SmartCheck
What is worth certifying
Certifying everything is noise. These are the cases where it genuinely matters.
Certifying does one thing: it lets you prove later that something existed and said exactly this on a given date. If nobody will ever dispute that, certifying it adds nothing.
Where it does
| Document | What is protected |
|---|---|
| A delivery or handover note | That it was delivered that day and in that condition |
| A technical report or survey | That it said this before there was a dispute |
| A design, a formula, source code | That it was yours on that date |
| Photos of a site or of damage | That they were taken when you say, not after |
| An important communication | That it was sent and what it said |
Where it does not
- Drafts that will change next week.
- Documents already signed: the signature carries its own date.
- Copies of third-party official documents, which are verified at source.
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.
Worth knowing
The useful question is not "is this important?" but "could anyone dispute in two years what this said or when?". If yes, certify it.
›Can I certify something old?
Yes, but the date certified is today's, not the original.
›Does it take space or change the document?
The document does not change. What is stored is its fingerprint.
›Does it still hold if I convert the file?
No: converting changes it. Certify the file you intend to keep.
A real case
The situation
An engineering practice delivers a report that may end up in litigation.
What you do
- Certifies the report on the day it is delivered
What you get
Two years later they can prove what it said before the dispute, without relying on their own filing.
The situation
Everything incoming is sealed and the listing stops being useful.
What you do
- Seals what could end up disputed
What you get
The listing says something again.
The situation
An agreement closed by email is not sealed.
What you do
- Seals the thread when the agreement closes
What you get
What was agreed can be proved later.
The situation
Drafts that will change are sealed.
What you do
- Seals on closing, not during
What you get
Each seal corresponds to something final.
The situation
There is doubt whether to seal a client deliverable.
What you do
- Seals it the day it is delivered
What you get
The delivery date stops being argued.
The situation
Something already signed is sealed.
What you do
- Checks whether the signature already provides the date
What you get
You do not pay twice for the same thing.
This article answers
- which documents should i certify
- when to use smartcheck
- is it worth sealing every document
- what is certifying evidence for