In this digital age, how do institutions know what documents to accept and from whom? This year's school closures, distance learning, online education, and other upheavals have made it even more critical for institutions to ensure that they are accepting official academic records from valid sources. Typically, receiving official documents digitally begins with an email. This email might: provide access to a national database; be a link from a third-party digital repository; be from a student explaining where to download their official digital record directly from the institution's transcript website; or be from someone at the institution. This article will discuss multiple scenarios in order to help institutions make good decisions that balance the need to accommodate students with the need to receive authentic academic credentials.