How Do You Sign a Letter for a Boss?

To sign a letter for one’s boss, a person should sign his or her name with the initials “p.p.” immediately preceding the signature, then print the name of the boss above or below the signature. The placement of the printed name is up to the preference of the boss or the person typing the letter.

There are times when an employee is asked by his or her boss to sign a letter on his behalf. If so, it is necessary to inform the recipient of the letter of this.

  1. Insert the signature line

    Type the letter as normal, with a closing as dictated. Type the name of the boss, leaving enough space for a signature.

  2. Sign the letter

    The employee signing the letter does not sign the name of his or her boss. Rather, the employee signs with his or her own name. This is known as procuration. The initials “p.p.” that precede the signature stand for a Latin term “per procurationem” and indicates to the reader of the letter that it was signed by someone else for the employer. A less formal way is to write “for” or “on behalf of” after the employee’s signature.

  3. Add a notation near the bottom of the letter

    In addition to the notation in step two, add a block of initials near the bottom. The initials are those of the boss in upper case followed by those of the person signing the letter in lower case. An example is DCM/jdr.