Proving that a document was created by a particular user is referred to as

Table of Contents Show

How a document works
Digital documents
The structure of a document
Document classification
Document vs. documentation
Electronic document management systems

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A document is a form of information that might be useful to a user or set of users. This information can be in digital and nondigital forms. Accordingly, a document can be either digital or nondigital. Different methods are used to store digital and nondigital documents.

A nondigital or paper document can be physically stored in a file cabinet, whereas an electronic or digital document is stored in a computer as one or more files. Digital documents can also be part of a database. Electronic document management programs deal with the management, storage and security of electronic documents.

Learn the leading advantages of a good document management system in a hybrid work environment.

How a document works

In general, a document refers to a permanent record of information that can be retrieved at some later time by a user. An entire document or individual parts in it can be treated as individual data items in a document storage system.

Here are some common examples of documents:

letters
sales invoices
wills and deeds
newspaper issues
individual newspaper stories
oral history recordings
executive orders
meeting minutes
product specifications
financial statements
certificates
licenses
manuscripts

Documents present information that might be useful to users.

Documents are used by a variety of users in a wide range of fields, including the following:

business
law
media
education
government
politics

In pre-computer days, documents were usually written by hand or typed out on typewriters. These documents contained text, pictures, photographs, tables and other elements. Today, millions of documents are created and saved in digital format. However, physical or paper documents remain in use, and the idea of a "paperless" world seems improbable for now.

Digital documents

In the past, the term document referred only to handwritten or typed records of information. Now, the term also includes records created and stored in a digital format using computers and other digital devices such as tablets and smartphones.

When created with a computer application such as a spreadsheet or word processor, a document is a unit of saved work. Also, each digital document is saved as a file with a unique name that differentiates it from all other documents. A unique name also makes it easier for users to retrieve the document they need without having to waste time opening multiple documents.

Some key aspects of document version control.

The structure of a document

Most documents, especially those created in organizations or other professional settings, usually adhere to some conventions and standards that are universally accepted across that organization. Such adherence ensures that each new document is similar to previous documents in form and basic structure, bringing greater standardization and transparency into the organization's documentation workflows and ecosystem.

Generally, a document can take on any form or structure. For example, one document might contain only text, while another contains a mix of text, tables, images and other graphical elements. A third document might be a form, while another contains only charts or graphs.

Depending on the purpose and audience, a document can be unstructured or semistructured. A handwritten note or letter is a type of unstructured document, while newspapers, books and online blogs are all types of semistructured documents.

Document classification

There are many ways to classify documents, depending on the user or organization doing the classification. One popular method is to classify documents as public, private, and secret or classified.

Public documents are usually freely available to anyone who wants to access or read them. These include documents available on the web, newspapers, library resources, and information recorded and filed by public agencies, known as public records. In some countries, the access and use of public records is guided by law. In the United States, the law is called the Freedom of Information Act.

Private documents are only accessible to those users who are authorized to do so by a governing party. This party can be the original creator, a company's IT department, senior management, etc.

To protect private documents from being accessed by unauthorized users, they must be protected with appropriate safeguards. Physical private documents must be placed under lock and key, and the physical area must be guarded by security personnel and closed-circuit cameras. Digital documents can be protected by requiring all authorized users to provide a password to open or edit the document. These documents can also be encrypted or stored in a safe digital location that can only be accessed by authorized users with some kind of authentication, such as a password or multifactor authentication.

Secret or classified documents are typically restricted to a very small group of authorized users. These documents can belong to a company, a government, a military group, etc. Classified information belonging to a government is always protected via encryption, access control and security clearances. Further, access to these documents can be restricted by law, usually on a need-to-know basis. Finally, the mishandling, loss or compromise of classified documents -- whether done maliciously or inadvertently -- can incur criminal penalties on the responsible party.

Document vs. documentation

A document is not the same as documentation. A document is a record of some information that can be used as an authority or for reference, further analyses or study. Documentation refers to the ongoing process of creating, disseminating, managing and using documents.

The original term for collecting, preserving, organizing, describing, retrieving, reproducing and disseminating documents was bibliography. Today, all those activities fall under the description of documentation. This general term, which has been in use for more than a century, encompasses bibliography, information services, records management and document archiving.

Electronic document management systems

An electronic document management system (EDMS) is a type of software application to manage, secure and control electronic information and records. Most EDMS applications include functionalities such as the following:

document versioning and history
security and access control
metadata capture
secure document storage and retrieval

Some EDMS applications also include capabilities for records management, free text search and format conversion.

Steps in the document management system process.

Organizations that create and manage a large number of documents can benefit from an EDMS. An EDMS can automate several document workflows and streamline access to information. It can also minimize duplication and help control access to documents. An EDMS can also automate document classification and help the organization comply with regulatory requirements related to records retention and security.

See also: document capture, document lifecycle, document sanitization, working draft, digital signature, document-oriented database

An electronic copy of a Word document that you share with clients or colleagues often contains hidden data or personal information that is stored in the document itself or in the document properties or metadata.

Tip: If you're just looking to not print comments, go to File > Print, click Print All Pages and uncheck Print Markup.

Word documents can contain the following types of hidden data and personal information:

Comments, revision marks from tracked changes, versions, and ink annotations If you've collaborated with other people to create your document, your document might contain items such as revision marks from tracked changes, comments, ink annotations, or versions. This information can enable other people to see the names of people who worked on your document, comments from reviewers, and changes that were made to your document, things that you might not want to share outside of your team.
Document properties and personal information Document properties, or metadata, include details about your document such as author, subject, and title. Document properties also include information that is automatically maintained by Office programs, such as the name of the person who most recently saved a document and the date when a document was created. If you used specific features, your document might also contain additional kinds of personally identifiable information (PII), such as e-mail headers, send-for-review information, routing slips, and template names.
Headers, footers, and watermarks Word documents can contain information in headers and footers. Additionally, you might have added a watermark to your Word document.
Hidden text Word documents can contain text that is formatted as hidden text. If you do not know whether your document contains hidden text, you can use the Document Inspector to search for it.
Document server properties If your document was saved to a location on a document management server, such as a Document Workspace site or a library based on Windows SharePoint Services, the document might contain additional document properties or information related to this server location.
Custom XML data Documents can contain custom XML data that is not visible in the document itself. The Document Inspector can find and remove this XML data.

You can use the Document Inspector to find and remove hidden data and personal information in Word documents. It is a good idea to use the Document Inspector before you share an electronic copy of your Word document, such as in an e-mail attachment.

Important: We highly recommend that you use the Document Inspector on a copy of your original document, because it is not always possible to restore the data that the Document Inspector removes.

Open the Word document that you want to inspect for hidden data and personal information.
Click the File tab, click Save As, and then type a name in the File name box to save a copy of your original document.
In the copy of your original document, click the File tab, and then click Info.
Click Check for Issues, and then click Inspect Document.
In the Document Inspector dialog box, select the check boxes to choose the types of hidden content that you want to be inspected.
Click Inspect.
Review the results of the inspection in the Document Inspector dialog box.
Click Remove All next to the inspection results for the types of hidden content that you want to remove from your document.

Important:
- If you remove hidden content from your document, you might not be able to restore it by clicking Undo.
- If you want to remove hidden data and personal information from documents that you save in the OpenDocument Text (.odt) format, you must run the Document Inspector every time that you save the document in that format.

In Word, the Document Inspector displays several different Inspectors that allow you to find and remove hidden data and personal information that is specific to Word documents. For a list of the different types of hidden data and personal information that the Document Inspector can find and remove from Word documents, review the following table.

Notes:

If your organization customized the Document Inspector by adding Inspector modules, you might be able to check your documents for additional types of information.
If you are using Microsoft Word Starter 2010, not all the features listed for Word are supported in Word Starter. For more information about the features available in Word Starter, see Word Starter feature support.

Inspector name	Finds and removes
Comments, Revisions, Versions, and Annotations Note: In Word Starter 2010, Document Inspector removes only versions and annotations.	Comments Revision marks from tracked changes Document version information Ink annotations
Document Properties and Personal Information	Document properties, including information from the Summary, Statistics, and Custom tabs of the Document Properties dialog box E-mail headers Routing slips Send-for-review information Document server properties Document Management Policy information Content type information Databinding link information for databound fields (last value will be converted to text) User name Template name
Headers, Footers, and Watermarks	Information in document headers Information in document footers Watermarks
Hidden Text	Text that is formatted as hidden (a font effect that is available in the Font dialog box) Note: This Inspector cannot detect text that was hidden by other methods (for example, white text on a white background).
Custom XML Data	Custom XML data that might be stored within a document
Invisible Content	Objects that are not visible, because they have been formatted as invisible. Note: This Inspector cannot detect objects that are covered by other objects.

When you share an electronic copy of an Excel workbook, make sure that you review the workbook for hidden data or personal information that might be stored in the workbook itself or its document properties (metadata).

The Document Inspector in Excel can help you find and remove hidden data and personal information in your workbooks.

Note: Although you can remove hidden data and personal information from workbooks you have sent to other people, if the Excel workbook has been saved as a Shared Workbook, you can't remove comments, annotations, document properties, and personal information. To remove this information from a shared workbook, first copy and turn off the Shared Workbook feature.

Document Inspector helps you find and remove hidden data and personal information in Excel workbooks. It's a good idea to use the Document Inspector before you share an electronic copy of your workbook, such as in an email attachment.

Important: We highly recommend that you use the Document Inspector on a copy of your original workbook, because it is not always possible to restore the data that the Document Inspector removes.

Open the workbook you want to inspect for hidden data and personal information.
Click File > Save As, and type a different name in the File name box to save a copy of your original workbook.
In the copy of your original workbook, click File > Info.
Click Check for Issues, and then click Inspect Document.
In the Document Inspector box, check the boxes of the types of hidden content you want to be inspected. For more information about the individual inspectors, see What the Document Inspector finds and removes in Excel documents.
Click Inspect.
Review the results of the inspection in the Document Inspector box.
Click Remove All next to the inspection results for the types of hidden content you want to remove from your document.

Important:
- If you remove hidden content from your workbook, you might not be able to restore it by clicking Undo.
- If you remove hidden rows, columns, or worksheets that contain data, you might change the results of the calculations or formulas in your workbook. If you don't know what information the hidden rows, columns or worksheets contain, close the Document Inspector, unhide the hidden rows, columns, or worksheets, and then review their contents.
- The inspectors for Comments and Annotations, Document Properties and Personal Information, and Headers and Footers can't be used in a workbook that has been saved as a shared workbook (Review > Share Workbook). This is because shared workbooks use personal information to enable different persons to collaborate on the same workbook. To remove this information from a shared workbook, you can copy the workbook and then unshare it. To unshare a workbook, click Review > Share Workbook and uncheck the Allow changes by more than one user at the same time box.
  
  Note: Unsharing isn't available in Microsoft Excel Starter 2010. To unshare, you must use the full version of Excel.
- If you want to remove hidden data and personal information from spreadsheets you save in the OpenDocument Spreadsheet (.ods) format, you need to run the Document Inspector every time you save the spreadsheet in this format.

These are some of the items that can be the source of hidden data and personal information in your Excel workbooks:

Comments and ink annotations Your workbook might contain items such as comments or ink annotations if you collaborated with other people to create your workbook. This information can let other people see the names of people who worked on your workbook, comments from reviewers, and changes that were made to your workbook.
Document properties and personal information Metadata or document properties in Excel, just as in other Office apps, include details such as author, subject, and title. Office automatically maintains the name of the person who most recently saved a workbook, the date when a document was created, and document location (Excel 2013 or later versions). There may be additional kinds of personally identifiable information (PII), such as email headers, send-for-review information, routing slips, printer properties (for example, printer path and secure print passcode), and file path information for publishing Web pages.
Headers and footers Workbooks can have information in headers and footers.
Hidden rows, columns, and worksheets Workbooks can have rows, columns, and entire worksheets that are hidden. If you distribute a copy of a workbook that has hidden rows, columns, or worksheets, other people might unhide them to view the data that they contain.
Document server properties Workbooks that are saved to a location on a document management server, such as a Document Workspace site or a library based on Windows SharePoint Services, might contain additional document properties or information related to the server location.
Custom XML data Workbooks can have custom XML data that isn't visible in the document itself. The Document Inspector can find and remove this XML data.
Invisible content Workbooks can have objects that aren't visible because they are formatted as invisible.
External links Workbooks can have links to data in other workbooks (external links). The names of the worksheets containing that data are then saved with the workbooks but may not be visible.
Embedded files or objects Workbooks can have embedded files (such as an Office or Text document) or embedded objects (such as a chart or and equation) that may have data that isn't visible.
Macros of VBA code Workbooks can have macros, VBA modules, COM or ActiveX controls, User Forms, or User-Defined Functions (UDFs) that may contain hidden data.
Items that may have cached data Workbooks can have cached data for PivotTables, PivotCharts, slicers, timelines, and Cube formulas that might not be visible.
Excel Surveys Workbooks can have hidden Excel Survey questions that were entered in Excel for the web and saved with the workbook, but aren't visible there.
Scenario Manager scenarios Workbooks can have scenarios that were defined by using Scenario Manager. These scenarios may contain cached or hidden data.
Filters Workbooks can have active Autofilters or table filters that might cause cached or hidden data to be saved with the workbook.
Hidden names Workbooks can have hidden names that might be the source of hidden data.

Document Inspector displays items that it detects to help you find and remove hidden data and personal information that's specific to Excel workbooks. The table that follows lists the types of hidden data and personal information the Document Inspector can find and remove from your workbooks.

Notes:

Not all of the Excel features that are listed in the table are supported in Microsoft Excel Starter 2010.
If your organization has added custom inspector modules to the Document Inspector, you might see additional types of information.

For these items:	The Document Inspector finds and removes:
Comments and Annotations	Note: In Excel Starter 2010, Document Inspector removes only annotations.
Document Properties and Personal Information	Document properties, including information from the Summary, Statistics, and Custom tabs of the Document Properties dialog box (Excel 2013 or later versions) Document location, when clicking Remove All, the existing document location will be cleaned up from the file. The document location won’t be added back to the file while saving until you close Excel 2013 or later and reopen the file again. Email headers Routing slips Send-for-review information Document server properties Document Management Policy information Content type information User name Printer path information Scenario comments File path for publishing Web pages Comments for defined names and table names Inactive external data connections
Headers and Footers	Information in worksheet headers Information in worksheet footers
Hidden Rows and Columns	Hidden rows Hidden columns that contain data Notes: If there are hidden columns in your workbook that don't contain data and that are located between columns that do contain data, these empty hidden columns will also be detected and removed. If the hidden rows or columns in your workbook contain data, you might change the results of the calculations or formulas in your workbook by removing them. If you don't know what information the hidden rows or columns contain, close the Document Inspector, unhide the hidden rows or columns, and then review their contents. The Document Inspector doesn't detect shapes, charts, controls, Microsoft ActiveX objects and controls, pictures, or SmartArt graphics that might be located in hidden columns. Hidden rows or hidden columns are not removed if they are part of a table header, list header, or a Pivottable. These rows and columns are unhidden.
Hidden Worksheets	Hidden worksheets Note: If the hidden worksheets in your workbook contain data, you might change the results of the calculations or formulas in your workbook by removing them. If you don't know what information the hidden worksheets contain, close the Document Inspector, unhide the hidden worksheets, and then review their contents.
Custom XML Data	Custom XML data that might be stored within a workbook
Invisible Content	Objects that aren't visible because they are formatted as invisible Note: The Document Inspector doesn't detect objects that are covered by other objects.

The Document Inspector detects the following items that might have data that isn't visible in your workbook. It can't remove these items for you because it might cause the workbook to not work properly. You can examine each item that's found and determine if you want to remove it manually or replace it with an item that doesn't have hidden data, such as a static picture.

For these items:	The Document Inspector finds:
External links	Links to data in other workbooks. The names of the worksheets that contain the data are saved with your workbook but it isn't visible there. External links include external references that are used in: Worksheet cells Names Objects, such as text boxes or shapes Chart titles Chart data series
Embedded files or objects	Embedded files (such as an Office or Text document) or embedded objects (such as a chart or an equation) that may have data that isn't visible in your workbook. Here are examples of some object types: Bitmap image objects Microsoft Equation 3.0 objects Microsoft Graph Chart objects PowerPoint Presentation objects Visio Drawing objects Word Document objects OpenDocument Text objects
Macros of VBA code	Macro or VBA items that may have hidden data in your workbook. This includes: Macros, including Excel 4.0 Macro sheets (XLM) VBA modules COM or ActiveX controls User Forms, including Excel 5.0 Forms User-Defined Functions (UDFs)
BI features with cached data	BI features that may have cached data that's saved with the workbook, possibly containing data that's not visible. The Document Inspector checks for following items that may have PivotCache, SlicerCache, or Cube formula cache: PivotTables and PivotCharts Slicers and timelines Cube formulas
Excel Surveys	Excel Survey questions that were created in Excel for the web and saved with the workbook without being visible there.
Scenario Manager scenarios	Scenarios that are defined with Scenario Manager and may cause cached or hidden data to be saved with the workbook.
Filters	Filters that can be the cause of cached or hidden data in your workbook. The Document Inspector checks for AutoFilters and table filters that are applied to your data.
Hidden names	Hidden names that might store hidden data in the workbook.

You can look for and remove hidden information in your PowerPoint presentations by using the Document Inspector.

Tip: If you're just looking to not print comments, go to File > Print, click Full Page Slides and uncheck Print Comments.

Important: We highly recommend that you use the Document Inspector on a copy of your original presentation, because it is not always possible to restore the data that the Document Inspector removes.

Open the PowerPoint presentation that you want to inspect for hidden data and personal information.
On the File tab, pick Save As, and then type a name in the File name box to save a copy of your original presentation.
In the copy of your original presentation, on the File tab, pick Info.
Click Check for Issues, and then Inspect Document.
In the Document Inspector dialog box, select the check boxes to choose the types of hidden content that you want to be inspected. For more information about the individual Inspectors, see Remove hidden data and personal information by inspecting documents, presentations, or workbooks.
Click Inspect.
Review the results of the inspection in the Document Inspector dialog box.
Click Remove All next to the inspection results for the types of hidden content that you want to remove from your document.
- If you remove hidden content from your presentation, you might not be able to restore it by clicking Undo.
- If you want to remove hidden data and personal information from presentations you save in the OpenDocument Presentation (.odp) format, you must run the Document Inspector every time you save the presentation in this format.

PowerPoint presentation can save several types of hidden data and personal information. While this information might not be immediately visible, it can still be retrieved from your presentation.

Hidden information can include the data that PowerPoint adds to let you collaborate on creating the presentation with other people. It can also include information that you deliberately designate as hidden.

PowerPoint presentations can contain the following types of hidden data and personal information:

Comments and ink annotations If you collaborate with other people to create your presentation, your presentation might contain items such as comments or ink annotations. This information can allow other people to see the changes that were made and the names of those who worked on your presentation, along with comments from reviewers.
Revision tracking data When you collaborate on a shared document that's stored in the cloud, PowerPoint 2016 for Microsoft 365 stores data about who made changes to the document and when the changes were made.
Document properties and personal information Document properties, also known as metadata, include details about your presentation such as author, subject, and title. Document properties also include information that is automatically maintained by Office programs, such as the name of the person who most recently saved a document and the date when a document was created. If you used specific features, your document might also contain additional kinds of personally identifiable information (PII), such as email headers, send-for-review information, routing slips, and file path information for publishing Web pages.
Invisible on-slide content Your presentation might contain objects that are not visible because they are formatted as invisible.
Off-slide content PowerPoint presentations can contain objects that are not immediately visible because they were dragged off the slide into the off-slide area. This off-slide content can include text boxes, clip art, graphics, and tables.
Presentation notes The Notes section of a PowerPoint presentation can contain text that you might not want to share publicly, especially if the notes were written solely for the use of the person who is delivering the presentation.
Document server properties If your presentation was saved to a location on a document management server, such as a Document Workspace site or a library based on Windows SharePoint Services, the presentation might contain additional document properties or information related to this server location.
Custom XML data Presentations can contain custom XML data that is not visible in the document itself. The Document Inspector can find and remove this XML data.

In PowerPoint, the Document Inspector displays several different Inspectors that enable you to find and remove hidden data and personal information that is specific to PowerPoint presentations. For a list of the different types of hidden data and personal information that the Document Inspector can find and remove from presentations, review the following table.

If your organization customized the Document Inspector by adding Inspector modules, you might be able to check your presentations for additional types of information.

Inspector name	Finds and removes
Comments and Annotations
Document Properties and Personal Information	Document properties, including information from the Summary, Statistics, and Custom tabs of the Document Properties dialog box Email headers Routing slips Send-for-review information Document server properties Document Management Policy information Content type information File path for publishing Web pages
Revision Tracking Data	Data about who has edited the file and when it was edited. This feature is only available to Microsoft 365 subscribers who have joined the Office Insider program. If you are a Microsoft 365 subscriber, make sure you have the latest version of Office.
Invisible On-Slide Content	Objects that are not visible because they are formatted as invisible This Inspector does not detect objects that are covered by other objects.
Off-Slide Content	Content or objects that are not immediately visible in a presentation because they are located outside the slide area, including: Clip art Text boxes Graphics Tables The Document Inspector does not detect or remove off-slide objects with animation effects.
Presentation Notes	Text that was added to the Notes section of a presentation The Document Inspector cannot remove pictures that are added to the Notes section of a presentation.
Custom XML Data	Custom XML data that might be stored within a presentation

The Document Inspector detects the following items that might have data that isn't visible in your presentation. Document Inspector can't remove these items for you because it might cause the presentation to not work properly. You can examine each item that's found and determine if you want to remove it manually or replace it with an item that doesn't have hidden data, such as a static picture.

For these items:

The Document Inspector finds:

Embedded files or objects

Embedded files (such as an Office or Text document) or embedded objects (such as a chart or an equation) that may have data that isn't visible in your workbook. Here are examples of some object types:

Bitmap image objects
Microsoft Equation 3.0 objects
Microsoft Graph Chart objects
PowerPoint Presentation objects
Visio Drawing objects
Word Document objects
OpenDocument Text objects

Macros or VBA code

Macro or VBA items that may have hidden data in your presentations. This includes:

Macros
VBA modules
COM or ActiveX controls

Revision tracking data, introduced in PowerPoint 2016 build 8403 for Microsoft 365 Insiders, illustrates a limitation of Document Inspector. For example, let's say Kelly and Linda collaborate on Presentation A in Microsoft 365. Revision tracking data (that is, user names and the times when they made edits) is added to the presentation. If Mohammed subsequently opens Presentation A in PowerPoint 2013 and runs Document Inspector on the file to remove personal data, the Document Inspector in that version of PowerPoint won't be able to detect and remove the revision tracking data added to the presentation by the newer, Microsoft 365 version of PowerPoint used by Kelly and Linda. Mohammed can’t remove the revision tracking data without upgrading to the current version of PowerPoint and then running Document Inspector

You can remove hidden information in Visio, just like you can from other apps for Office. Before you give others a copy of a Visio document, there may be informatioin you want to remove from the document and from the document file properties.

Personal information can be easily removed from the following feature areas in Visio:

Comments inserted on the pages of your document
File properties (Author, Manager, and Company)
Reviewer names, initials, and markup
Stencil file paths
Template file path and name

Note: If a document is available to other people on a shared server, whenever someone opens the document, information is displayed about the name of the user who has the file open and the name of the computer on which the file is stored. To help protect this information, make sure that any shared documents can be accessed only by trusted users.

You can look for and remove hidden information in your Visio presentations by taking the following steps.

Click File > Info > Remove Personal Information.
Click the Personal Information tab.
Select the Remove these items from the document check box.

Tip: Select the Warn me if I try to reinsert this information check box if you want to see a warning whenever you try to reinsert personal information.
To remove potentially sensitive data from external data sources, select the Remove data from external sources stored in the document check box.

Note: Selecting this check box does not remove data that has been linked to a shape. It removes the data source from the diagram, but if any data from the data source is in the diagram, you need to remove it manually.