This article explains how to annotate and redact attached files. You can use this feature if a library administrator has activated it in your library.
You can use this feature in all library types. You can annotate and redact any file type that can be displayed in the advanced viewer. This includes Google and Microsoft office files.
Important: Make sure you annotate and redact your file at the end of the edit phase. The annotations and redactions are held in a layer on top of the text. If you add new lines to your file, the layer containing the annotations and redactions will be out of sync with the original text.
This article explains how to:
Automatically generated table of contents
Access the Annotate and redact feature
1. Open an AODocs document.
2. Select an attached file in the left panel.
3. Select the Annotate and redact button.
The attached file opens in the advanced viewer. There are two tabs available: Annotate and Redact.
The file autosaves while you annotate and redact it.
Annotate your attached file
Select your annotation tool
You can annotate your attached file with the following tools:
- Shapes: arrow, line, rectangle, and circle
- Text
- Highlight
- Strikethrough
- Gesture
- Polyline
- Text hyperlink
- Stamp: Approved, Reviewed, or Rejected
- Image stamp
Redact your attached file
Select your redaction tool
You can redact your attached file with the following tools.
Rectangle redaction tool
This lets you define a colored block to redact specific parts of the attached file.
You can:
- define the size and position of the block
- select a color for the block
- select a color and line width for the block outline
- add text indicating the reason for redaction
- select a color for the text indicating the reason
Text redaction tool
This lets you select text in the document to redact it. The text is covered by a block the same height as the text. It's always black.
You can add a reason for redaction, which appears in white on top of the block.
Full page redaction
Select one or more pages to redact. Each selected page becomes entirely black.
You can add a reason for redaction, which appears in white on top of the block.
Auto-redaction options
You can automatically redact the following types of information:
- social security numbers (American format only)
- dates
- email addresses
- phone numbers
- specific words defined by you
- values of AODocs properties in the current document
You can add a reason for redaction.
Use common options in all annotation and redaction tools
For each tool, you can:
- add a comment
- define the position of the annotation or redaction in relation to other edits: move to front or back, move forward or backward (this isn't available for the the text redaction tool)
Note: Currently, the checkbox Include in burned document isn't usable.
Display and hide annotations and redactions
Click Show edits to open and close a panel with all the annotations and redactions. You can see your edits at the top of the list and other people's edits below (under Annotations for Review).
Click the eye button to show or hide all edits made by one person.
The example below shows the following annotations and redactions:
- Stamp annotation tool (Approved) with a comment
- Auto-redaction of US social security numbers with a reason for redaction ("Confidential")
- Text redaction with a reason for redaction ("Hidden")
- Highlight annotation tool with a comment
You can also see the common options.
Save the attached file with annotations and redactions
You can save the attached file:
- as a PDF with annotations and redactions
- in it's original format without annotations and redactions
1. Click Save file as.
2. Select one of the options:
- Download: to download the attached file as a PDF with annotations and redactions
- Save as new attached file: to create a new attached PDF file with annotations and redactions in the current document
- Save as new document: to create a new document with an attached PDF file with annotations and redactions – you can select a document class for your new document
- Download original file: to download the attached file in it's original format without annotations and redactions
Note: Comments don't appear in the PDF.