Once a user is no longer using Moss and has been deactivated, you can anonymise their user records to remove personal details and support your obligations under GDPR.
Anonymisation deletes the user's phone number, bank details, address, and profile picture, and replaces their first name, last name, and email with an anonymisation ID.
You then choose whether the original first and last name should remain visible inside the user's profile (for admins only) to identify the person when needed (e.g. for tax or audit purposes).
Note: Anonymisation is permanent and cannot be undone. Please ensure the action is consistent with your applicable legal and regulatory data retention obligations.
Where to find the action
You can anonymise a user from the 'User management' section:
Go to 'User Management' > make sure you have the 'Users' tab open
Open the user's detail panel
If the user is still active, click ‘Deactivate’ first
Click ‘Anonymise’
The two anonymisation options
In the Anonymise dialog, you choose how the user's first and last name are handled. Email, phone number, bank details, address, and profile picture are always anonymised.
Option | What happens |
Keep first and last name | The user's first and last name stay visible inside their profile. Past records show an anonymisation ID, and admins can use that ID in User Management to identify the person when needed (e.g. for tax or audit purposes). |
Remove personal details | The user's first and last name are also removed from your Moss workspace. Past records show an anonymisation ID, but admins will no longer be able to use that ID to identify the person from User Management. |
Note: Choose ‘Keep first and last name’ when you may need to identify the person behind a past expense, payment, or change log later. Choose ‘Remove personal details’ when you do not need that lookup.
In both cases, the user's name is replaced by their anonymisation ID across Moss – in the user list, on past records, and in exports. The user's profile shows ‘Deactivated’ and ‘Anonymised’ badges; the user list shows only ‘Deactivated’.
Viewing an anonymized user
If you chose ‘Keep first and last name’, the original first and last name remain visible inside the user's profile, so admins can still identify the person behind a past record:
Open the record and note the anonymisation ID shown in place of the user's name.
Go to ‘User Management’ > make sure you are in the ‘Users’ tab
Search for the anonymisation ID and open the user's detail panel.
There you will be able to view their original name
Frequently asked questions
Can I undo anonymisation?
No. Anonymisation is permanent and cannot be reversed in Moss.
Does anonymisation help us comply with GDPR?
Anonymisation is one of the tools you can use to support your data-protection obligations. We recommend reviewing the action with your legal and compliance team so it is consistent with your specific regulatory and data retention requirements.
Will the user be notified when they are anonymised?
No. The anonymised user is not notified. Only admins see the change in the user list and profile.