While the electronic signature consists of attaching a name to a digital document, timestamping consists of attaching a reliable date to a file in the form of a timestamping token. A timestamping token guarantees:
- the existence of a file on a given date;
- that it has not been modified bit-by-bit since this date (principal of integrity).
Just like the electronic signature, timestamping guarantees the integrity of the document.
It is strongly recommended to add a timestamp to each electronic signature.