EvidenceVault - Secure Legal Evidence Dashboard

A password-protected web application for organizing, cataloging, and presenting legal evidence and financial documentation for court proceedings. This system ensures controlled access to sensitive materials through encryption and authentication.

Purpose

This repository contains a secure, self-hosted dashboard designed specifically for managing court-related documentation. It provides:

• Centralized Evidence Repository: Organize all legal documents, financial statements, and evidence in one secure location
• Controlled Access: Password-protected site ensures only authorized individuals can view sensitive materials
• Professional Presentation: Convert complex financial data into organized, readable formats for legal review
• Evidence Preservation: Maintain an immutable record of all documentation with timestamps and organization
• Search and Navigation: Easily locate specific documents and evidence by category and date

Technology Stack

• Hugo: Static site generator for fast, secure hosting
• Node.js: Conversion scripts for data processing
• Cloudflare Pages: Serverless hosting with built-in authentication middleware
• XLSX Processing: Convert Excel data into organized web content

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Screenshots

1. Password Authentication

All access to your evidence dashboard is protected by a password. When users visit the site, they're prompted to enter the password before accessing any content.

2. Evidence Dashboard

After authentication, users see an organized dashboard displaying all your evidence, organized by category. Each sheet from your Excel file becomes a separate tab. Click on evidence links to view supporting documents.

3. PDF Preview

Clicking on any evidence file opens a secure preview page. PDFs display in a sandboxed environment with:

• Print prevention (Ctrl+P disabled)
• No direct download capability
• Full read-only access
• Session-based authentication

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Setup Instructions for Cloudflare Pages

Prerequisites

• Node.js (v16+) installed locally
• Cloudflare account (free tier is sufficient)
• Git repository (GitHub, GitLab, or similar)
• Hugo installed locally (for development)

Step 1: Prepare Your Local Repository

1. Clone or create your repository:

git clone https://github.com/LiventNick/EvidenceVault.git
cd EvidenceVault

2. Install dependencies:

npm install

3. Test the build locally:

npm run build

This should complete without errors and generate JSON files in the /data folder.

Step 2: Configure Your Excel File

Your master Excel file (master/master.xlsx) should be structured as follows:

File Location

• Place your Excel file in the master/ folder at the root of your repository
• Filename: master.xlsx
• The conversion script will automatically read from this location

Excel Workbook Structure

Each Sheet Represents a Category

• Sheet names become JSON files and categories (e.g., "Medical Expenses" → medical.json)
• Each sheet should have a consistent table structure

Sheet Layout Requirements

Row 1: Headers

• Use descriptive column names
• Examples: "Date", "Description", "Amount", "Category", "Document Link", "Notes"
• Headers are automatically normalized (converted to lowercase, spaces to underscores)

Rows 2+: Data Rows

• Each row represents an expense, document, or evidence entry
• Leave rows blank if not needed (they'll be skipped during conversion)

Flexibility in Structure

You can structure your Excel file however you like to match your specific needs. The conversion script is flexible and will process any table layout. Examples of different structures:

• Financial Tracking: Date, Description, Amount, Category, Supporting Document
• Timeline of Events: Date, Event, Parties, Location, Evidence File, Notes
• Medical Records: Date, Provider, Treatment, Cost, Insurance Status, Document
• Correspondence Log: Date, From, To, Subject, Document, Status
• Custom Structure: Any columns that make sense for your case

Critical Requirement: PDF File Links

The only requirement is that you must include columns with links to your PDF files. Examples:

• Reference a PDF: Financial_Records/Invoice_2025.pdf
• Reference multiple PDFs: Evidence/Document_1.pdf

These file paths are essential because:

• They generate preview pages automatically
• They create the clickable links in your dashboard
• They organize access to your supporting evidence
• Without them, rows have no attached documentation

Example File Referencing Styles:

1. Date Columns

   • Format as standard date format (MM/DD/YYYY or similar)
   • Will be automatically converted to ISO format (YYYY-MM-DD)

2. Text Columns

   • Descriptions, notes, categories
   • Support any text content

3. Currency/Number Columns

   • Amounts, totals, quantities
   • Format as numbers in Excel
   • Can use number formats like currency ($)

4. Link/File Columns

   • Used to reference PDF files, invoices, or evidence documents
   • Format: relative file paths like Invoices/2025.01.15_Receipt.pdf
   • Files referenced should exist in the master/ folder structure
   • Links are converted to preview pages automatically

5. Hyperlink Columns

   • Create Excel hyperlinks for external references
   • Right-click cell → Link → add URL
   • Internal references use format: #SheetName!CellReference

Example Excel Structure

Sheet: "Medical Expenses"
┌─────────┬──────────────────────────────┬────────┬─────────────────────┐
│ Date    │ Description                  │ Amount │ Evidence File       │
├─────────┼──────────────────────────────┼────────┼─────────────────────┤
│ 1/15/25 │ Doctor Consultation          │ 250.00 │ Medical/Invoice.pdf │
│ 2/20/25 │ Prescription Medication      │ 85.50  │ Medical/Rx_2025.pdf │
│ 3/10/25 │ Lab Tests and Analysis       │ 350.00 │ Medical/Lab_2025.pdf│
└─────────┴──────────────────────────────┴────────┴─────────────────────┘

File Organization Inside Master Folder

Your master/ folder should be organized like:

master/
├── master.xlsx                 (main data file)
├── Invoices/
│   ├── 2025.01.15_Receipt.pdf
│   └── 2025.02.20_Invoice.pdf
├── Medical/
│   ├── Invoice.pdf
│   └── Rx_2025.pdf
├── Legal/
│   ├── Correspondence.pdf
│   └── Court_Documents.pdf
└── Evidence/
    └── Supporting_Documentation.pdf

Referenced file paths in Excel should match this structure exactly. For example, if you reference Invoices/2025.01.15_Receipt.pdf in your Excel file, the actual file must exist at master/Invoices/2025.01.15_Receipt.pdf.

Step 3: Configure Cloudflare Pages

3.1 Connect Your Repository

1. Log in to Cloudflare Dashboard
2. Go to Pages (in the sidebar under "Workers & Pages")
3. Click Create a project
4. Select Connect to Git
5. Authorize Cloudflare to access your Git provider
6. Select your repository

3.2 Configure Build Settings

1. Framework: Select "Node"
2. Build command: npm run build
3. Build output directory: public
4. Node version: 18+ (set in Environment Variables if needed)

3.3 Set Environment Variables

This is critical for security. Environment variables are never exposed publicly.

1. After connecting your repository, go to Settings → Environment Variables
2. Add the following variables:

Production Environment:

• Key: SITE_PASSWORD
• Value: (your strong password - this will be required to access the site)

Example values to avoid:

• Don't use simple passwords like "password" or "123456"
• Recommended: Use a strong password with 12+ characters, including uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and symbols
• Example: Secure$Evidence2025#Legal

3. Click Save

3.4 Deploy

1. Cloudflare will automatically detect your changes when you push to your connected Git branch

2. The build will run automatically:

   • Node scripts will convert your Excel file to JSON
   • Hugo will generate the static site
   • Files will be deployed to Cloudflare's CDN

3. Once deployment is complete, your site will be available at:

   • https://<project-name>.pages.dev
   • Or at a custom domain if you've configured one

Step 4: Custom Domain (Optional)

1. In Cloudflare Pages, go to your project
2. Click Custom domains
3. Add your domain and follow DNS configuration steps
4. Cloudflare will automatically issue an SSL certificate

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Local Development

Development Workflow

1. Update your Excel file in master/master.xlsx

2. Run the conversion:

   node scripts/convert.js

   This generates JSON files from your Excel data.

3. Run Hugo locally:

   hugo server

   Visit http://localhost:1313 to preview your site.

4. Or run the complete build:

   npm run build

File Structure

project-root/
├── master/                    # Excel files and supporting evidence
│   ├── master.xlsx           # Main data file (REQUIRED)
│   └── [category folders]    # Supporting documents
├── data/                      # Generated JSON files (auto-created)
├── layouts/                   # Hugo templates
├── static/                    # Static assets (CSS, JS, images)
├── public/                    # Generated site output
├── scripts/
│   └── convert.js            # Conversion script (Excel → JSON)
├── functions/
│   └── _middleware.js        # Cloudflare authentication middleware
├── hugo.toml                 # Hugo configuration
└── package.json              # Project dependencies

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Security Features

Password Protection

• All pages require password authentication
• 2-hour session timeout for inactivity
• Secure HMAC-SHA256 token signing
• HttpOnly, Secure cookies prevent JavaScript access
• Direct file downloads are blocked

PDF Previews

• PDFs are displayed in sandboxed preview mode
• Direct PDF navigation is disabled
• Users cannot download files directly
• All access is logged through Cloudflare

Print Prevention

• The system actively prevents printing via Ctrl+P and Cmd+P
• Print dialog is intercepted and blocked at the application level
• Print stylesheets are disabled to prevent workarounds
• A message displays if users attempt to print: "Printing is disabled."
• This ensures evidence documentation remains in the controlled environment
• Screenshots and screen captures are still possible (not technically preventable)
• For legitimate printing needs, consult with legal representatives

Hosting Security

• Cloudflare DDoS protection
• SSL/TLS encryption in transit
• Static site (no databases or backend vulnerabilities)
• Automatic security updates via Cloudflare

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Maintenance

Updating Evidence

1. Update your master/master.xlsx file with new evidence
2. Add any new supporting documents to the appropriate folders in master/
3. Commit and push changes to your Git repository:

   git add .
   git commit -m "Update evidence documentation"
   git push

4. Cloudflare Pages will automatically rebuild and deploy

Changing Password

1. Go to Cloudflare Pages → Settings → Environment Variables
2. Update the SITE_PASSWORD value
3. Save changes
4. The site will redeploy automatically

Troubleshooting Build Failures

Check the build logs in Cloudflare Pages:

1. Go to Deployments
2. Click the failed deployment
3. View Build log for error details

Common issues:

• Excel file not found: Ensure master/master.xlsx exists
• Missing dependencies: Run npm install before pushing
• File path errors: Verify referenced files exist in master/ folder

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Important Notes

Data Privacy

• Your entire site is static - no data is sent to external servers
• Authentication happens at the Cloudflare edge level
• Excel data is only converted during build time
• Once deployed, the original Excel file is not accessible publicly

Backups

• Keep regular backups of your master/ folder
• Your Git repository serves as version control
• Consider maintaining a backup of your Excel file separately

Legal Considerations

• This tool is designed to organize evidence for legal proceedings
• Ensure all documentation is properly authenticated and legally obtained
• Consult with your legal representative about documentation requirements
• Maintain chain of custody principles for all evidence

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Support & Troubleshooting

Common Issues

"Missing linked file" warnings during build:

• Normal if your Excel references files that don't exist yet
• These won't break the build or deployment

Password not working after update:

• Clear your browser cookies and try again
• Environment variables take effect on next deployment

Excel conversion errors:

• Ensure Excel file is properly formatted (headers in first row)
• Verify no circular references or complex formulas
• Try saving as .xlsx format explicitly

For additional help, consult:

• Hugo Documentation
• Cloudflare Pages Docs
• Node.js XLSX Library

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License

Designed for legal evidence management and court proceedings. Use responsibly and in accordance with local laws and regulations.

Last Updated: May 2026