Batches of files
Apply one Protection Plan to a whole set of files
A set of monthly exports needs the same protection in every file. Save one plan, add the files, and DataAttendant checks each against it. Files that match are protected, and a file that needs a decision waits for your review.
Protect a file and save a planTry a sample
- Your file stays in your browser.
- You review every change before you share.
| File | Result |
|---|---|
| sales-january.csv | Protected |
| sales-february.csv | Protected |
| sales-march.xlsx | Waits for your review |
| notes.json | Not protected with this plan |
Sound familiar?
You have a set of files that all need the same treatment
The work repeats
Twelve branch exports, or twelve months of one report. Each file needs the same decisions.
The codes drift
Cleaned one by one, the same customer can end up with a different code in each file, and the files no longer line up.
One odd file is easy to miss
A renamed column or a different file type in the set is hard to spot when you work through the files by hand.
What a batch does with each file
| File | What DataAttendant finds | Result |
|---|---|---|
| sales-january.csv | The same columns as the plan | Protected |
| sales-february.csv | The same columns as the plan | Protected |
| sales-march.xlsx | One column was renamed | Waits for your review |
| notes.json | A JSON file, and the plan was made for spreadsheets | Not protected with this plan |
By default, the same customer gets the same code in every file for the same recipient, in the same browser. All values are invented.
See it on a sample file
Open a sample and save your choices as a plan. You can then apply the plan to several files.
From your file to the result
Save a plan from one file
Protect one file of the set, then save your choices as a plan.
Apply a plan to multiple data files
Choose the plan and add the files. The picker takes files, not a folder.
Check the files
Each file is compared with the plan. You acknowledge the plan's warnings once.
Protect and download
The files are protected one after the other, and you can cancel the batch or one file. You receive one archive with the copies and a summary.
Questions before you try it
Are the files protected at the same time?
No. They run one after another. You can cancel the whole batch or one file.
What if one file is different?
A file whose columns differ waits for your review. A file of a different type, for example JSON when the plan is for spreadsheets, is not protected with the plan. The other files still finish.
What do I get back?
One archive with the protected copies and a summary. Each file's record is kept in History.
How large can a file be?
Each file has its own size limit. CSV, TSV, text, JSON and JSON Lines files can be up to 50 MB. Excel and XML files can be up to 25 MB.
Do all the files get the same codes?
By default, yes, for the same recipient, in the same browser. A rule set to give new codes for each file does not.
Do I need an account, and what does it cost?
You can open a file and review it without an account. Downloading the protected copy needs one. Every account starts on the free Starter level. See pricing
Protect a batch of files with one plan
Save a plan from one file, then apply it to the rest.
Go deeper
How DataAttendant works, step by step
What happens to your file from the moment you open it to the moment you restore the answer: how sensitive values are found, what each treatment does, what is checked before export, and where your keys and records are kept.
Replacing real names with consistent stand-ins so your analysis still works
How to replace names, customer numbers and other identifiers with stand-ins that stay the same wherever the real value appears, and the mistakes that break the count or reveal more than you meant.
Which files DataAttendant can open, and what happens to each kind
DataAttendant opens CSV and text tables, Excel workbooks, and JSON, JSON Lines, and XML files. This guide explains each format, the size limits, how the tool reads each file, and what happens to a file that is not valid or is too large.