What the WSO PDF signature proves
Separate document origin, unchanged files and a stated review against tender requirements.
Information only — not legal advice.
A signature answers a specific question
When you download a signed WorkStudio.Online proforma or brochure, its embedded cryptographic signature identifies the WSO signing certificate and protects the signed content. The accompanying WSO verification page compares the complete file with the exact copy WSO issued. These checks help you establish origin and detect changes; they do not approve the commercial or technical statements in the document.
A signature-shaped illustration is only a visible mark. It can remain on a modified PDF, or be copied into another document. Use the verification controls, not the appearance of the mark, as evidence.
Three checks, three meanings
| Check | What it establishes | What it does not establish |
|---|---|---|
| WSO exact-file check | Your selected PDF matches the registered issued file byte for byte | Correctness of the report, payment receipt or tender eligibility |
| PDF signature validation | A compatible reader evaluates the signed revision and certificate under its trust settings | That every later revision is unchanged, or that the signer was entitled to make every statement |
| A specific WSO review statement | The stated review was performed for the named document, source versions and scope | A blanket guarantee about other forms, later changes or the authority’s acceptance |
The WSO origin signature is available now. The optional review statement for Eligibility forms belongs to the coming-soon service; an ordinary signed proforma or brochure does not carry that review.
Why Adobe can show an unknown signer
The current WSO certificate is self-issued, so it is not automatically recognised through Adobe’s trust lists. An unknown identity is different from a failed integrity check. Authenticate the certificate before deciding whether to trust it in your local Acrobat profile. A green indicator obtained by trusting an arbitrary certificate would not establish who issued it. Adobe: trusted identities.
Follow the WSO verification tutorial for the fingerprint comparison and Acrobat settings. This is local trust on your device, not Adobe accreditation of WSO or a qualified electronic signature.
A form prepared from customer data
The planned €99 Eligibility forms package covers templates that can be filled from supplied customer, contractor and subcontractor details. A choice or declaration belongs to the bidder: for example, selecting which capacity to rely on is not the same as inserting a registration number. A draft requiring such choices will identify the outstanding fields rather than silently select an answer.
An optional WSO review signature will be reserved for fully completed forms after checking them against identified tender requirements. Its statement should name the form and version, source documents and dates, review scope and any exceptions. It must not imply that missing information was verified. The bidder still approves the content and supplies any signature or declaration required for submission.
Keep the issued copy
Download the signed PDF directly. Printing or exporting it again can create an unsigned derivative. Editing, adding another signature or appending a revision changes the complete-file fingerprint, even where a PDF reader regards a later action as permitted. WSO’s exact-file result will therefore differ from Acrobat’s revision-specific assessment.
For a planned bidder-signature workflow, retain the WSO-issued copy and the later submitted version separately. The original check remains useful evidence of the version WSO issued; it is not an assertion that the final submission is identical.
If verification fails
Do not remove a warning by adding a new certificate to the trusted list. Download the issued file again from WorkStudio and compare it. If a mismatch remains, contact WSO through your usual account/support route and give the document reference; do not send sensitive tender contents unless they are needed. A registered document page alone is not a successful file check: you must select the PDF to compare it.
The WSO page computes the fingerprint in your browser; the PDF itself is not uploaded by this check. Issued date and signing time are recorded service metadata, not a claim of an independently trusted timestamp. A document review and a trust decision remain separate from each other.
Important information
This article provides general information and does not constitute legal advice or replace a qualified professional's assessment of your circumstances. Laws, official guidance, standards and product features can change. Check current primary sources and the requirements applicable to your jurisdiction, contract and project before making decisions. Examples illustrate the discussion; they are not official rulings or instructions for a particular case. For legal decisions, consult a qualified lawyer; for technical or other specialist matters, consult the responsible professional.
Enable JavaScript to use reading progress and usefulness ratings.