[HOWTO] Fill and Sign PDF Forms Digitally - Comments Page 1

What about security? Last time I had to fill out one of these forms (at the Docs office) it asked for SS number, birthday, and some other "private' info. Even if DocHub only keeps them for 24 hours (honest we delete them after that) are they kept in encrypted format? Seems like a perfect place to harvest private information. If your doctor asked you to download and print the forms, tell him your printer is broken.

What is wrong with the FREE Foxit application. I've been filling out .pdf forms for years and years with it. It still works, and there is no reason to save it in the cloud.

What is wrong with the FREE Foxit application. I've been filling out .pdf forms for years and years with it. It still works, and there is no reason to save it in the cloud.

I am curious about how using DocHub is easier than using Adobe Acrobat Reader.

In Adobe, just open the PDF file, insert a text box and format it with no border and no background. Or format with a white background if you need to overwrite text on the form. Play with the font, text size and color all you want. When you are happy with the format, set the current properties as default. Now every new text box you open is already configured the way you like it.

When done, you get to save the file to your own drive (not "the cloud"). Reopen it months later and the text boxes are still there. Just change the date, or whatever fields you want, and save your new file.

One more vote for Foxit Reader. There is a "Comments" area, the gives you a typewrite sort of function. I can see no advantage to using your DocHub, for the way I fill in forms. It even lets me pin a scanned copy of my signature.

Their website says this about security:
"256-bit SSL encryption, OAuth 2.0 authentication and redundant, encrypted storage"

But, I too, use FoxIt Reader and have been for years. And after getting my ScanSnap scanner, I got the full Adobe Acrobat bundle, so I'm all covered. So, yes, what is that they are doing that folks can't do with the FoxIt Reader and even Nitro Reader 3?

Thanks, Bob. I just filled out one of those. Will remember for the next time. As usual, you're the greatest!

I've used Nitro Reader 3 for several years. It is free and offers a simple Type Text button to place text wherever you want it. A QuickSign button lets yous place a signature (from an image file) wherever you want it. You save the document to your computer then edit when you are ready. Free and easy to use. There is a Pro version that offers more functions, but for what you've dicussed here, the free version is more than adequate, and no personal info required!

Forgot to add that Nitro Reader 3 is also a printer function to convert documents to PDF format. Another plus.

Thanks, Bob, I tried out DocHub just now and was impressed. It does exactly what I need, on a very occasional basis, and it was fairly intuitive. I definitely expect to make use of it in the future.

Another vote for Foxit Reader free version. I too have been using it for years and it does it all.

Another vote for Nitro Free PDF. I've been using it for a number of years as my default PDF application, with no problems. And I've used it just as you did, Bob. After entering my data, answers, etc. I can fax or email the completed forms, and then save the set in a file. Never having touched a piece of paper. Bob, your newsletter is the single most valuable email I get. Many thanks for your efforts and please keep up the good work!

I have never given my SSN to a medical office; it's not like applying for a loan. If I am paying with cash, the SSN isn't needed. If the office is accepting my insurance, the insurance company has my SSN and Doc's office doesn't need it.

Thank you for this information. It is good to know that there are other options available, I like several other have been using Foxit for years (since before fillable fields became even existed I think, at least I had not heard of fillable fields when I started using it) to fill in forms even when the forms were not created with fillable fields. The only downside to it is that it does not have grid lines, at least that I am aware of. It also does not have all the ways to sign the document that DocHub has, but I believe it is capable of adding a scanned signature.

I tried to read your DocHub article but all I could see were a page full of ads. What a waste of time!

If you use Adblockplus, ALL the ads totally disapear.

For those on the Mac platform, the included Preview program does everything you are describing.

Dear Bob,
I read your articles avidly and while I realise that a lot of the content can be aimed at the American Market (I am in Australia) I still pass on a lot of what I read to my Computer Club consisting of mainly of people over sixty.

I do have a concern that you state that you had longed for years for a free software system that offered the ability to fill and sign PDF documents then intimate that these same tools are available in Adobe Reader!

I recommend to my Computer Group that they use Adobe Reader to do this type of fill and sign as most of them shy away from anything to do with the 'Cloud', and it is free.

Although I have made these comments above, I still say 'Great asset' these 'Ask Bob' articles. Thank you.

OMG, thank you WHD! I had no idea that Preview could accomplish this task. This is the best news!

I needed to fill in a PDF form the other day. Thank goodness I read this article before working with the document. I first tried some of the suggestions listed in the comment section. I'm not sure what version of Foxit was referenced. I downloaded the latest version 9.1. It would not install. It just disappeared.

So I moved my document to Google drive and opened Google Drive on the web. Then I found and installed the DocHub app to my google drive on the web and presto chango, it worked! It was not difficult to get going with it. I was very happy with how it worked.

Later I went back and deleted the documents from the DocHub website so they wouldn't float around anywhere.

Thanks for the article!