When you store a document in ProvenDB Document Management, it is placed within a database in the normal way. It differs from all other document management systems though in that it anchors your document's content, ownership, and timestamp on the Blockchain.

The Blockchain is the technology that underlies the bitcoin cryptocurrency. The reason why bitcoin works at all as a currency is that the Blockchain does not allow any hacking or alteration of its data. When a record is written to the Blockchain, it cannot be altered or removed. So when we write a digital signature of your document to the Blockchain, that signature proves forever that your document was uploaded at that time and has not been tampered with.

This proof is mathematically indisputable and is increasingly recognised in legislation, making it a powerful asset in court. We will provide you with all the information (simplified in clear language) and steps required to prove your document with or without ProvenDB Document Management.

Only the cryptographic signature (hash) is stored on the public Blockchain and cannot be used to view your document contents. Your document is stored securely in the ProvenDB Document Management database and cannot be viewed by anyone without your permission.

Why would I use ProvenDB Document Management?

You can use ProvenDB Document Management to prove:

A document existed at a certain point in time.
You were in possession of the document.
The document has not been altered in any way since that time.
The sequence of changes that occurred in a document (its provenance).

Having a Blockchain-proven document can be invaluable for:

Legal documents: wills, contracts, etc. You can prove that these documents have not been altered and prove their timestamp.
Intellectual property: You can prove invention, creation or authorship of anything that can be stored in a document.
Accounting and financial data: You can prove that balance sheets or taxation records have not been altered or back dated.

ProvenDB

ProvenDB Document Management uses ProvenDB to create blockchain proofs and to manage database storage. You can read more about ProvenDB blockchain proofs in the ProvenDB documentation set - perhaps in the Introduction or Concepts guide.

If you store document in ProvenDB Document Management you will forever be able to prove that the document existed in its current form at the time you uploaded it. You can even prove that you sent or received emails. All of this can be invaluable if you wish to prove the date or content of a legal document, prove your ownership of some intellectual property or prove that important documents have not been altered.