Evidence workflow · 4 min
Evidence types and what counts
The document source types DefenceFile recognises and how they map to fraud-prevention evidence under the GOV.UK guidance.
Help baseline: 2026-06-15
Recognised source types
DefenceFile classifies uploaded sources into typed categories that map to GOV.UK guidance evidence expectations. The source type affects which principles the evidence is suggested for and how it appears in the board pack.
- board_minutes — Board or committee papers with a fraud agenda item.
- policy — Written policy, procedure, or charter document.
- risk_register — Fraud risk register or risk assessment output.
- training_record — Training completion report or staff briefing record.
- third_party_attestation — Supplier or agent attestation or due-diligence record.
- contract — Contractual document with fraud or compliance provisions.
Mapping evidence to principles
When you upload a source and create an evidence item, DefenceFile suggests which principles it is likely to support. You can confirm or change the mapping — the workspace records the mapping you set, not an automated inference.
- A single evidence item can support multiple principles if it speaks to more than one.
- Suggested mappings are a prompt, not a determination — you control which evidence is linked to which principle.
- Unmapped evidence appears in the source register but not in principle coverage.
What does not count
Not every document is appropriate as evidence in a reasonable-procedures file. DefenceFile does not prevent you uploading anything, but the following are unlikely to strengthen a file.
- Generic industry templates with no organisation-specific adaptation.
- Undated or unsigned policy documents with no evidence of board approval.
- Training completion rates below a credible threshold with no explanation.
- Documents describing aspirational procedures not yet implemented.
- Whether a specific document counts is a question for legal advisers, not the software.
Boundary
DefenceFile help explains workflow operation. It does not provide legal advice, create privilege, certify scope, certify reasonable procedures, or guarantee that a statutory defence will succeed.
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