What is a PDF deletion receipt?

A deletion receipt is a signed, shareable record proving how a specific PDF job was handled: that processing ran locally in the browser and that the file was never retained on Vault PDF servers. Instead of telling a client or regulator that a confidential document was handled correctly, you show them.

Why "we deleted it" is not enough

Most free online PDF converters upload your file to their servers, process it there, and delete it after a retention window, often 1 to 24 hours. During that window the document exists on infrastructure you do not control, and afterward you have no evidence of what happened. For teams accountable to clients, insurers, or regulators, a claim without evidence does not hold up.

What a Vault PDF deletion receipt contains

• The tool used and when the job ran.
• A cryptographic signature so the receipt is tamper-evident and can be verified from a public link.
• Workflow metadata only: no filenames, document content, or PII are stored. The PDF bytes never reach Vault PDF servers for core tools, so there is nothing to leak.

How verification works

Each receipt has a public verification link. A client or compliance officer opens the link, and the signature is checked against the receipt contents. If anything was altered, verification fails. No account is required to verify a receipt.

When to share a receipt

1. Client deliverables: attach the receipt link when returning a processed document, such as a merged diligence pack or a sanitized payroll packet.
2. Compliance questions:answer "where did this file go?" with the receipt and the matching audit log entry.
3. Audit response: export receipts and audit logs for a period as documented evidence of handling practices.

Who uses deletion receipts

Deletion receipts are built for teams that are legally or contractually on the hook for client documents: M&A advisory firms handling CIMs and diligence packs, legal teams working with exhibits and discovery PDFs, and HR and payroll consultants processing employee PII across client companies.

See how the full proof model works in the Trust Center, or start a free trial and generate your first receipt in minutes.