Methods and apparatus for validating paper forms are provided. A node can receive paper-form data from a paper form that has first and second data items (DIs). The node can: determine first and second metadata for the first and second DIs respectively, determine respective first and second validation entities (VEs) to validate respective values of the first and second DIs based on the respective first and second metadata, where the first and second VEs can differ, provide a user interface (UI) including a display of the first DI, receive a validation status for the first DI via the first UI from the first VE, select a first distributed storage system (DSS) associated with the first DI, and record the value of the first DI and the validation status in the first DSS. The node can generate an output related to the paper-form data based on the first DSS.