Who LeakPrint is for
· by Peter W. Szabo
Anyone who sends the same Word document to a group and needs to know who passed it on.
Board papers and leadership memos
Board packs, strategy memos and restructuring plans go to a small group of named people, which makes them a good fit. Give each director or executive a numbered copy, and keep the list with the board secretary.
HR, legal and investigations
Draft policies, settlement terms, investigation reports and contract drafts often go to a committee or to the other side. A numbered copy per person shows whose version reached the press or a competitor. Talk to your lawyer before you act on a match.
Press releases under embargo
Send each journalist their own copy of the embargoed release as a .docx. If the file leaks before the embargo lifts, it tells you whose copy it was.
Manuscripts, scripts and beta readers
Authors, editors and agents send manuscripts to beta readers, reviewers and translators months before publication. Screenwriters and game writers who work in Word do the same with scripts. One copy per reader tells you whose copy went online.
Exam papers and tests
Teachers and exam boards share papers with colleagues and schools before the exam. Give each school or teacher a numbered copy, and a leaked file names its source. A photo of a printed paper can’t be checked yet.
Bids, tenders and deals
Tender documents, price schedules and term sheets go to partners, bidders and advisers. A numbered copy per company shows which one passed yours on.
Clubs, unions, campaigns and communities
Committee minutes, campaign plans and announcements leak from volunteer groups too. LeakPrint is free and needs no account, so a club secretary can use it as easily as a law firm.
Before you start
LeakPrint needs a Word document (.docx) with enough text to hold its marks, and tells you when a document is too short. How LeakPrint works explains what it can and can’t trace, and the canary trap guide walks through sending the copies.