Inkwell Data / Anonymize data
Anonymize data
Share a spreadsheet without sharing people’s personal details. Personal-looking columns are spotted for you, each gets a safe default, and you choose exactly what happens before you download.
How it works
Add a file. Columns that look personal, such as emails, phone numbers, names, birth dates, addresses, ZIP codes and ID numbers, are flagged and given a sensible default action. Change any of them from the list.
Actions include removing a column, blanking it, replacing names with labels like “Customer 0007”, hashing IDs into short codes, masking emails (j•••@e•••.com) and phones (keeping the last 4 digits), turning dates of birth into a year, shortening ZIP codes to 3 characters, rounding amounts and shuffling values between rows.
Hashing and labels are consistent: the same customer always gets the same code, so you can still count, group and join. Add a secret phrase so codes can’t be reversed by guessing, and reuse it on other files to keep them joinable. If you replaced names with labels, you can download a private key that maps each label back to the original value.
Questions
Is my file uploaded to anonymize it?
No. The file is read and anonymized by your own browser. Nothing is sent to a server, which is the point: the original personal data never leaves your device.
Is this the same as full anonymization under GDPR or HIPAA?
It removes and masks direct identifiers, which is a big step, but combinations of remaining details can sometimes still identify a person. Treat the output as de-identified data and check your organization’s rules before sharing it.
Will the same person get the same code in every row?
Yes. Labels and hashes are consistent within a file, ignoring upper/lower case, so totals and joins still work. With the same secret phrase, hashes also match across files.
What is the pseudonym key?
When you replace values with labels, you can download a separate file listing which label stands for which original value. Keep it private; anyone with it can reverse the labels.
Which columns are flagged automatically?
Columns whose names or values look like emails, phone numbers, names, birth dates, street addresses, ZIP codes, customer or member IDs, and sensitive numbers like SSNs, card or bank accounts. Always review the choices yourself.