Black out records for an FOI / RTI request
Get freedom-of-information and public-records files ready, with private parts blacked out before you release them.
The problem
- Records officers must remove personal data, third-party details and exempt material before a disclosure pack can be released.
- Hidden layers, metadata and prior comments can survive a visual blackout and leak information after release.
- Disclosure deadlines are tight, and manual redaction across long scanned files is slow and error-prone.
The workflow
One licensed pipeline chains these steps end to end. Each step is a tool you can try free on the public site.
- 1
Black out exempt content
Redact PDF →Remove names, contact details and other exempt passages so the underlying text is destroyed, not just covered.
- 2
Strip hidden data
Sanitize PDF →Clear metadata, residual annotations and embedded objects that could reveal redacted material.
- 3
Flatten the release copy
Flatten PDF →Merge layers and form fields into static page content so nothing is recoverable in the disclosed file.
- 4
Lock the disclosure pack
Protect PDF →Apply a password or permissions so the released copy cannot be silently altered before it reaches the requester.
Try it free, right now
Every tool in this workflow is free on the public site — no signup, nothing uploaded. Run the steps by hand to see the output, then license the automated pipeline for your team.
Why run it on-premise?
Redaction and sanitisation run entirely inside your own network, so unredacted source files are never uploaded to an outside service. This supports data-protection duties and keeps a clean separation between working originals and the public release copy.
The Business suite ships as a self-hosted bundle that runs inside your own network, so the documents in this workflow never leave the building. See how deployment works.
Disclosure packs go out with exempt content removed and hidden data cleared, reducing the chance of an accidental leak.
Included in the Business license.