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How to Anonymize a File

This guide walks you through anonymizing an EDI file in EDI Paisan.


Before You Start

  • Supported file types: 837P, 837I, 835, 270, 271
  • Browser requirement: Modern browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge)
  • Tier requirement: Free (view anonymized) or Pro (export anonymized file)

Step 1: Upload Your File

  1. Go to app.edipaisan.com
  2. Drag-and-drop your EDI file onto the upload area, or click to browse and select a file
  3. Wait for the file to parse

EDI Paisan will display the parsed file in the tree viewer.


Step 2: Click Anonymize

  1. Look for the Anonymize button in the toolbar
  2. Click it once to anonymize the file

The button will change to show Anonymized (highlighted) when active.

That's it — the file is now anonymized. All PHI in the viewer is replaced with masked values.


Step 3: Review the Anonymized Data

Navigate through the tree viewer to see the anonymized content:

  • Patient names → First letter preserved, rest masked (e.g., SMITHSXXXX)
  • SSNs → Fully masked (e.g., 123-45-6789XXX-XX-XXXX)
  • Addresses → Masked while preserving format
  • Member IDs → Replaced with consistent anonymous IDs (ANON000001)
  • Dates of birth → Year preserved, month/day set to 01/01

Click on any segment to see the anonymized element values in the detail panel.


Step 4: Export (Pro Tier)

To download the anonymized file:

  1. Click the Export dropdown in the toolbar
  2. Select Export as EDI
  3. The downloaded file will contain the anonymized data

Pro Feature

Downloading anonymized files requires a Pro subscription. Free tier users can view anonymized data in the browser but cannot export.


Restoring Original Data

To switch back to the original (non-anonymized) view:

  1. Click the Anonymized button again
  2. The button returns to normal state
  3. Original PHI is restored in the viewer

The original data was never modified — anonymization only affects the display. Your source file is unchanged.


Tips

For Vendor Support

  1. Upload the problematic file
  2. Click Anonymize
  3. Export as EDI (Pro) or take screenshots of the viewer
  4. Share safely without exposing real patient data

For Training

  1. Load a real-world file
  2. Anonymize it
  3. Use the viewer to demonstrate EDI structure without compliance risk

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