SmartCheck
What certifying something means
Being able to prove later that something existed and said this.
Certifying something is leaving a record, checkable by anyone, that a specific file existed exactly as it stands on a given date. No more and no less — and it turns out that is exactly what gets disputed when there is a problem.
What problem it solves
When two parties disagree about what was delivered, when notice was given, or what condition something was in, it is almost always one person's word against the other's. Certifying turns your version into something checkable: it does not depend on being believed.
What usually gets certified
- A report or survey, on the day it is issued.
- Photos of a delivery or of a site's prior condition.
- A design, a formula or a piece of work, to date its authorship.
- An important communication and what it said.
Important
Certifying does not say the content is true: it says that content existed on that date. A certified report with invented figures still has invented figures, only with a trusted date.
Watch out
The date certified is today's. Certifying something from three years ago does not prove it is three years old: if something matters, certify it the day it is made.
›How long does it take?
It is immediate.
›Does the other party have to agree?
No. Verification does not depend on your relationship.
›Does it work years later?
Yes, as long as the file is kept.
A real case
The situation
A surveyor delivers a report that may end up disputed.
What you do
- Certifies it the day it is signed
What you get
Two years later they can prove what it said before the dispute existed, without relying on their own filing.
The situation
People think certifying stops somebody copying something.
What you do
- Understands it certifies existence, not exclusivity
What you get
The proof is not credited with what it does not do.
The situation
What must be proved is that something was said, not that a file exists.
What you do
- Seals the notice or the communication
What you get
What is proved is what was needed.
The situation
A document is sealed and then modified.
What you do
- Seals each final version
What you get
Each seal points at an exact content.
The situation
There is a question whether a third party will accept it.
What you do
- Checks what can be verified and how
What you get
Expectations are set before they are needed.
The situation
The evidence is kept and the file is lost.
What you do
- Keeps both together
What you get
The proof stays complete.
This article answers
- what is smartcheck
- what certifying a document is for
- what sealing evidence means
- how do i prove i had this earlier