What You Get
When TrackForge certifies your catalogue, you receive four distinct deliverables. Each serves a different purpose and audience. Together, they form a complete, independently verifiable evidence package for your metadata.
Business outcomes
Catalogue owners typically use these deliverables to:
- Reduce disputes and payment holds by providing verifiable metadata.
- Accelerate partner onboarding and licensing approvals.
- Strengthen due diligence packages during catalogue sales.
The four deliverables at a glance
| Deliverable | Format | What it is | Primary audience |
|---|---|---|---|
| Track Certificate | JSON + HTML | Per-track certification with Merkle proof | Catalogue managers, internal QA |
| Catalogue Report | JSON + HTML | Aggregate certification summary for the batch | Senior management, business development |
| Chain of Title Export | JSON | Full rights chain with writer details and blockchain proof | Business Affairs, sync licensing, legal |
| Proof Bundle | ZIP archive | Self-contained verification package | Due diligence teams, dispute evidence, archival |
All four deliverables are produced for every certification tier (Gold, Silver, Bronze, and Declared). These four tiers are the public-facing groupings of TrackForge's underlying six-level metadata completeness model — see the Certification Tiers page for how they map. The tier badge on each deliverable indicates the verification depth applied, and the disclaimer text varies by tier, but the deliverable structure and cryptographic proofs are identical across all tiers.
What varies by tier
| Aspect | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Declared |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deliverables included | All four | All four | All four | All four |
| Tier badge | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Declared |
| Disclaimer text | B2B verification + human review | B2B verification (automated) | Partial verification, gaps documented | NOT independently verified |
| Human review confirmation | Included in audit trail | Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Operator audit trail | Full trail with human review actions | Full trail (automated actions) | Full trail (automated actions) | Minimal (timestamp only) |
| Gap documentation | N/A (no gaps at Gold) | N/A (structurally complete) | Gaps listed in certificate | N/A (no verification performed) |
Track Certificate
A Track Certificate is issued for each individual track that is certified. It is the most granular certification document. The certificate displays the assigned tier badge (Gold, Silver, Bronze, or Declared) prominently.
What it contains:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
isrc | The track's International Standard Recording Code |
title / artist | Track title and performing artist |
iswc | International Standard Musical Work Code (the underlying composition) |
writers | Songwriter details: name, IPI number, role, and share percentage |
certification_tier | The tier assigned to this track (gold, silver, bronze, or declared) |
record_hash | SHA-256 hash of the certified metadata — the cryptographic fingerprint |
canonical_json | The exact data that was hashed (allows independent re-verification) |
certification_version | Which version of the certification methodology was applied |
certified_at | Timestamp of certification |
merkle_proof | Cryptographic proof linking this track to the batch Merkle root |
anchors | Blockchain anchor details (transaction ID, OpenTimestamps proof) |
verification_url | URL where you can verify the certificate online |
Available as: Machine-readable JSON and a printable HTML document.
Track Certificates are useful when you need to demonstrate the certified state of a specific recording — for example, when responding to a metadata query from a PRO or resolving a discrepancy with a distributor.
Catalogue Report
The Catalogue Report is an aggregate summary covering all certified tracks in a batch. It provides the big picture, including a breakdown of how many tracks achieved each certification tier.
What it contains:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
catalog_id / batch_id | Identifiers for the catalogue and certification batch |
merkle_root | The root hash of the Merkle tree covering all tracks in the batch |
total_tracks | Number of tracks submitted |
tier_counts | Breakdown by tier: how many Gold, Silver, Bronze, and Declared |
certified_at | Timestamp of certification |
certification_version | Methodology version applied |
status | Certification status (e.g. anchored, pending) |
anchors | Blockchain anchor details (transaction ID, timestamp) |
tracks | Summary listing of all certified tracks with their assigned tiers |
methodology | The certification methodology text in effect at time of certification |
Available as: Machine-readable JSON and a printable HTML document.
The Catalogue Report is the document to share with potential buyers during catalogue acquisition discussions, or to present to senior management as evidence of metadata quality across the catalogue. The tier breakdown gives an immediate picture of overall catalogue health.
Chain of Title Export
The Chain of Title Export is the document that Business Affairs teams, sync licensing desks, and dispute lawyers reach for first. It maps out the full rights chain for every certified track, backed by cryptographic proof.
What it contains:
For each track in the catalogue:
- ISRC, title, artist, ISWC — Core identifiers
- Writers — Each songwriter's name, IPI number, role (e.g. composer, lyricist), and share percentage
- Certification tier — The tier assigned to this track
- Record hash and canonical JSON — For independent re-verification
- Merkle proof — Cryptographic proof linking to the batch root
- Certified at — Timestamp
At the catalogue level:
- Merkle root — The batch-level root hash
- Blockchain anchors — Transaction details and OpenTimestamps proof
- Operator audit trail — Evidence that a trained human operator reviewed and approved the certification (see below)
- Verification URL — For online verification
Available as: Machine-readable JSON.
The Chain of Title Export is designed for catalogue acquisitions, sync licensing clearance, and dispute resolution. It answers the question "who wrote this, what are their shares, and can you prove it?" in a single document. The tier for each track indicates the verification depth behind that answer.
Proof Bundle
The Proof Bundle is a self-contained ZIP archive that includes everything needed to independently verify the certification — even if TrackForge no longer exists. It is designed for archival, due diligence, and legal evidence purposes.
What it contains:
| File | Description |
|---|---|
catalog_report.json | Full catalogue certification report with tier breakdown |
chain_of_title.json | Complete chain of title with writer details and Merkle proofs |
tracks/ | Individual track certificates (one JSON file per ISRC) |
merkle_tree.json | Full Merkle tree serialisation (all leaf hashes and root) |
proofs/ | OpenTimestamps .ots proof files for blockchain verification |
operator_audit_trail.json | Record of all operator review actions |
methodology.txt | The certification methodology in effect at time of certification |
README.txt | Step-by-step verification instructions |
Available as: ZIP archive.
For a detailed walkthrough of the Proof Bundle, see The Proof Bundle.
The operator audit trail
For B2B engagements (Tier 2 and Tier 3), every certification includes an operator audit trail. This is a timestamped record of every action taken by the human operator who reviewed and approved the certification.
Each entry records:
- Operator — Username of the reviewing operator
- Action — What was done (e.g. certification approval, conflict resolution)
- Detail — Specifics of the action taken
- Timestamp — When the action occurred
The audit trail is included in both the Chain of Title Export and the Proof Bundle. Its purpose is to provide evidence that a qualified human reviewed the data before certification — not just an automated pipeline.
For Gold tier certifications, the audit trail includes explicit human review and approval actions. For Silver and Bronze tiers, the audit trail records the automated pipeline actions. For Declared tier, the audit trail records only the timestamping action.
In legal and commercial contexts, the difference between "a computer checked this" and "a trained professional reviewed and approved this" is significant. The operator audit trail bridges that gap, providing documentary evidence of human oversight. The certification tier makes the level of human involvement explicit.
Next step: share a readiness package
If you are preparing for a sale, audit, or licensing push, we can package a concise readiness summary alongside your certification deliverables.
Contact TrackForge
What's next
- Understanding Your Certificate — A field-by-field walkthrough of a Track Certificate, including the tier badge.
- The Proof Bundle — How to use the self-contained verification archive.