Should You Choose JustFOIA, Adobe, or Laserfiche for Redaction?

Redaction is easy. Just run a Sharpie over a couple of social security numbers—boom, done!

Unclench your jaw… 😁 We know it’s a lot more complicated (and stressful) than that.

From knowing how to erase metadata to understanding the nuances of your jurisdiction’s requirements, redaction is fraught with possible costly, embarrassing complications.

But redaction software for public records can help ensure that you avoid the most common mistakes and make the whole process less painful.

Whether you’re a current JustFOIA client or considering joining us, it’s important to have a thorough understanding of your options to choose the right redaction program for you. Take the quiz to see our recommendations, then see the chart below for detailed information about each product’s capabilities!

Choosing a Redaction Software for Public Records

Most JustFOIA users choose our in-app redaction software module because it is specifically designed with the features you need for redacting public records. It has out-of-the-box capabilities for bulk redaction, redaction based on pattern recognition, an exemption log for compliance purposes (such as Washington State’s JLARC reporting requirements), and more. And as always, JustFOIA comes with unlimited user licenses.

But you do have other options. Our integrations with Adobe and Laserfiche allow you to redact those programs and then import the redacted document into JustFOIA.

Laserfiche has an almost limitless ability to customize your redaction process. The downside? It requires a lot of configuration to make it happen. Plus, everyone who needs to redact has to have a full Laserfiche license.

Adobe Acrobat Pro has more out-of-the-box capabilities than Laserfiche but doesn’t have much in the way of custom workflows. And just like Laserfiche, you need a separate license for each person.

Take the quiz below for a personalized recommendation of which redaction software is best for your organization.

Compare JustFOIA, Adobe Acrobat Pro, and Laserfiche for Redaction

Now, let’s get down to the nitty-gritty technical abilities of each redaction software for public records.

	JustFOIA	Adobe Acrobat Pro	Laserfiche
Licensing Requirements	Redaction comes standard with JustFOIA Pro or Enterprise. No charge for additional user licenses.	Each user needs a license for Adobe Acrobat Pro.	Each user needs a full Laserfiche license.
Remove metadata	All metadata automatically stripped from redacted documents	“Sanitize document” to remove metadata, attached files, comments, links, etc.	Redacted text is removed from document metadata on the Text Pane. Other metadata can be removed manually.
Permissions	Any user with permission to edit the request can see through or edit redactions.	No users can see through the redaction.	Admins can configure who can see through redactions (until it’s exported).
Able to remove every instance of a certain word or phrase			Requires a custom Workflow configuration
Able to redact based on patterns (e.g., recognize and remove all Social Security Numbers, email addresses, etc.)			Requires a custom Workflow configuration
One-click auto-redaction	One-click redaction based on exemptions (Example: Configure your settings so that all email addresses, SSNs, etc. are removed with a single click)		Requires a custom Workflow configuration
Redaction reasons	Can be applied automatically for all redactions, applied manually from a pre-configured list, or users can type in their own reason.	Select reasons from a pre-configured list for individual redactions	Select reasons from a pre-configured list for individual redactions.
Exemption Log	Can automatically create a document explaining any exemptions/redactions for each request with redaction reasons for compliance.		Requires a custom Workflow configuration
Approvals	Save a draft of redactions for another user to approve before the redaction is burned in.		Requires a custom Workflow configuration
File Formats	Most file formats, including Word, PDF, exported emails, etc.	Able to redact PDFs only	Any document stored in Laserfiche

Watch JustFOIA’s Redaction Module in Action

Learn more about how to use Adobe Acrobat Pro or Laserfiche for redaction.

Interested in learning more?

JustFOIA is the easiest to use, most feature-rich public records software on the market. With redaction and other security features, you’ll sleep well at night knowing that your data and reputation are safe.

Fill out the form below to speak to a JustFOIA Solution Consultant.

Already a JustFOIA client but want to enable redactions? Contact your client success specialist or fill out the form below for more information.