Payroll register de-identification is the removal of personal identifiers from a wage register kept to evidence the Working Time Regulations 1998 and the National Minimum Wage Act 1998. Those rules set the hours and pay records a firm must hold. anonym.plus marks each name and number on your device, so the totals stay useful while staff data is shielded.
When this applies
A register lists every worker, NI number, and figure in one grid. You trim those identifiers before the file goes to an analyst or external auditor.
How anonym.plus handles it
- Open the register in anonym.plus on your device.
- Local OCR reads a scanned printout if needed.
- The tool flags each name, NI number, and bank line.
- Confirm the flags and keep column totals intact.
- Swap or black out the marked items.
- Save the clean grid locally.
What you need to provide
- The register (CSV, XLSX, PDF, or scan).
- An operator: Replace, Redact, or Mask.
- Optional shared map so one worker maps to one alias.
PII entity types detected
| Category | anonym.plus entity type | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Names | PERSON | row: Leah Osborne → [STAFF_1] |
| Identifiers | UK_NINO | QQ 12 34 56 C → [NINO] |
| Financial | MONEY | £4,100.00 → [AMOUNT] |
| Financial | UK_BANK_NUMBER | a/c 00919283 → [ACCOUNT] |
| Dates | DATE_TIME | period end 31/05 → [DATE] |
| Location | LOCATION | site address → [SITE] |
Compliance achieved
- Supports the records duty under the Working Time Regs 1998 and the National Minimum Wage Act 1998.
- A shared map keeps each worker steady across rows.
- Offline work keeps the grid off any server, as the ICO expects.
- Batch up to 20 files when several registers exist.
Anonymise payroll registers offline — see plans & start free →
Limitations & cautions
A small headcount can re-identify a person from role plus figure, even after names go. The tool flags named items. Aggregate small groups yourself before you share the file.
Frequently asked questions
Do these rules require me to keep the data?
Yes. The Working Time Regulations 1998 and the NMW Act 1998 set the records a firm must retain. De-identifying a working copy for analysis does not change what you keep on file.
Can I keep one worker steady across rows?
Yes. Turn on the shared map and the same person maps to the same alias everywhere in the grid.
Is the register sent anywhere?
No. The tool is offline. The grid and its staff data stay on your device.