**Source URL:** https://safety.veevavault.help/en/lr/11989742/

# Configuring Document Redaction

Vault provides tools that enable users to create, review, and manage redacted documents  directly within Vault. The _Redaction_ (Redaction annotation tool) annotation tool in the document viewer allows users to create redaction annotations to conceal text or areas of a document. Users can select a redaction type for the annotation to indicate why they are redacting the highlighted area. After adding redaction annotations, a user can generate the redacted copy, in which Vault removes concealed text, sanitizes hidden metadata, and strips links to ensure no sensitive information remains in the document. 

## **Configuration Overview**

To configure document redaction, you need to:

* [Configure][1] the document types you want to make available for redaction.  
* [Configure][2] the redaction types you want to make available to users during document redaction.  
* [Configure][3] the redaction settings.  
* [Configure][4] the _Generate Redacted Copy_ user action, or configure the entry action to integrate document redaction into an existing workflow.  
* Optional: [Configure][5] the _Purpose_ picklist.  
* Optional: [Configure][8] offline annotation for exporting and importing redaction annotations.  
* [Grant][6] the appropriate document role permissions for users who will participate in document redaction.

## Configuring Document Types for Redaction {#document-types}

Add the required rendition types and relationship types to each document type you want to be available for redaction. 

Navigate to **Admin > Configuration > Document Types** and select **Actions > Edit Details** on the document type you want to make available for redaction. In the *General* tab of the *Edit Details* dialog, add **Redacted Rendition** to the *Rendition Types* field, and add **Redacted To** and **Redacted From** to the *Relationship Types* field. Click **Save** to save the changes.

Optionally, add **Proposed Redaction Rendition** to the *Rendition Types* field. This rendition type allows users to download a *Proposed Redaction Rendition*, which shows the redaction annotations as they are displayed in the document viewer using their [configured *Outline Color*][2].

To disallow redaction on a document type after initial configuration, remove the rendition types and relationship types above from the document type. Removing these does not delete any redacted copies that have already been generated, but the *Redaction* panel and redaction annotations are hidden from source documents of that document type. In addition, users cannot add new redactions to documents of that document type.

## Configuring Redaction Types {#redaction-types}

_Redaction Types_ allow users to classify redaction annotations when redacting a document. The *Redaction Type* configuration determines how the redaction annotation is displayed in a source document, as well as how the redaction is displayed in a generated redacted copy. Users can hover over a redaction annotation in a source document to preview how the redaction will be displayed on the generated redacted copy. The following fields determine the redaction appearance:

* **Outline Color**: The outline color of the redaction annotation in the source document and proposed redaction rendition.  
* **Fill Color**: The fill color of the redaction on the generated redacted copy.  
* **Overlay Text**: The overlay text displayed on the redaction on the generated redacted copy.  
* **Text Color**: The color of the overlay text displayed on the redaction on the generated redacted copy.

By default, the *CCI* (`cci__sys`) (Commercially Confidential Information), *PPD* (`ppd__sys`) (Protected Personal Data), and *Other* (`other__sys`) system-managed *Redaction Types* are available for users when creating redaction annotations. You cannot modify these _Redaction Types_, but you can deactivate them to make them unavailable for users to select when creating redaction annotations. 

The system-managed _CCI_ and _PPD_ _Redaction Types_ adhere to current European Medicines Agency (EMA) requirements for redaction colors and overlay text.

In addition to the system-managed _Redaction Types_, you can create up to 22 additional custom *Redaction Types* for users to select when creating redaction annotations, for a total of 25 _Redaction Types_.

To create a custom _Redaction Type_:

1. Navigate to **Admin > Configuration > Redaction Types** and click **Create**.  
2. On the *Create Redaction Type* page, enter a **Label** for the *Redaction Type*. This label is displayed to users when creating a redaction annotation. Vault populates the **Name** field based on the *Label*, but you can update it if needed.  
3. Select the **Outline Color** and **Fill Color** for the redaction.  
4. Optional: Enter the **Overlay Text** of up to 20 characters and select the **Text Color** for the *Overlay Text*.   
5. Click **Save** to save the custom *Redaction Type*.

## Configuring Redaction Settings {#redaction-settings}

Configure the following settings in the *Redaction* section in **Admin > Settings > General Settings**:

* **Include Overlays from Source Document**: Enable this setting to include the source document's overlays on the generated redacted copy.  
* **Include Signature Pages from Source Document**: Enable this setting to include the source document's signature pages on the generated redacted copy.  
* **Add Redaction Label to Document Name**: Enable this setting to add **Redacted** to the document name of the generated redacted copy. Select **Prefix** to include the redaction label at the beginning of the name, or select **Suffix** to include the redaction label at the end of the name. For example: _Redacted - Patient Visit Summary_ or _Patient Visit Summary - Redacted_. If this setting is disabled, Vault uses the original document name for the generated redacted copy without adding a redaction label.

## Configuring the Generate Redacted Copy User Action {#user-action}

To allow users to initiate the *Generate Redacted Copy* action (or *Update Redacted Copy* if a redacted copy has already been created), add the **Generate Redacted Copy** user action to the *Redacting Source* state of the *Redaction Lifecycle*. Configuring this user action enables the *Generate Redacted Copy* and *Update Redacted Copy* links on the Redactions panel, as well as in the panel's *All Actions* menu.

*Generate Redacted Copy* is also available as an entry action on the *Generating Redacted Copy* state of the _Redaction Lifecycle_, which allows you to integrate the redacted copy generation process into your processes and workflows without requiring users to navigate to the *Redactions* panel to manually generate redacted copies.

To configure the *Generate Redacted Copy* user action:

1. Navigate to **Admin > Configuration > Object Lifecycles** and select the **Redaction Lifecycle** (`redaction_lifecycle__sys`).  
2. Select the **Redacting Source** (`redacting_source__sys`) state.  
3. In the *User Actions* section, click **Edit**, then click **Create Rule** and create a rule with the following fields:  
   a. **Condition Type**: *Always*.  
   b. **Allow the following actions**: *Generate Redacted Copy*  
   c. **Action Label**: *Generate Redacted Copy*  
4. Click **Save** to save the rule.

## Configuring the Purpose Picklist {#purpose-picklist}

The *Redactions* panel on the Doc Info pane allows users to select the *Purpose* for why they are adding redactions to the document.

To create *Purpose* values available for users to select in the _Redactions_ panel, navigate to **Business Admin > Picklists**, select the **Redaction Purpose** (`redaction_purpose__sys`) picklist, and click **Create** to add the appropriate values.

## Configuring Offline Annotation {#offline-annotation}

Vault's offline annotation feature supports exporting and importing redaction annotations. Users can export a PDF with redaction annotations, modify the redaction annotations using Adobe Reader or Acrobat, and then import the marked up PDF back into Vault. To enable this functionality, navigate to **Admin > Settings \> General Settings** and select the **Enable Export / Import of Annotations** checkbox.

## Granting Document Role Permissions {#granting-permissions}

Grant _Redact_ permissions for the document roles on the specific lifecycle states in which you want redactions to be available.

Navigate to **Admin> Configuration > Document Lifecycles > [Lifecycle] > [State] > Security Settings**, click **Edit**, and select **Redact** for each document role for which you want to allow document redaction. Click **Save** to save the changes.

## Related Permissions {#related-permissions}

You can configure document redactions with the standard *System Admin* or *Vault Owner* security profile. For custom security profiles, the following permissions control the ability to configure document redaction:

| Type | Permission Label | Controls |
| ----- | ----- | ----- |
| Security Profile | Admin: Document Types: Edit | Ability to enable redaction for specific document types. |
| Security Profile | Admin: Document Lifecycles: Edit | Ability to enable redaction for document roles on specific lifecycle states. |
| Security Profile | Admin: Object Lifecycles: Edit | Ability to add the *Generate Redacted Copy* user action to the Redaction Lifecycle. |
| Security Profile | Admin: Redaction Types: Edit | Ability to create and edit Redaction Types. |
| Security Profile | Application: Vault Actions: Manage Redactions | Ability to bring forward redaction annotations and move or delete another user's redaction annotations. |

[1]: #document-types
[2]: #redaction-types
[3]: #redaction-settings
[4]: #user-action
[5]: #purpose-picklist
[6]: #granting-permissions
[7]: #related-permissions
[8]: #offline-annotation