Document Redaction or Document Sanitization is the process of blacking out or removing any sensitive information from a document so it can be used and distributed, but still protects confidential information too, or in easy word, if you have seen some spy movies where we get to see some documents in which some information has been blacked out, that’s exactly what Document Redaction is.
Why Documents Redacted?
Now you might be wondering why some information is blacked out from documents what’s the need of hiding information, Sensitive information that could be used to commit fraud or expose private information should be redacted, following are the possible reason
- Social security numbers.
- Driver’s license or professional license numbers.
- Protected health information and other medical information.
- Financial documents and files.
- Proprietary information or trade secrets.
- Judiciary records.
- People’s addresses, dates of birth, and other unique identifiers.
Document Redaction is mostly used in government official documents when a government doesn’t want you to know or some official information which can be misused if came into the wrong hands.
What Is The Process of Document Redaction
There are two types of documents in the modern world, the physical ones which are written on paper and there are digital documents which are made on the computer, the process of Redaction of documents totally depends on the nature of the document. Document redaction is not the process of just covering text or image but it should be removed from the image completely. This helps in preventing sensitive information coming up in the revision history of the document which can now be easily removed by software.
Manual redaction involves the process of printing documents and then covering or removing sensitive content with the help of black marker or opaque tape. After that, the document is re-scanned so it can be stored and distributed digitally. Another way of manual redaction is that you can cut out the information that needs to be removed. This method is too much time-consuming like the first one.
As businesses become completely paperless, more often it is digital documents that need redaction. Usual techniques for making electronic content unreadable, for example- covering words with opaque colors or changing the text color to white, do not actually work and don’t redact anything. Even though you can’t read that content, the underlying data still exists in the form of metadata. Metadata can store anything that was present in the file at any period of time. Whilst metadata is very useful to view document revisions and is able to “undo,” it can be difficult to redact. by the use of consumer software, the process is quite complicated and still may leave behind some sensitive information. Additionally, as many businesses generate thousands of documents, in-house redaction may be impossible.
That’s why big companies outsource their Document Redaction service to firms which provide this service to save time and then utilize that time to focus on other works which are much more important.
Why You Should Outsource Document Redaction
Your firm will produce numerous documents and files over time, in which some documents will contain some sensitive information that should remain confidential. Document redaction services will help to sanitize any documents which contain private information and can help to protect people and the businesses relating to the documents.
Redaction is simply the process of removing or covering text or images from a document. This process is sometimes called document sanitization. All Governments and businesses use document sanitization services to remove all private information that can be used for identity theft and fraud from electronic documents before they are published.
5 Advantages Of Outsourcing Document Management Services
Improved Focus On Core Business
Document management is a pretty huge task and requires special focus for proper execution. It is not something that anyone and everyone can do. The employees taking care of this aspect of business must have specialized training and experience in this field. When you set up your own document management team to handle the task, you need to divert certain amount of resources and time to it.
But, when you outsource the job to a reputed third-party company, you only need to communicate with them about the process and progress. So, the time and resources you save can be used to focus on what is your core business. It is important to keep the focus on the revenue generating tasks so that you can work towards the growth of the company.
Access To Expertise And Experience
The outsourcing companies dealing in document management services generate revenue from this job. This simply means that document management is their core business. This is why they are able to funnel most of their resources, time and effort in making their services better and more competitive. So, what you get is easy access to the highly trained, expert, and experienced employees without having to build a team of your own.
Of course, the role of competition cannot be discounted here. Due to the rising competition in document management outsourcing, the companies have to keep the quality standards high. This also plays to your advantage.
Your Data Is Secure With Outsourcing Companies
The idea is to outsource the job to a reputed company. By doing so, you ensure the complete safety and security of the data. The reputation of any outsourcing company is its biggest asset. They get the business from the clients based on their goodwill in the market. This is why they make sure that the safety and security of client’s data is never compromised. They also use the advanced technologies to maintain the security of the documents and data.
Access To Customized Solution
When it comes to document management, the adage ‘no one size fits all’ holds true. Different companies have different document management needs. It depends largely on the nature of the business and also on its size. A small to mid-sized software or mobile app development company will have a completely different need as compared to a large automotive industry. The good thing about outsourcing is that you get customized solutions that are designed to match your business needs.
You Have More Physical Space
Since you are not setting up a new department for document management and building a team for the purpose, you spare yourself a good deal of physical space. If you have additional space, you could use it for something else. If you don’t have extra space, you don’t need to get one and thus you save money.
How To Choose Document Redaction Service Provider
It’s not only important to cover the images or text you need to remove. The process should make sure that it is removed from the original image before it is published. The service should assure to be thorough and secure without any inaccuracy and your documents shouldn’t be compromised before the process of redaction. Using a genuine service for document management is very important for the privacy and confidential affairs of your company.
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