Exemption Codes & Document Modes

What are exemption codes

When redacting documents for disclosure - SARs, FOI requests, litigation bundles - you often need to record why each piece of information was redacted. An exemption code is that reason, tagged directly onto the redaction.

A paralegal redacting a SAR response might tag a third party's name with "Sch.2 Para.16 - Protection of the rights of others" and legally privileged material with "Sch.2 Para.19 - Legal professional privilege", both under the Data Protection Act 2018. The codes appear in the audit trail, linking each redaction to its legal basis.

This matters when your redaction decisions are challenged. An ICO investigation, a tribunal, or an internal audit can review the codes to understand why each piece was removed - without needing to see the original content.

Document modes

Before you start redacting, set the document mode to filter the exemption codes to the relevant set:

The mode filters which codes appear in the picker. You can still search for any code regardless of mode.

Jurisdictions

The built-in code library covers four jurisdictions:

• United Kingdom - FOI Act 2000, Environmental Information Regulations 2004, DPA 2018 Schedules 2-4, UK GDPR
• United States (Federal) - FOIA exemptions (b)(1)-(b)(9), Privacy Act (d)(5), (j) and (k)
• Canada (Federal) - Access to Information Act, Privacy Act
• EU/EEA (GDPR) - GDPR articles and recitals for cross-border processing

Codes are grouped by category: data protection, national security, law enforcement, government, commercial, legal privilege, and procedural.

Custom codes

If the built-in library doesn't cover your specific requirement - state-level US regulations, internal policies, or industry-specific exemptions - you can create custom codes. Each custom code has a label and an optional description.

Custom codes appear alongside the built-in library in the picker and are included in the audit trail and export metadata.

Team sharing

On Pro, from two seats, admins can share custom codes across all team members. When a shared code is created, every team member sees it in their picker immediately - no manual distribution or configuration.

This is useful when a firm has standardized its redaction codes across a department or practice area. Create the codes once, share them, and every team member applies them consistently.

Enabling exemption codes

Exemption codes are available on Pro. They're opt-in - you need to enable them in Settings before they appear in the editor. This keeps the interface clean for users who don't need them.

Once enabled, each redaction in the sidebar shows a code picker. You can also set a default code for the current document, which auto-applies to new redactions.

Exemption codes in bulk mode

In bulk mode, exemption codes propagate across documents via the session vocabulary. Approve a redaction with code "(b)(6)" in document one, and the same entity gets the same code in all subsequent documents. The code travels with the approval.

Plan availability

Exemption codes and document modes are available on Pro. Shared team codes require two or more seats. See the plan comparison for full details.