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Exporting the Checksum format


The Checksum export type is unique to Otobase and primarily used to report interim data in a clinical trial. Exporting Checksum files allows both the sender and recipient to be sure that the data has not been tampered with or changed without having to share the actual data.

When exporting Checksums, you have two options:

If you choose Export as text document, Otobase generates a tab-delimited text document with the checksum information. This text document can be opened by any word processing or spreadsheet program.

If you do not choose to Export as text document, Otobase generates the Checksum in a TRANSFER document, which can only be interpreted by Otobase. Although a Checksum text file will tell you if any of the data has been changed or tampered with, it does not prevent the omission of an entire record. To ensure a higher level of security for your Checksum data, do not check "Export as text document."

When you export the Checksum as a TRANSFER document, the recipient can open the document, extract the Checksum and place this information in a text document for analysis. The recipient can also compare the Checksum information with data records they have imported in the past to check for changes. Importing TRANSFER documents.

Selecting the Complete records option sends the Checksum stored internally for the entire record in the database, rather than just calculating checksums for the individual fields selected for export. If you are participating in a clinical trial, selecting the Complete records options allows you to send secure information about your files without sending all the data in the files. For more information on using Checksums and TRANSFER documents, see the Clinical Trials manual.

Related topics
Selecting data for export
Exporting the data
Importing TRANSFER documents


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