Glossary

Common terms used in Penvio and PDF documentation.

A

Annotation A markup element added to a PDF document, such as highlights, comments, stamps, or drawings. Annotations are stored separately from the document content and can be edited or removed.

AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) A secure encryption algorithm used for password-protecting PDF documents. Penvio uses 256-bit AES encryption.

Audit Trail A chronological record of all actions taken on a document or e-signature envelope, including timestamps and user information.

B

Bates Numbering A method of applying sequential numbering to documents, commonly used in legal and medical fields for identification and reference purposes.

BYOB (Bring Your Own Bucket) An Enterprise feature allowing organizations to store documents in their own cloud storage (AWS S3, Google Cloud Storage, or Azure Blob Storage).

C

Certificate of Completion A document appended to signed PDFs that summarizes all signers, timestamps, and verification information.

D

Digital Signature A cryptographic signature that uses public key infrastructure (PKI) to verify the identity of the signer and detect document tampering.

E

Electronic Signature (E-Signature) Any electronic process that indicates acceptance or approval, such as clicking a button, typing a name, or drawing a signature.

Envelope In e-signature workflows, a container that holds one or more documents and tracks the signing process for all recipients.

ESIGN Act The Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, a US federal law that grants electronic signatures the same legal status as handwritten signatures.

F

Flattening The process of permanently merging annotations, form data, or signatures into the PDF content so they cannot be edited.

Form Field An interactive element in a PDF form where users can enter data, such as text fields, checkboxes, radio buttons, or dropdown lists.

H

Hash A unique digital fingerprint of a document generated using cryptographic algorithms (like SHA-256). Used to verify document integrity.

L

LTV (Long-Term Validation) A feature that embeds certificate chain and revocation information in signed documents, allowing signature validation even after certificates expire.

M

Metadata Information about a document that isn’t visible in the content, such as author name, creation date, software used, and modification history.

O

OCR (Optical Character Recognition) Technology that converts images of text (like scanned documents) into machine-readable and searchable text.

Organization A workspace in Penvio that groups users, documents, and settings. Organizations enable team collaboration and centralized administration.

P

PDF (Portable Document Format) A file format that preserves document formatting regardless of the software or device used to view it.

PKI (Public Key Infrastructure) A framework for managing digital certificates and public-key encryption, used for digital signatures.

Presigned URL A temporary URL with embedded authentication credentials that allows direct access to a file in cloud storage.

R

Redaction The permanent removal of sensitive content from a document. Unlike covering with a shape, redacted content is completely deleted.

Role A permission level assigned to users within an organization (Owner, Admin, Member, Viewer) or within an e-signature template (e.g., “Client”, “Witness”).

S

SAML (Security Assertion Markup Language) A standard for exchanging authentication data between identity providers and service providers, enabling single sign-on (SSO).

Sanitization The process of removing hidden information from a PDF, including metadata, comments, hidden layers, and embedded files.

SCIM (System for Cross-domain Identity Management) A standard for automating user provisioning and deprovisioning between identity providers and applications.

SSO (Single Sign-On) An authentication method that allows users to access multiple applications with one set of credentials.

T

Template A reusable document configuration with pre-placed fields and defined roles, used to streamline e-signature workflows.

Timestamp A cryptographic signature that proves a document existed at a specific point in time, typically provided by a trusted third-party timestamp authority.

V

Validation The process of verifying that a digital signature is authentic, the signer’s identity is confirmed, and the document hasn’t been modified.

W

Watermark Text or image overlaid on document pages for branding or protection purposes. Can appear behind content (background) or on top (foreground).

Webhook An HTTP callback that sends real-time notifications to your server when events occur, such as document uploads or signature completions.

Next Steps

• Core Concepts - Understand how Penvio’s features work together
• Supported Formats - File formats Penvio can work with
• Subscription Tiers - Plan features and limits