---
title: Download, send and record
description: "Download your prepared file, send it to the society yourself, then record who you sent it to, how and when."
keywords: [download, send, record, delivery, delivery record, I've sent it, sent by you, manifest, snapshot, prepared not sent]
---

Today TrackForge sends nothing itself. Once a file is prepared, you download it, send it to the society by the society's own route, then come back and record that you sent it. The record lets TrackForge wait for the society's reply and keep the file on [Today](/docs/workspace/today/) until it arrives.

## Before you start

You need a prepared file. See [Prepare a file](/docs/workspace/files/prepare). Only owners and editors can record a send.

## Steps

1. Open the file. It opens when you prepare it. Later, choose **Files and responses** and open the file from **Preparation history**, or press **Record that you sent it** beside the file on Today.
2. Press **Download file**. The page shows **Downloaded ✓**, and the button becomes **Download again**.
3. Send the file yourself, outside TrackForge, by the society's own route, such as its online portal or email. The page reminds you that TrackForge sends nothing. Under **Recorded deliveries and society responses**, a note gives the route the society publishes. If it says the route is unknown, confirm the method with the society.
4. Come back and press **I’ve sent it**. A window headed **Record that you sent this file** opens over the page.
5. Fill it in. Enter what you actually did:
   - **Society you sent it to**. It starts as the society you prepared the file for. It decides whose reply TrackForge says it is waiting for, and names the box where you upload that reply.
   - **How you sent it**: **The society’s online portal**, **Email** or **Another way**. For another way, describe it in **Describe how you sent it**.
   - **Date and time sent · your local time**. It starts as now. Change it to when you really sent the file.
   - The tick box that begins **I sent this exact file to**. It says you sent the file yourself. The window shows the file name and its SHA-256, a code that identifies that exact file, so the record is about one file.
6. Press **Save delivery record**. It stays off until you have chosen how you sent the file, with a description if you chose **Another way**, and ticked the box. The time must be after the file was prepared and not in the future. **Cancel** closes the window without saving.

![The Record that you sent this file window, with the society, the way it was sent, the date and time and the tick box filled in.](/docs/img/workspace/record-sent.png)

## What you will see

- **Delivery recorded.** and a line saying TrackForge is waiting for the society's response.
- A strip of three stages, **Prepared**, **Sent** and **Response**. The file is now at **Sent**.
- A record headed **Recorded by you**, with the society, the route and the time.
- On Today, the file under **Files in progress** as **Awaiting response**.

Until you record the send, the file stays **Prepared — not sent**, and TrackForge does not know to wait for a response. If you also sent the same file to another society, press **Record another send of this file** and choose that society. A file can be recorded once for each society, and a record cannot be changed afterwards, so check what you entered before you save it.

When the society replies, [upload its response](/docs/workspace/files/upload-a-response).

## Other things on this page

- **Download work manifest…** lists the works in the file as Excel, CSV (in a zip) or JSON.
- **Technical file details and preserved evidence** holds the exact works and settings used, with **Download exact snapshot JSON**. Later edits leave the file and this evidence as they were.

## If something goes wrong

- **The file's page says the saved work has changed.** The note reads **Saved work has changed since this revision was prepared.** The file is still the one you downloaded. To send the newer versions, press **Prepare latest saved versions**, then download, send and record the new file.
- **There is no record button.** The button **I’ve sent it** is missing when you can only look, or when the page says **Can't prepare yet** and no file was made. See [Prepare a file](/docs/workspace/files/prepare).

## Related

- [Upload a response](/docs/workspace/files/upload-a-response)
- [What Today shows](/docs/workspace/today/)
- [What the statuses mean](/docs/workspace/catalogue/statuses)