Signatures & Stamps

Signatures

Place a visual signature stamp on any page of the PDF. Signatures are stored locally in the SQLite database and can be reused across documents.

Creating a Signature

Go to Tools → Add Signature… or click the Signature button in the Markup toolbar. The Signature dialog opens with two tabs:

• Draw: Use the mouse or stylus to draw your signature on the canvas. Click Clear to start over.
• Type: Type your name; it renders in a serif cursive style.

Enter your full name in the "Signer name" field (used for the audit trail). Click Save & Place.

Placing a Signature

After confirming, click on the PDF canvas where you want the signature to appear. It is placed as a resizable image stamp.

Signature Library

Go to Tools → Signature Library… to view, use, or delete previously saved signatures. Each entry shows a thumbnail preview and the signer name.

Stamp Library

For Architecture & Engineering professionals, custom stamps are essential for sealing drawings and marking document status. LocusBIM includes a full stamp library system for creating and managing professional seals.

Understanding A&E Stamping Requirements

In Canada, all provinces and territories require licensed architects and professional engineers to seal construction documents. A professional seal typically includes:

• Licensed professional's full name
• License number and province/territory of registration
• Discipline (Registered Architect, Professional Engineer, etc.)
• Date of sealing (often added at placement time)

Using Built-in Stamps

Click the Stamp tool [P] on the Markup toolbar. The stamp picker dropdown appears with 8 standard stamps:

Select a stamp, then click on the PDF canvas to place it. The stamp appears as a bordered text box that can be moved and resized.

Creating Custom Professional Seals

Go to Tools → Stamp Library… to create and manage custom stamps. Four categories are supported:

Creating a Text-Based Seal

1. In Stamp Library, select the Professional category.
2. Click "+ Create Text Stamp".
3. Enter a name (e.g., "Jane Smith, OAA" or "John Doe, P.Eng.").
4. Enter the seal text with line breaks:
   JANE SMITH, OAA
   Ontario Association of Architects
   Certificate #12345
   Province of Ontario
5. Choose font (Times New Roman recommended for formal seals).
6. Set border style: Solid (standard), Dashed (preliminary), or Double (final/certified).
7. Adjust colors to match your provincial association's requirements.
8. Check "Set as default professional stamp" if this is your primary seal.
9. Click Create Stamp.

Importing Image Stamps

For scanned seals or firm logos:

1. Go to Stamp Library and select the Custom category.
2. Click "+ Import Image Stamp".
3. Select a PNG, JPG, or SVG file.
4. The stamp is saved and immediately available in the stamp picker.

Using Custom Stamps

Once created, custom stamps appear in the stamp picker under the "Your Stamps" section. Click any stamp to activate the tool, then click on the PDF canvas to place it. Custom stamps work exactly like built-in stamps.

Managing Your Stamp Library

In the Stamp Library dialog, you can:

• Set Default: Mark a stamp as the default for its category (appears first in picker).
• Delete: Remove stamps you no longer need.
• Preview: See exactly how each stamp will appear on drawings.
• Filter by Category: Organize stamps by type.

Security Model

For internal A&E review workflows, the current signature model provides sufficient traceability. For legally binding signatures on government contract documents, use a certified PDF signing service (e.g., DocuSign, Adobe Sign) until Stage 7 is complete.