Archive and Anonymize Defined

MagicTools – for PI offers “archive and anonymize” features that rely on and extend the Predictive Index Application Programming Interface (API) definition of “archive”.

Archive

The Predictive Index API offers the ability to “archive” person and assessment data through the use of either DELETE endpoints or parameters such as “archive” = true. When these actions are utilized, the PI API will do the following with the data in focus:

  • mark the item as archived
  • remove that data from access within the PI software
  • remove that data from access via the API
  • remove that data from search results and rules that enforce uniqueness

After archiving, only an action performed by the PI Support Team can bring that data back. It is NOT available to be “unarchived” directly by the customer. 

Anonymize

When MagicTools – for PI performs an “archive” action on a person, it takes an extra “anonymize” step before asking the PI API to archive them. This means that before archiving, the following changes are made:

  • FirstName = “XX”
  • MiddleName = “XX”
  • LastName = “XX”
  • Email = “xx@xx.xx”
  • ExternalPersonId =  Person ID
  • Person Type = “Unknown”
  • Gender = “Unknown”

Warning: It impossible to recover pre-anonymization data directly from the PI system once this action is taken!

Recovering Archived or Anonymized Data

  • Only archive data you never want to see again. You should NEVER plan activities that will require recovery of archived or anonymized data. 
  • To protect you from human error, MagicTools for PI generates log files when running in Live Mode to create a record of the values of each person or assessment before it is changed or archived. You should KEEP the log files until you are SURE you do not need to recover any changed data. Any modified, anonymized, or archived PI data can only be changed back again if you have the original pre-modification data to know how to change the data back again. The Predictive Index Support team may or may not be able to recover archived data, but recovery is made much easier if you know exactly what was changed or archived, so keep the log files created in Live mode as a precaution! But keep them safe and only temporarily because they contain lots of Personally Identifying Information (PII).