Sign Microsoft InfoPath Form Template with Digital Certificate that lasts more than a month

Below I explain how to create digital certificates that can be used to sign InfoPath form templates for Full Trust security permissions. If you just want to get to it, you may skip the next paragraph which is basically just complaints about problems using InfoPath certificates, which I imagine if you are reading this, you can empathize with.

Since I have started using InfoPath at work, one of the features that was discontinued from InfoPath 2007 was the ability to install individual form templates on a user's PC for Full Trust security level permissions. This was required by the form since it accesses a database with a UNC path and on a server share with user authentication. Our company did not have the resources to get trusted certificates from a commercial signing authority so I couldn't just publish the form to a network location to be distributed. I can sign it before I put it there, but then no one else's computer will approve my certificate. They are PC-specific. I have been left having to make everyone individually digitally sign their copies of the form template every time they copy over a new version. Not only is that horribly inconvenient, but the individual certificates are only good for a month's time. So even if there are infrequent updates, we were having to go to everyone's PC and create new certificate's every month.

The following steps explain how to create a certificate that will last longer than the tyical 1 month certificates created in InfoPath.

Step 0. Click Start and go to all Programs

Step 1. Navigate to Microsoft Office -> Microsoft Office Tools -> Digital Certificates for VBA Projects

Step 2. In the Create Digital Certificate dialog, type a name for your new certificate in the text box and click OK. Afterwards, you should receive a confirmation that your certificate has been created.

Step 3. Open your InfoPath form template


Step 4. Select File -> Info -> Form Options

Step 5. Select Security and Trust category. Under this section, you will see options to select Security Level. Below you will find the Form Template Signature section.

Step 6. In the Form Template Signature section, click on Select Certificate and a dialog box will appear listing the certificate we created in step 2. Choose it.

Step 7. Congratulations! Your form is now signed for an extended period of time. Enjoy and I hope this saves you a lot of tedious work!