How to turn a Word document into a PDF people can sign
Most contracts start life in Word, and most signing happens on a PDF. The trip between the two is where layouts break and signature lines end up in the wrong place. A little preparation in Word fixes both: a clean PDF export, and short tags typed where each field should go, so the fields appear in the right spots without dragging a single box.
Updated November 5, 2026 · 3 min read
Get the Word file ready
- Give each signer a block: a line for the signature, then their printed name, title and date underneath. Leave a little more space than looks necessary.
- Keep signature blocks together. Put a page break before them if a block would split across two pages.
- Accept tracked changes and delete comments, or they may print into the PDF.
- Don't rely on Word's form controls. Checkboxes and drop-downs made in Word export as plain marks on the page, not boxes anyone can fill in.
Type text tags where the fields go
A text tag is a short code typed into the document where a field should appear. SignMaster reads tags written as {{type:signer}}, where the signer is 1 for the first person who signs, 2 for the second, and so on. Add :req to make a field required; signatures and initials always are.
| Type this | To get |
|---|---|
| {{signature:1}} | A signature field for signer 1 |
| {{initials:1}} | An initials field |
| {{date_signed:1}} | The date they sign, filled in automatically |
| {{name:2}} or {{title:2}} | Their name or job title, typed by signer 2 |
| {{text:2:req}} | A required text box for signer 2 |
| {{date:1}}, {{checkbox:1}}, {{phone:1}}, {{email:1}}, {{company:1}} | A date, checkbox, phone, email or company field |
Each field lands where its tag sits on the page, so type the tag on the signature line itself. When the fields are created, the tag text is painted over in the PDF, so signers never see the codes.
Save it as a PDF
- 1
Word on Windows
Choose File › Save a Copy, pick a folder, select PDF in the file type list and click Save. Use More options if you need to save only some pages.
- 2
Word on a Mac
Choose File › Save As or Save a Copy, open the File Format list at the bottom of the window, choose PDF and click Save.
- 3
Google Docs
If the document lives in Google Docs, choose File › Download › PDF Document (.pdf). Text tags work the same way there.
- 4
Check the PDF
Open the PDF and scroll through it. Fonts, page breaks and signature blocks should look exactly as they did in Word. Fix anything in Word and export again.
- 5
Upload it and apply the tags
Start a new envelope or template in SignMaster and upload the PDF. A banner reports how many tags it found and asks whether to turn them into fields; click Apply tags.
Then add the people in the same order as the numbers in your tags: signer 1 first, signer 2 second. Check each field in the editor, add anything the tags didn't cover, and send.
Why export it yourself?
Some upload screens, SignMaster's included where Word conversion is available, accept a .docx and convert it for you. A conversion rebuilds the text and can shift the layout, while Word's own PDF export keeps it exactly as you designed it. For a contract, export it yourself.
Questions? Answers.
Can people sign a Word document directly?
They can type a name or insert a picture of a signature in Word, but that leaves no record of who signed or when, and the file stays easy to change. A PDF sent for e-signature locks the content and records each step.
Do text tags work with templates?
Yes. Upload a tagged PDF as a new template and signer numbers map to the template's roles in order: 1 is the first role, 2 the second.
What if my PDF already has fillable fields?
SignMaster offers to turn them into its own fields with Add form fields, keeping text boxes, checkboxes, radio buttons, drop-downs and signature fields.
Will the tags show on the signed copy?
No. When the tags become fields, the tag text is painted over in the PDF, so the signed copy shows only the fields and what was filled in.
Sources
- Microsoft, Save or convert to PDF in Office desktop apps · support.microsoft.com