Batch redaction is the removal of personal data from a whole folder in one run. UK GDPR Art. 5(1)(e) limits how long a record may be kept in identifiable form, and Art. 32(1)(a) names pseudonymisation and encryption among the measures that make processing secure. FCA SYSC 9.1.1R still requires orderly records of the business, so the point is to keep the record and drop the identity. anonym.plus processes up to 20 items at a time on your device.
When this applies
A case folder holds many files that name the same parties. One-by-one work risks drift, where a name is cleared in one document and left in the next. A batch run applies one shared map across the set, so the same party maps to the same label everywhere.
How anonym.plus handles it
- Point anonym.plus at the case folder on your machine.
- It scans each item for names, accounts, and IDs.
- Local OCR reads any scanned pages in the set.
- A shared map keeps repeat parties steady across files.
- Review the summary and fix low-confidence flags.
- Save the clean set locally.
What you need to provide
- A folder of files (PDF, DOCX, mixed).
- The shared label map turned on for steady results.
- An operator (Replace works well for a case folder).
PII & financial identifiers detected
| Category | anonym.plus entity type | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Names | PERSON | party across files → [PARTY_1] |
| Identifiers | UK_NINO | NI numbers → [NINO] |
| Financial | UK_BANK_NUMBER | accounts → [ACCOUNT] |
| Dates | DATE_TIME | birth dates → [DOB] |
| Contact | EMAIL_ADDRESS | emails → [EMAIL] |
| Location | LOCATION | addresses → [ADDRESS] |
Compliance achieved
- Supports storage limitation under UK GDPR Art. 5(1)(e) — keep the record, drop the identity once the purpose has passed.
- Uses the measures UK GDPR Art. 32(1)(a) names: pseudonymisation for the output, AES-256-GCM for the working copies.
- Leaves the orderly records FCA SYSC 9.1.1R requires a firm to keep of its business and internal organisation.
- Turning the shared map off moves the set toward the anonymity standard in Recital 26, tested the way the ICO tests it.
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Limitations & cautions
A mixed folder of scans and native files leans on OCR for the images, so review low-confidence flags. The shared map can re-link the whole set if it is kept; turn it off when you need true anonymity, and remember Art. 5(1)(e) is about the record you retain, not only the copy you share.
Frequently asked questions
How does batch mode keep one party steady?
A shared map logs each person once, so the same party maps to the same label in every file across the folder. That is pseudonymisation as UK GDPR Art. 4(5) defines it.
Does redaction let me keep records for longer?
It can help. UK GDPR Art. 5(1)(e) is about keeping data in identifiable form no longer than necessary, so stripping identifiers is one route — while FCA SYSC 9.1.1R still expects orderly business records.
How many files can one run handle?
Up to 20 documents per batch, all processed locally with OCR for any scanned pages. Nothing is uploaded.