For accountants, legal departments, and external auditors, maintaining the absolute integrity of file structures is critical. When tax documents, legal case archives, or corporate closing folders are assembled, proving that no file has been altered or tampered with is a legal necessity. Alterations to key files can lead to compliance violations, heavy fines, or even court evidence rejection.

📂 The Audit Trail Advantage: A signed file index provides irrefutable evidence of a folder's state at a specific point in time. Instead of relying on trust, DocInspector allows you to generate a cryptographically secured report locally.

What is the Advanced Bundle Report and SHA-256?

DocInspector features a module called the Advanced Bundle Report (Rapoarte avansate / Расширенный реестр). This tool recursively scans an entire folder structure, catalogs every file, and computes a unique SHA-256 hash (digital fingerprint) for each document.

If even a single character, formula, metadata property, or pixel inside a document is modified, its SHA-256 hash changes completely. Comparing these hashes provides definitive proof of whether files have been altered.

Step-by-Step: Creating a Signed Audit Trail

To secure a folder structure before archive submission or sharing with auditors:

  1. Launch DocInspector and select the root folder of your audit package.
  2. Navigate to the Reports panel and select Advanced Bundle Report.
  3. Configure the report settings:
    • Ensure "Compute Cryptographic SHA-256 Hashing" is checked.
    • Check the option to export as an **HTML index** or **XML report**.
    • (Optional) Add audit details like Auditor Name, Department, and Date.
  4. Click Generate Report. DocInspector will scan all files locally and produce the report file inside the root folder.

How to Verify Folder Integrity Later

If you need to verify the files months or years later (for example, during a tax audit):

  1. Open DocInspector and point it to the archived folder.
  2. Select Verify Folder Integrity and load the index report generated previously.
  3. DocInspector will automatically re-compute the hashes of all current files and compare them with the saved report.
  4. It will instantly display a clean visual breakdown:
    • Matched Hashes (Green): Files are 100% identical and have not been modified.
    • Modified Files (Red): Shows which files were edited or replaced.
    • Missing/New Files (Yellow): Highlights added or deleted documents.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the hashing safe for confidential data?

Yes, hashing is a one-way mathematical function. The file contents are processed locally to generate a short string of characters (the hash). No document content is ever saved or sent anywhere.

Can SHA-256 hashes be forged?

No, it is cryptographically impossible to modify a file and keep the same SHA-256 hash. This represents industry-standard digital proof accepted by courts and financial regulators worldwide.