Certify data

How to certify a return and how to fix common problems.

The data provider must submit the return before they can be certified. See how to submit data.

Find the return

Data certifiers will receive an email when a return needs to be certified. Select the link in the email, and sign in. This will take you directly to the return.

If you cannot find the email, sign in to Delta. The banner at the top will tell you if you need to certify any returns, and there will be a section on the page that shows you which returns need certifying. Select ‘view record and certify’, then select the green ‘certify record’ button.

Data store

Both these routes will take you to the data store page. You will see a list of returns that have been submitted or saved. The return must have the status of ‘ready to certify’. Returns that do not need to be certified will appear on the list with the status of ‘submitted’. Search or filter

If you can’t see the return, select ‘Show filters’ in the blue box or use the search.

To search, type into the top search box and select the green magnifying glass icon button.

Filter on the left by dataset and collection name, or the status ‘Ready to certify’.

Certify data

Select ‘More’ in the actions column.

Select ‘View’ to check the data submitted by your data provider, then select the green ‘Certify’ button, or select ‘Certify submission’ to certify the data without viewing it.

To save a copy, select ‘produce a PDF document’ at the bottom of the page.

When you have selected ‘certify’, you will see certification text in a large box. This text will be different for every collection. You can change the text or comment underneath.

Tick the smaller box to confirm that you are happy with the data submitted and agree with the certification text.

To upload any supporting documentation, use the selection box underneath the certification text. For example, you can upload a copy of your signature.

You can add more comments or read those left by other users. Select the green comment box to post a comment.

Select ‘Save and continue’. This will take you back to the data store.

Users who both provide and certify data

Most collections will not allow you to certify data you have submitted. The guidance for your return will tell you if you can. Check this before you submit data.

If you try to submit the return, you will get a message saying that you cannot certify and asking if you want to continue. If you select ‘yes’ then you will not be able to certify it.

If you have submitted the return, cancel the certification then get a colleague to resubmit it.

Check who has made actions on the form in the data store. Go to Actions > More and select ‘Download audit trail’. This will download a CSV audit report that shows all the people who have made changes.

Cancel the certification

Open the return then select the ‘Cancel certification’ button. The data provider will not be notified that you have cancelled the certification. You need to tell them, explain why and decide what to do next.

View certified data

In the data store your record will have a status of ‘certified’. The ‘Updated by’ column will show your email. If there is more than one certifier in your organisation then your data store may show records certified by other people too. The ‘Date updated’ will be the date of certification.

Once data is certified the drop-down menu under ‘More’ will now show a new option to ‘View certification’. Select this option to go to the certification page which shows the completed certification details. You can add more comments here.

Search or filter

Search for a certified record by filtering on the left by status. Select ‘Current version’ and ‘Certified’.

Changes to certified records

If the data provider has edited the certified record and submitted it, see the new version by filtering on ‘Ready to Certify’. You can also view the original certified data by filtering by ‘Certified data – Latest certified data’.

Download the data in a csv file. If you view the data on Delta it will only show the most recent version of the data.

If you edit and submit data, it will need to be certified again. All certifiers will receive an automatic notification email to say that the form is ready to be certified.