PEC storage and DAT format

Companies today find themselves having to manage an increasing amount of digital documents that have legal and evidentiary value. These include PEC storage (Certified E-mail) plays a fundamental role, being equated by law with a registered letter with return receipt. This means that a message sent via PEC constitutes to all intents and purposes a document with legal value, capable of attesting to the transmission and receipt of a communication.

Many companies, however, still make the mistake of continuing to simply store PEC messages within the mailbox provided by the provider. A practice that, while valid, does not guarantee full legal validity over time, effectively exposing the company to significant risks in the event of litigation or audits. The PEC storage in accordance with standards, in fact, requires well-defined processes, technological tools that comply with regulations and compliance with precise rules set by Italian and European law.

Lanpartners, a technology partner capable of offer solutions of standardized digital storage, integrates security, regulatory compliance and business continuity for professional PEC and digital document management. This allows not only to comply with legal obligations, but also to strengthen internal efficiency and protect corporate reputation in any risk situation.

The legal basis of PEC storage

In addition to being one of the most widely used tools for businesses to send official communications, CEM has a legal value that imposes precise retention obligations on companies. According to the Civil Code (Art. 2214 and Art. 2220), companies must keep all business correspondence-including PEC-for at least 10 years. This applies to both sent and received messages.

Two basic concepts must now be distinguished:

• Archiving: simple storage of a file or message in a computer system. Does not guarantee authenticity, integrity, or unchangeability;
• Preservation in accordance with: regulated process that ensures evidentiary value through techniques such as digital signatures and time stamps.

Relying solely on the certified e-mail provider is not enough: although it retains messages for a while, it does not guarantee their legal validity in the long term. For this reason, companies need a dedicated system of PEC storage.

Technical regulations and the DAT format

From a technical point of view, PEC consists of several elements that certify its validity. One of the most important is the DAT format (or daticert.xml), a file that contains communication metadata such as sender, recipient, date and time of sending and receiving, and unique message identifiers.

The DAT format must be retained along with the message content and receipts to ensure that the PEC retains evidentiary value. La AgID regulations On technical preservation rules, along with the European regulation eIDAS, establishes criteria for ensuring the integrity of computer documents and their consequent validity over time.

In other words, without the proper management of the DAT format, the PEC risks losing its legal effect.

What is standardized digital preservation

Compliant digital preservation refers to the process of keeping digital documents intact and legally valid over time. The regulations include some stringent requirements such as:

• Authenticity: The document must be able to be traced back to its author with certainty;
• Integrity: must not be altered over time;
• Immodifiability: must not be able to be manipulated;
• Readability and availability: must always be consultable, even years later.

Standard storage of PECs, including the DAT format, requires digital signatures and time stamps, as well as the drafting of the Conservation Manual, a fundamental document that describes the company's internal processes and roles.

By Italian law, PEC is assimilated to all relevant business correspondence. This means that it should be treated with the same care as accounting documents, contracts and invoices. Every communication sent or received via PEC is a document for all purposes, with legal value and potentially decisive in case of litigation.

Its importance derives from the fact that the PEC certifies in a way that is enforceable against third parties the date of sending, the date of receipt, and the integrity of the message. In legal proceedings, for example, being able to show a properly preserved PEC is tantamount to presenting certain and accepted documentary evidence. That is why it is not enough simply to store the message in the mailbox: it is necessary to ensure that all elements of the PEC - contents, receipts, transport envelope and daticert.xml file - are kept intact, complete and accessible for the minimum period of ten years required by the regulations.

Therefore, PEC understood as a long-term business document implies adopting structured processes and certified tools. This is the only way to be certain that digital correspondence retains full evidentiary value and is truly usable in administrative, tax or judicial proceedings.

Operational and technological challenges

Companies wishing to manage compliant PEC storage face several practical difficulties. One of the main challenges is the substantial difference between archiving a document and preserving it in accordance with law. Simply saving to a server, external disk or cloud storage does not meet the authenticity and immodifiability requirements of the standards. At the same time, Blind reliance on the PEC provider can generate a false sense of security, as these only provide temporary storage and not standardized storage.

Another major obstacle is technical in nature. The DAT format, for example, contains information that is fundamental but difficult to interpret without appropriate tools. For a company to ensure that such files retain evidentiary value, must have systems in place to extract, digitally sign and time-stamp them. These processes require automation, specialized skills, and a thorough knowledge of regulatory.

Finally, the organizational impact should not be underestimated. Digital preservation requires the definition of internal roles, the establishment of formal procedures, and the adoption of an updated Preservation Manual. Without a systematic and well-governed approach, the risk is to incur errors, omissions or even loss of legal value of documents.

Lanpartners services for PEC and digital document preservation

Lanpartners offers companies a comprehensive service that goes far beyond simple archiving and ensures full evidentiary validity of digital communications.

With the approach IT Concierge®, Lanpartners takes charge of all technical and administrative activities related to digital preservation, allowing companies to focus on their business without having to worry about regulatory and technical aspects. Each PEC message, along with its metadata and DAT file, is extracted, digitally signed, time-stamped and entered into a certified preservation system. In this way, the company is assured that the document is intact, authentic and always retrievable.

Lanpartners is not limited to the technological part, but also accompanies the client in the process definition, in updating the Conservation Manual and in compliance with AgID guidelines and the European eIDAS regulation. This is complemented by a continuous monitoring system, which ensures early detection of any critical issues and their immediate resolution. The approach is therefore comprehensive: data security, regulatory compliance, integration into business flows and proactive support.

This integrated vision means that Lanpartners become not a supplier, but a strategic partner capable of protecting companies and providing real and lasting value.

Guidelines for proper business management

To structure an effective and compliant digital document management system, companies should follow some key best practices. Importantly, it is not only a matter of complying with regulations, but also of creating efficient and safe internal processes capable of supporting business growth and continuity.

Some operational tips include:

• Define a clear workflow: every step-from message collection to final storage-must be governed by documented procedures that establish who does what and by what means;
• Appoint a conservation officer: a legally required figure responsible for overseeing all processes and ensuring that they comply with technical regulations. The Manager must also prepare and keep updated the Conservation Manual.
• Automating processes: Minimizing manual activities is essential to decrease the risk of errors. The adoption of certified platforms, such as those offered by Lanpartners, allows for the seamless integration of compliant storage into business flows.
• Conduct periodic reviews and internal audits: Scheduled audits allow any nonconformities to be identified early and corrected before they have legal repercussions.
• Continuously train staff: Internal awareness is a decisive factor. Investing in training ensures that those who manage the PEC know not only how to use it, but also how to preserve its legal value over time.

By following these guidelines, companies can structure a robust and compliant system, minimizing risk and ensuring robust and sustainable document management.

Turning an obligation into an opportunity

PEC storage and proper management of the DAT format are protective and efficient tools for businesses. A structured approach makes it possible to reduce risk, ensure the legal validity of communications, and build a secure and reliable digital archive.

In this path Lanpartners serves as a strategic partner combining legal, technical and organizational expertise to offer tailored solutions. Turn to our experts means transforming document management from a mere regulatory constraint to a concrete resource for business competitiveness.