Ms

[Unregistered]

when signing a letter on behalf of someone else -- do you use pp: sign their name?

 

[apex2000]

when signing a letter on behalf of someone else -- do you use pp: sign their name?

No, you should always sign your own name; that is why you add, or preface, your signature with pp to show that you are signing on behalf of the letter writer. Anything else is a forgery!

This is rarely understood, even in business circles where it is most seen. That is the fault of the letter writer who has not explained why and how.

 

[rewboss]

Well, obviously you shouldn't forge somebody else's signature.

You sign your own name. Below that, you then write "p.p." before the name of the person you are signing for.

So, if I were to sign a letter on behalf of my boss, Sarah Johnson, it would look like this:

Yours sincerely,

[my signature]

p.p. Sarah Johnson
Managing director