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Feature

Archive versions – and prove at any time which instructions applied

ManualPass keeps every version of your documents unchanged, secures them with SHA-256 checksums and records every change in a log whose checksum chain makes subsequent tampering detectable.

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Upload a new version – the old one stays unchanged in the archive.

Operating instructions DEBandsäge BS-400 · German
  1. v2 SHA-256 b81d…07e2 Current
  2. v1 SHA-256 5c20…9ad8 Archived
Which version applied on …?

The QR code stays the same, older versions remain available

The Machinery Regulation thinks in long periods. Digital instructions for use must be accessible online during the expected lifetime and for at least ten years after placing on the market (point (c) of the second subparagraph of Article 10(7)). The same applies to the digital EU declaration of conformity: expected lifetime, at least ten years after placing on the market or putting into service (Article 10(8)). In addition, you must keep the technical documentation and the EU declaration of conformity available to market surveillance for at least ten years (Article 10(3)).

In series production, these periods start afresh for every unit. A machine placed on the market in 2030 needs its instructions until at least 2040 – even if newer versions have long existed.

Which version applied when?

After an accident or an enquiry from market surveillance, a simple question often arises: which instructions did the customer have when they received the machine? Without an archive, this can hardly be answered. Files are overwritten, websites redesigned, file storage migrated.

ManualPass answers the question with three building blocks:

  • Unalterable versions: Every uploaded file stays as it was. A correction is always a new version.
  • SHA-256 checksum per file: The digital fingerprint shows whether a given file corresponds exactly to the archived one.
  • Audit log with a checksum chain: Every entry is linked to the previous one. If an entry is changed afterwards, the chain no longer matches – the tampering becomes apparent.

How versioning works in everyday practice

  1. Upload a new version: You upload the revised instructions as a PDF to the machine type.
  2. The checksum is calculated: ManualPass generates the SHA-256 checksum and creates the version.
  3. The scan page updates itself: The new version automatically appears behind the unchanged QR code.
  4. The old version remains: The previous version stays archived with its checksum and remains retrievable.
  5. The log records it: Who uploaded which version and when is recorded in the audit log.

Archived machines remain accessible

When a model is discontinued, you archive the machine type. It remains publicly accessible even if you no longer build or sell it. The QR code on the delivered machines continues to lead to the documents.

Common misconception

“Keep for ten years” and “provide online for ten years” are two different obligations. Keeping under Article 10(3) concerns the technical documentation and the EU declaration of conformity for the authorities. Online availability under Article 10(7) and (8) concerns what users can access. ManualPass supports the second obligation and archives the documents provided; you keep the rest of the technical documentation yourself.

Checksums visible to users

The checksum is not only in the internal archive but also on the scan page. A customer who downloaded instructions years ago can thus check whether their file corresponds to an archived version.

Situation What ManualPass provides
A customer claims to have received different instructions Archived versions with date and checksum
Market surveillance asks for the 2028 version Retrievable version including the log entry
Internal check whether someone has swapped files Audit log with a checksum chain
Model is discontinued, machines are still in use Archived machine type remains publicly accessible

Practical tip

Enter the version number of the instructions for use in your delivery documents. Together with the archive in ManualPass, it is then clear for every delivery which version applied.

How to secure the ten-year availability organisationally is explained in the guide Instructions for use online for 10 years. Information on hosting and integrity can be found under Security.

Frequently asked questions

Can I change an uploaded version afterwards?

No. Every version remains archived unchanged. You upload corrections as a new version; the previous version is kept with its checksum and remains retrievable.

What is a SHA-256 checksum?

A SHA-256 checksum is a 64-character value calculated from the content of a file. Even the smallest change to the file produces a completely different value, so two files can be reliably checked for identity.

What happens to machines I no longer build?

You can archive the machine type. It remains publicly accessible, the QR code continues to work, and users find the documents as before. This keeps the instructions online for discontinued models too.

Does ManualPass replace keeping the technical documentation?

No. ManualPass archives the documents provided, such as instructions for use and the EU declaration of conformity. You continue to keep the technical documentation under Article 10(3), such as the risk assessment and calculations, yourself.

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