, click Send.

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Complete an agreement from your email

1. To complete an agreement that has been sent to you, open the email from Adobe Sign requesting your signature and click the blue button.
2. When filling out a signature field, you will be brought to a signature panel with several different options for adding a signature.
   
   • Type: Type your name in the field.
   • Draw: Draw your signature in the field.
   • Image: Browse and select an image of your signature from your device.
   • Mobile: Enter your mobile phone number. You will receive a text message with a link to a webpage where you can draw your signature using your touchscreen. Note: Hold your device in landscape for a larger signing area.
3. Once all necessary fields are filled out, click the blue button at the bottom of the screen to submit the agreement.

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Fill and sign a document

1. To fill and sign a document yourself, log into Adobe Sign and navigate to the Home page using the top toolbar. Click the Fill and sign a document box toward the bottom of the screen.
2. Click Add Files and choose a document. You can upload a file from your device, select a document from cloud storage, or use an existing template. 
3. Change the Agreement name if desired, and then click Next.
4. To add text to the form, click the Type text icon in the toolbar above the document, and click the place in the document where you want the text to be added.
5. Crossmarks, checkmarks, and filled dots can also be added to the form using the top toolbar.
6. To add a signature, click the Sign icon in the toolbar. You can choose between using a full signature or initials. 
   
   • If you have already added your signature or initials, select it from the sign options. Then click the place in the PDF where you want to add your signature. You can adjust the size of your signature by clicking and dragging the white circle on the side of the text box.
   • If you are signing for the first time, click Add Signature. You will be brought to a signature panel with several different options for adding a signature.
     
     • Type: Type your name in the field
     • Draw: Draw your signature in the field
     • Image: Browse and select an image of your signature from your device.
     • Mobile: Enter your mobile phone number. You will receive a text message with a link to a webpage where you can draw your signature using your touchscreen. NOTE: Hold your device in landscape for a larger signing area.
   • After entering your signature, select Apply. Then click the place in the document where you would like to add your signature. You can adjust the size of your signature by clicking and dragging the circle on the side of the text box.
7. Once you have added the necessary information and signatures, click the blue Done button.
8. You can use the confirmation screen to download or send your agreement by clicking Download a Copy or Send a Copy. You can also download or share your form later from the Manage tab.

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Manage your agreements in Adobe Sign

1. After logging in, click Manage in the top navigation bar. 
2. Use the left-hand toolbar to navigate between agreements with different statuses.
3. In Progress agreements will appear on the main page.
   
   • Here you can quickly check the status of agreements. You can see a more detailed view of where the agreement is at in the recipient flow by clicking on the agreement and selecting Activity from the panel on the right.
   • To initiate a reminder, hover your mouse over an agreement or use the panel on the right to click Remind. Enter the reminder frequency, recipient, and an optional message, and click Create.
4. To check on agreements that need your signature or approval, click Waiting for You.
5. To download a completed agreement as a PDF, navigate to Completed. Hover your mouse over the agreement and click Download PDF. You can also click on the agreement and select Download PDF from the list of Actions in the right-hand panel.

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Frequently asked questions

What are the recipient roles in Adobe Sign?

• Signer: A signer is required to apply at least one signature to an agreement.
• Approver:  All approvers need to do is enter their name before sending the transaction to the signers. This is helpful when someone needs to okay a document.
  For more information on when to use e-signatures vs. e-approvals, see Electronic Signature vs. Electronic Approval.
• Acceptor: Best used when the recipient needs to acknowledge their acceptance of the agreement without formally approving the content.
• Certified Recipient: This recipient will be asked to either delegate, decline, or acknowledge the agreement. Delegating transfers the role to the nominated delegatee, declining will terminate the agreement, and acknowledging the agreement continues the signature cycle.
• Form Filler: Recipients that need to fill form fields with contents but not necessarily sign (though it is possible) before the agreement is sent to other recipients.
• Delegator: A delegator makes the final judgment on who the correct next person is that should sign or approve the document in a workflow.

What's the difference between Adobe Sign e-signature and approvals?

E-signatures are to be used for official documents regarding legally binding courses of action, such as the expenditure of university funds or the execution of a contract. Typically, at least one party to the transaction is external to the University. These official documents include, but are not limited to, contracts, proposals, agreements, statements, notices, resolutions, memorandums of understanding, licenses and indentures. Only specific designated individuals on campus have authority to use e-signatures in Adobe Sign. To confirm that you have a delegated signature authority, contact the respective Vice President or the Office of General Counsel. A memo clarifying delegated signatory authorities on campus will be issued soon.

Approval signatures are used to formally collect approvals to record decisions and conduct business at the university. University policies define who can approve business and financial documents. For instance, electronic approvals are widely used on campus at UMD in areas such as timesheets and Outside Professional Activities.

Do I have to pay for Adobe Sign?

No, the service is currently provided free of charge from the Division of IT .

How do I test an agreement before sending it to others?

Adobe won't let you send agreements to yourself via email but there is a way to get around this so you can test agreements yourself.

• Add a plus sign, then a number or word before the @ symbol in your email address.
• Example: If your email address is testudo@umd.edu, change it to testudo+1@umd.edu or testudo+approver@umd.edu.
• By changing the number or word after the +, you can fill the recipient role as many times as needed. 

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