Appraisal de-identification is the removal of personal identifiers from a staff appraisal so no one can be singled out. An appraisal is an evaluation of a person's performance at work, the exact phrase UK GDPR Article 4(4) uses to define profiling. Recital 26 puts truly anonymous data outside the rules, a bar the ICO frames through the motivated-intruder test. anonym.plus marks each name on your own machine, so the ratings stay useful while the individual is hidden.
When this applies
An HR team wants to study appraisal scores without naming staff. You strip the identifiers first, so the set clears the Recital 26 anonymity bar before it is shared.
How anonym.plus handles it
- Open the appraisal in anonym.plus on your workstation.
- Built-in OCR reads any scanned rating sheet.
- The app marks names, emails, and dates.
- Confirm each marking and keep a job title caught by mistake.
- Swap each identifier for a steady label.
- Save the cleaned copy. The file never leaves your device.
What you need to provide
- The appraisal (PDF, DOCX, or TXT).
- An operator: Replace, Redact, or Mask.
- Optional alias map, OFF for true anonymity.
PII entity types detected
| Category | anonym.plus entity type | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Names | PERSON | Imogen Hartley → [STAFF] |
| Contact | EMAIL_ADDRESS | imogen@example.co.uk → [EMAIL] |
| Contact | PHONE_NUMBER | +44 7700 900148 → [PHONE] |
| Dates | DATE_TIME | joined 03/2019 → [DATE] |
| Org | ORGANIZATION | North Sales Pod → [TEAM] |
| Demographic | NRP | union member → [GROUP] |
Compliance achieved
- Targets the anonymity bar in UK GDPR Recital 26, read through the ICO's motivated-intruder test.
- A rating is profiling: UK GDPR Art. 4(4) names “performance at work” in its own definition.
- A union or health remark is special category data under UK GDPR Art. 9(1) — mask it, do not file it loose.
- Staff can contest a wrong score under UK GDPR Art. 5(1)(d) and Art. 16, so keep the original intact.
- Runs offline with AES-256-GCM on working copies. Covers 340+ PII types across 48 languages.
Anonymise performance appraisals offline — see plans & start free →
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 and the ICO motivated-intruder test ask 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 marked names.
Is an appraisal score really profiling?
Usually yes. Article 4(4) defines profiling as automated evaluation of personal aspects, and it lists performance at work first. That framing shapes your transparency and record-keeping duties.
Can a member of staff make us correct an appraisal?
They can ask. Article 5(1)(d) requires accurate personal data and Article 16 gives a right to rectification. A disputed opinion is often annotated rather than deleted, so keep the audit trail.
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.