Record anchoring: storing the digest of a document
So that an output can be questioned later, what is stored is not the document itself but the digest produced from it. This module records that digest and makes it comparable with the output in your hand.
This page is for organisations that want to be able to show that an output they produced is still the same output.
What it covers
The headings below describe the target scope of the module; they do not describe a screen you can open today.
- The digestWhat goes to the anchor is not the document itself but the digest produced from it.
- No personal dataPersonal data such as names, identifiers and health information is not written to the anchor; that boundary is part of the scope.
- Time of recordWhen the digest was recorded is kept together with the digest.
- ComparisonThe digest produced from the output in your hand is compared with the recorded digest.
- Link to the verification pageThe comparison works together with the document verification surface on this site.
- Boundary of scopeThe anchor does not show that the content of a document is correct; it only shows whether it matches the recorded digest.
How it connects
The anchor is not a surface on its own; it is read together with the verification, signature and interface pages.
- Document verificationThe page where the output in your hand is compared with the record.
- Electronic signatureA signature and a digest record do not replace one another; they are separate layers.
- Why an electronic signature is neededA short answer on what a signature covers.
- Interface documentationThe page to consult when you want to run the comparison from your own system.
What this page states and does not state
This page makes no absolute claim about a record. What is described is the storage of a digest and the ability to compare your output with it; it is not a judgement about the content of the document.
Tell us which of your outputs gets questioned later
Which document is asked about most often after the fact defines the scope. Write what you expect and we will take it into planning.
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