# About guided redaction

{% hint style="info" %}
The guided redaction feature is currently in beta.
{% endhint %}

The Textual guided redaction tool blocks out sensitive values in files. For example, you might use guided redaction to prepare documents to provide in response to a Freedom of Information Act request.

Guided redaction supports built-in and custom entity types. Textual completes an initial scan of the files to identify sensitive values in the files. You can then manually add and remove redactions.

The values are covered with a black or white box. You assign and display reference codes to identify the type of content for each redaction.

The overall workflow is as follows:

<figure><img src="https://3072847115-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FvOPn7KQptPWmS5iKg5P0%2Fuploads%2FMUVSd2BN9eBS0zVeFzDa%2FDiagram_GuidedRedaction.png?alt=media&#x26;token=1e66ff76-df24-44bb-851d-269c884008ca" alt=""><figcaption><p>Guided redaction workflow</p></figcaption></figure>

## Pre-project setup

Before you create a guided redaction project:

1. Set up the list of statuses that can be assigned to a file or a project.\
   \
   Each status is associated with a color.\
   \
   Textual provides a set of built-in statuses, including a **Not started** status that is applied automatically to all new projects and files, and a **Done** status that indicates that the project or file is complete.\
   \
   You can configure custom statuses and change the names and colors of the built-in statuses. You can also delete the built-in statuses, except for **Not started** and **Done**.
2. If you assign reference codes to the redactions, configure the reference codes.\
   \
   Reference codes identify the type of information that is redacted.\
   \
   You can optionally link each code to up to 5 Textual entity types. For example, if you use a single code for all name values, then you could link that code to both the Given Name and Family Name entity types.\
   \
   Be sure to map reference codes to all of the entity types that are present in your files.

## Project creation and population

1. [Create a guided redaction project](https://docs.tonic.ai/textual/guided-redaction/redaction-project-create-manage/redaction-project-create).
2. [Add files to the project](https://docs.tonic.ai/textual/redaction-project-file-list#adding-files-to-the-project).\
   \
   For new files, Textual uses its built-in models to scan each file for entity values.

## File redaction

For each file, in **Redaction** mode, you can [add and remove redactions](https://docs.tonic.ai/textual/guided-redaction/redaction-project-file-process/redaction-project-redact-file).

Every redaction must be assigned a reference code. Redactions that do not have reference codes are not redacted in the output.

As you work on the redaction, you can update the [file](https://docs.tonic.ai/textual/guided-redaction/redaction-project-file-process/redaction-project-file-status) and [project](https://docs.tonic.ai/textual/guided-redaction/redaction-project-create-manage/redaction-project-status) statuses.

Use the [project audit log](https://docs.tonic.ai/textual/guided-redaction/redaction-project-audit-log) to track the project activity.

## Redaction review

In **Review** mode, [review the redactions and mark each one as reviewed](https://docs.tonic.ai/textual/guided-redaction/redaction-project-file-process/redaction-project-file-review).

As you work on the review, you can update the [file](https://docs.tonic.ai/textual/guided-redaction/redaction-project-file-process/redaction-project-file-status) and [project](https://docs.tonic.ai/textual/guided-redaction/redaction-project-create-manage/redaction-project-status) statuses.

Use the [project audit log](https://docs.tonic.ai/textual/guided-redaction/redaction-project-audit-log) to track the project activity.

## Output preview and download

In **Preview** mode, [preview the redacted output](https://docs.tonic.ai/textual/guided-redaction/redaction-project-file-process/redaction-project-file-preview) based on the current redactions.

When the redaction and review is complete, [download the redacted files](https://docs.tonic.ai/textual/guided-redaction/redaction-project-download-files). All downloaded output is in PDF format, with the individual PDF files bundled into a .zip file.

When you download files, you select whether the output is redacted or is to be used for review.

* Review output does not cover the redactions, and always displays the reference codes.
* For redacted output, you select the color of the box and whether to display the reference codes.


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