Answer: dating a document
How to date a documentWrite the date on it for readers; use a timestamp for proof of when it existed
TimeBinder adds a layer of protection against AI and human fraud and disputes.
The file stays on your device. Your browser makes a digital fingerprint of the file. TimeBinder records the fingerprint and the time, not the file.
Short answer
Write the date in the text or header so readers know when it was meant to apply. That date is only what you typed and anyone can change it. To show when an exact file existed, add an independent timestamp, such as a TimeBind, for that file.
Two different things called “dating”
The first is the date on the document: the day of a letter, the effective date of an agreement, a version date in a header. Use a clear format such as 13 November 2026 to avoid day-month confusion, and put it where readers will see it. In e-signature tools such as DocuSign, the signing date is usually added during signing and shown in the completion record.
The second is evidence of when the file existed. A date you type is easy to change, and the modified date on your computer can be reset (see how to see when a file was created). If it may matter later, such as for a draft, a design or a record of an idea, you want a time that does not depend on your own device.
Compare options on our emailing yourself and blockchain timestamp vs notary pages.
How to add a checkable date
Finish the document, save the final file, and make a TimeBind of that exact file. It records a SHA-256 fingerprint and a time, anchored to Bitcoin. The fingerprint is made in your browser and the file is not uploaded. It shows the file existed no later than the recorded time and still matches. See how to prove a document existed on a date.
If you change the document, make a new TimeBind for the new version. A TimeBind does not show who wrote the document or that its date or contents are accurate, and it is not legal registration or a notarisation.
First Pooled TimeBind free, no card, then from US$5. An ASAP TimeBind is US$15.
Frequently asked questions
What is the correct way to write the date on a document?
Use an unambiguous format such as 13 November 2026 and place it where readers will see it. Check any format your organisation or jurisdiction requires.
Does the date in a document prove when it was written?
No. It is only what was typed and can be changed. An independent timestamp of the exact file gives stronger evidence of when it existed.
Do I need to date every version?
If versions may matter, yes. A change to the file produces a different fingerprint, so each version needs its own timestamp.
Is a TimeBind a notarisation?
No. It records that an exact file existed no later than a time. It does not verify identity or witness signing.
Sources
- TimeBinder, How to prove a document existed on a date.
- TimeBinder, Blockchain timestamp vs notary.
Related guides and tools
- How to prove a document existed on a dateDate the exact file
- How to timestamp a document for freeFirst Pooled TimeBind free
- Emailing yourself as proofWhat it does and does not show
- How to see when a file was createdFile dates are clues
- Glossary: timestampWhat a timestamp is
- All answersShort answers to common file-proof questions
Record a fingerprint of the file you rely on
Add a layer of protection against AI and human fraud and disputes: a dated, checkable record of the exact file you hold.
- Open the app and sign in with email or Google.
- Add your files. They stay on your computer.
- Seal them and download your Proof of Time certificates.
First Pooled TimeBind free, no card, then from US$5. See pricing.