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Posted By Mir-cat
Can anyone out there suggest a suitable and easy way to ensure that documents that require a signature do not get 'altered' after signing?
The reason for asking is that like most companies we rely on sending documents via the email and while we can scan and pdf the form this still does not prevent any alteration taking place following the signature. The only way I can see to be sure at present is to take a hard copy of each and every document and retain it so if the question arose (and I am thinking in the worst case scenerio this could be in court) I would have the original to produce. However, this completely defeats the object of electronic filing and reducing the use of paper in an effort to help the environment.
Has anyone had this problem and would they be prepared to share their solution with me?
Thanks
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Posted By Susan Oxley
What we do here on our project / site is once the document has been signed off for approval. A PDF of the signed document is filed electronically. Should there be a need to alter or update the document, then we re-issue the document with a different version number, stating what changes there are and repeat the process of scanning and electronic filing. This way there is a complete history of the document.
Hope this helps.
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Posted By Mir-cat
Thanks Susan
Problem I kept encountering with that was if they take the document to site (assuming they had changed it) and an incident occurred, would our filed copy be considered legally as the true version. This is a small company and I have not been here long. They already think I 'worry too much' as they put it. (Typical small company attitude of it has never happened so it won't, will it!) They are changing fast but I am concerned that something will slip through as our business is often re-active.
I will continue to keep an electronic copy.
Thanks again
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Posted By cara
We make important documents read-only so only authorised persons can make changes but all staff can view documents. Also use version numbers as previously suggested.
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Posted By Darren J Fraser
Keep a register of the current documents and their version number in hard copy, signed and dated when active, and archive when replaced/updated.
Also in the footer type in 'non current version if printed / uncontrolled document when printed' or something similar.
If you access the properties of the document that will show last changes etc, if in word look in tools, subsection Track Changes, Highlight Changes, click for changes to be highlighted on screen and in printed format.
However there is not any foolproof way that I have come across to prevent this sort of situation at the moment, you must rely on other users being trustworthy.
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Posted By Merv Newman
With Acrobat writer you can lock the pdf documents so that they can only be altered or "cut and pasted" by using a password. They are also automatically dated. I think your file copy would be the legal one.
However, I can always "copy type" a document so that it looks like the original. Even including your logo.
Merv
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Posted By Mir-cat
Thanks all for your assistance. I guess I will keep the original signed copy and make a list !!
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Posted By Pete Stewart
Get a digital signature and apply it to all your PDF documents. This will visibly show if the original has been altered after publication.
Pete
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