Performance review de-identification is the removal of personal identifiers from an appraisal so no one can be singled out. GDPR Recital 26 says truly anonymous data falls outside the rules. anonym.plus marks each name on your own device, so the ratings stay useful while the person is hidden.
When this applies
An HR team wants to share appraisal data for analysis without naming staff. You strip the identifiers first, so the set meets the Recital 26 anonymity bar before it is shared.
How anonym.plus handles it
- Open the appraisal in anonym.plus on your workstation.
- Local OCR reads any scanned rating sheet.
- The tool flags names, emails, and dates.
- Check each flag and clear a job title caught by mistake.
- Replace each identifier with a steady label.
- Save the clean copy. The file never leaves your machine.
What you need to provide
- The appraisal (PDF, DOCX, or TXT).
- An operator: Replace, Redact, or Mask.
- Optional: a name map, kept off for true anonymity.
PII entity types detected
| Category | anonym.plus entity type | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Names | PERSON | Dana Krause → [STAFF] |
| Contact | EMAIL_ADDRESS | dana.k@firm.com → [EMAIL] |
| Contact | PHONE_NUMBER | (212) 555 0147 → [PHONE] |
| Dates | DATE_TIME | hired 03/2019 → [DATE] |
| Org | ORGANIZATION | North Sales Pod → [TEAM] |
| Demographic | NRP | union member → [GROUP] |
Compliance achieved
- Targets the anonymity bar set by GDPR Recital 26.
- Runs offline, so staff data never reaches a server.
- Working copies are kept safe with AES-256-GCM.
- Covers 340+ PII types across 48 languages.
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Limitations & cautions
Free-text manager comments can still point to a person. A unique project or a distinct writing style may re-identify someone after the name goes. Read the narrative yourself before you share it.
Frequently asked questions
Does removing names make the data truly anonymous?
Not always. Recital 26 asks whether anyone can still be singled out. Free-text notes may identify a person by a unique event, so review the prose, not just the flagged names.
Is the appraisal uploaded for processing?
No. The app is a 100% offline desktop tool. Nothing is uploaded, so the data stays on your device throughout.
Will the ratings still read correctly?
Yes. The Replace operator drops a steady label in place of each name, so the scores and prose still make sense.