SAR and redaction

Redact student names in bulk using a CSV

Import known names, protect approved keep-visible terms and review ambiguous initials in the SAR workspace.

RedactNinja guide. Updated 23 September 2026.

You do not have to type every student name individually. The SAR workspace can import a CSV of known names and generate common matching variants. This is a starting point for review, not a decision that every occurrence should be removed.

Prepare only the information you need

Use a header row containing either Name or Full name, or both First name and Surname. Keep unrelated information such as dates of birth, addresses and assessment results out of the import. The following example is entirely fictional:

First name,Surname
Amelia,Carter
Noah,Bennett
Aisha,Rahman

Download this fictional CSV example. It is an example of the accepted columns, not a real student list.

Import and set exceptions

1. Open the SAR workspace and choose the quick PDF redaction route for an individual document.
2. Use Import names from CSV and select the file. Check the import message and the generated name entries.
3. Add approved exceptions under Names and terms to keep visible. Include the data subject's spelling variants where your review decision is to preserve those occurrences.
4. Use the likely-name option as an additional check, then choose Scan for redactions.
5. Review each suggestion and any conflicting rules. Add manual redactions for names in scans or layouts that were not detected.

Why initials need review

The importer can create variants such as Amelia Carter, A Carter, A. Carter and Carter, Amelia. It cannot prove that "A. Carter" means Amelia rather than another person with the same initial and surname. First-name-only references can also be ambiguous and are not guaranteed to be covered by the import.

Do not automatically keep every occurrence of a shared surname because it belongs to the data subject. Similarly, a keep-visible term is not a legal decision: the surrounding sentence may disclose another person's information. Check the context and resolve overlaps.

Check the final document

Look for names in headers, signatures, tables and images. Search the exported copy for intended redactions and inspect it visually. If some names remain, establish whether the spelling differs, the text is a scan, or an exception rule applied.

For supported spreadsheet evidence, RedactNinja can prepare a review PDF. It does not promise a safely redacted Excel workbook. Retain the source separately and check sheets, comments, formulas and hidden content through an appropriate review process.