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How to preserve terms which were anonymised?

Re-anonymization with selective removal allows notaries to restore specific types of information (like dates or prices) that were initially anonymized but are needed for document validity or analysis.

Written by Magali @Nora
Updated over 5 months ago

Step-by-step instructions

Open previously anonymized document in Anonymisation module.

If you want to preserve a full "category" of sensitive terms:

  1. Review document and identify categories you want to restore

  2. Click "Sliders" icon or "Configuration" button in document details

  3. Category configuration dialog opens showing all 12 categories

  4. Current configuration shows checked categories (what was anonymized)

  5. Uncheck categories you want to restore:

    • Example: Uncheck "Dates" to restore all dates

    • Example: Uncheck "Prices" to restore currency amounts

    • Example: Uncheck "Company Names" to show business entities

  6. Verify other categories remain checked as desired

  7. Click "Re-anonymize" button

  8. System regenerates document without specified categories

  9. Processing takes 30–60 seconds (depending on document size)

  10. New version created with dates/prices/etc. restored

  11. Review updated document:

    • Dates now visible (e.g., "15 November 2024" instead of XXX)

    • Prices visible (e.g., "€250,000" instead of XXX)

    • Names still anonymized (XXX, XXX)

  12. Download & Export restored version if satisfactory

If you want to preserve specific terms within the document:

  1. Open the anonymized document in the left-right comparison view

  2. On the left pane (original document), locate the highlighted term you want to preserve

  3. Click on the highlighted term

  4. A pop-up will appear with the option to "Remove from sensitive terms"

  5. Click to confirm — the system will remove this specific instance from anonymization

  6. Repeat for other terms you wish to preserve

  7. Once done, click "Re-anonymize"

  8. The system will regenerate the document with those terms now visible and all others unchanged

  9. Review and download the updated version if satisfactory

This is ideal when you want to keep a few key terms visible (e.g., a specific name, location, or project) while maintaining overall anonymization.

Practical example

Notary Marie Dubois anonymized a 30-page auction report for publication on a public auction website, selecting all categories including Dates and Prices. After reviewing, she realizes the auction visit date and property price must remain visible for the listing to be useful to potential buyers, but personal information must stay redacted. She opens the document configuration, unchecks "Dates" and "Prices & Amounts" categories, keeps all other categories checked (Names, Addresses, Phone, Email, Bank Details, ID Numbers), and clicks "Re-anonymize". The system regenerates the document in 35 seconds. Now the auction date "3 December 2024" and starting price "€185,000" are visible, but all seller personal information remains anonymized. She downloads the PDF and uploads it to the auction website safely.

Notes and limitations

  • Re-processing required: Changes require re-anonymization (not instant toggle)

  • Processing time: 30–60 seconds for typical documents; longer for very large files

  • All-or-nothing per category: Cannot selectively restore specific dates or specific prices (restores all or none)

  • Version tracking: Each re-anonymization creates new version (previous versions preserved)

  • No granular control: Cannot restore "only birthdays but not deed dates" – it's all dates or no dates

  • Original always available: Original document preserved separately if complete restoration needed

  • Workspace defaults not affected: Unchecking categories for one document doesn't change workspace defaults

  • No preview: Cannot preview restored version before committing to re-anonymization

  • AI re-detection: Re-anonymizing may detect additional terms missed in first pass (AI improvement)

FAQ

Q: Can I selectively restore specific terms (e.g., only one date or one price) instead of entire categories?

A: Yes. You then have to go into the text in the left pane, and click on highlighted terms. Validate by clicking on the pop-up "remove from sensitive terms".

Q: Does re-anonymisation delete the previous anonymized version?

A: No, previous versions are preserved. Each re-anonymization creates a new version without deleting prior versions. You can access version history (if available in the interface) or request previous versions from support. Original documents are always preserved in a separate storage bucket and never deleted.

Q: Can I preview what the document will look like with categories removed before re-processing?

A: Currently, no preview mode exists. You must re-anonymize and review the result. Since re-processing is relatively fast (30–60 seconds) and previous versions are preserved, the workflow is: configure, re-process, review, adjust if needed. To minimize trial-and-error, carefully consider which categories to restore before clicking "Re-anonymize".

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