> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.rootkey.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Tamper-Evident Document Management

> Anchor documents at creation or approval and prove their integrity to any third party - without relying on a trusted intermediary or a centralised record system.

## The Problem

Organisations produce thousands of critical documents - contracts, regulatory filings, certificates, board resolutions, NDAs, audit reports. These documents define legal obligations, evidence compliance, and establish accountability.

The problem is that digital documents are trivially mutable. A file saved to a server can be altered without trace. A signature on a PDF is only as trustworthy as the system that issued and stores it. When a document needs to be verified - by a regulator, a counterparty, or a court - the verification chain inevitably leads back to a system that someone controls, and therefore someone could have manipulated.

Traditional document management systems solve version control. They do not solve trust.

***

## How ROOTKey Solves It

ROOTKey anchors a cryptographic hash of each document to the Polygon blockchain at the moment it is created, approved, or finalised. The blockchain record is:

* **Permanent** - it cannot be deleted or modified by anyone
* **Timestamped** - the block timestamp is set by the blockchain, not by your system
* **Independently verifiable** - any party with the original document can verify it against the on-chain record without contacting ROOTKey or you

If a document is altered after anchoring - even by a single character - the hash no longer matches the on-chain record. The tampering is detectable by anyone.

***

## Architecture

```mermaid theme={null}
flowchart TD
    A([Document Management\nSystem / Workflow]) -->|Create · Approve · Sign| B[ROOTKey API\nPOST /files]
    B --> C[(Blockchain Anchor\nPolygon Mainnet\nHash · Timestamp · Vault & File ID)]
    C --> D[Independent Verification\nPolygonscan · ROOTKey API]
```

ROOTKey fits alongside your existing DMS - it does not replace it. Your document storage, access controls, and workflows remain unchanged. ROOTKey adds the cryptographic trust layer on top.

***

## Implementation

<Steps>
  <Step title="Create a vault for document anchoring">
    Create a vault scoped to the document category - for example, legal contracts or regulatory filings. Configure the protocol based on your auditability requirements.

    → [Create Vault](/api-reference/platform/endpoint/vaults/create-vault)
  </Step>

  <Step title="Anchor a document at creation or approval">
    When a document reaches a significant lifecycle event (created, approved, signed, finalised), post it to the Files API. ROOTKey computes the hash and anchors it to the blockchain.

    → [Create File](/api-reference/platform/endpoint/files/create-file)
  </Step>

  <Step title="Create a new version on amendment">
    If the document is legitimately amended, create a new version. The previous version remains intact on-chain - the full amendment history is preserved and verifiable.

    → [Create File Version](/api-reference/platform/endpoint/files/create-file-versions)
  </Step>

  <Step title="Validate on demand">
    At any point - during an audit, a dispute, or a routine check - validate the document against its on-chain anchor. ROOTKey returns a valid or invalid result, and the validation event itself is anchored.

    → [Validate File](/api-reference/platform/endpoint/files/validate-file)
  </Step>

  <Step title="Share verifiable proof">
    Provide the file ID and vault ID to any counterparty or auditor. They can validate the document independently - either through the ROOTKey API or directly via Polygonscan - without requiring access to your systems.
  </Step>
</Steps>

***

## Recommended Configuration

| Parameter            | Recommendation                                                                                                                                                    |
| -------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Protocol**         | [RKP-1 (Full On-Chain)](/pages/protocols/rkp-1-on-chain) for legally critical documents; [RKP-3 (Hybrid)](/pages/protocols/rkp-3-hybrid) for high-volume archives |
| **Deployment**       | [API Integration](/pages/deployment/api-integration) for cloud-native DMS; [On-Premise](/pages/deployment/on-premise) for air-gapped or regulated environments    |
| **Trigger point**    | Anchor at the moment of signing or approval, not at upload - anchor the authoritative version                                                                     |
| **Version strategy** | Create a new version for each legitimate amendment; do not overwrite                                                                                              |
| **Personal data**    | Do not anchor documents containing personal data directly on-chain with RKP-1; use hash-only patterns or RKP-3 with off-chain storage                             |

***

## Key API Endpoints

| Endpoint                                                                           | Purpose                                         |
| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------- |
| [Create Vault](/api-reference/platform/endpoint/vaults/create-vault)               | Create a vault scoped to a document category    |
| [Create File](/api-reference/platform/endpoint/files/create-file)                  | Anchor a document                               |
| [List Files](/api-reference/platform/endpoint/files/get-files)                     | List and search anchored documents              |
| [Get File](/api-reference/platform/endpoint/files/get-file-by-id)                  | Retrieve a specific document record             |
| [Create File Version](/api-reference/platform/endpoint/files/create-file-versions) | Anchor an amended version                       |
| [Get File Versions](/api-reference/platform/endpoint/files/get-file-versions)      | Retrieve version history                        |
| [Validate File](/api-reference/platform/endpoint/files/validate-file)              | Validate a document against its on-chain anchor |
| [File History](/api-reference/platform/endpoint/files/get-files-history)           | Full audit history for a document               |

***

## Compliance Alignment

| Framework                     | How this use case helps                                                                                |
| ----------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| **NIS2**                      | Supports Article 21 - integrity and auditability of information assets for critical entities           |
| **ISO 27001** *(in progress)* | Addresses A.5.33 (protection of records) and A.8.15 (logging and monitoring)                           |
| **eIDAS**                     | On-chain anchors constitute qualified electronic evidence for document existence and integrity         |
| **GDPR**                      | Use RKP-3 with off-chain storage to maintain erasure capability for documents containing personal data |
| **DORA**                      | Immutable record-keeping for operational documentation in financial entities                           |

***

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