Record what you actually read
Keep the vehicle identity, ECU or TCU manufacturer and family, hardware identifier, software identifier, reading tool, protocol and reading method together. Preserve any identification report provided by the tool. Record whether the file was obtained by a direct read or supplied through a documented original-file workflow. A later technician should be able to trace the file back to its source without guessing.
Separate hardware family from software identity
An ECU family describes a platform that can contain multiple software implementations. Similar-looking files may belong to different engines, transmissions, markets or updates. Matching the file size is not proof of matching content. Do not rename a file or change its declared platform just to make it pass a selection step.
Preserve the baseline
Store the original separately from working and exported versions. Keep a second backup appropriate to your workshop’s storage policy. A descriptive record can include an internal job reference, ECU identity, read date and revision; avoid putting customer personal information in public filenames. A file hash can help confirm that a stored copy has not changed, but it does not prove that the file was correct when it was first acquired.
Know what the file contains
The data returned depends on the protocol and reading method. A calibration-area file, a complete backup and a tool-specific container are not automatically interchangeable. Follow the tool documentation for the exact operation. Alientech’s guidance separates identification, reading and importing the modified file for writing; keep those steps distinct in your own job record.
Apply the same discipline to automation
Search the Stage1Files directory by family, then check the actual file in the application. If identification is incomplete or processing is unsupported, contact Support with the identifiers and reading method. Do not substitute another vehicle’s file because the ECU label appears close. Retain the application result alongside the original so the two can be reviewed as one job.
Further reading
Check ECU & TCU coverage or contact Support about a specific file.