

- #How to use document inspector in excel pdf#
- #How to use document inspector in excel software#
- #How to use document inspector in excel windows#
Next, let’s open this same file in Microsoft Word:Ĥ. Each character takes one byte of disk space to store on the computer.ģ. This makes sense, as the text “This is a test.” is itself 15 characters long (including letters, spaces and the period at the end). After saving this file as plain text, we can right-click on the saved file and then click on “Properties” to see the file’s size:
#How to use document inspector in excel windows#
In Windows Notepad, type the text “This is a test.” and then save the file:Ģ. We’ll start by creating a small “plain text” file.ġ. Let’s demonstrate how much “extra” information can be hidden inside a basic Word file. In today’s article, we’ll describe some of the hidden information that may be exposed through the disclosure of electronic records, and consider whether routinely disclosing electronic versions of documents is a safe practice from a privacy perspective. Does your institution know what it is disclosing?ĭoes your institution regularly disclose electronic versions of documents to requestors when asked to do so? Have you ever given thought to exactly what information may be hidden in the electronic version of a document?
#How to use document inspector in excel software#
Image files can contain “hidden data” too, such as a watermark that is not visible to human eyes but whose data can be retrieved using an appropriate software tool, or “artifacts” that can leave traces of how an image has been edited or modified. These changes, comments and deleted text are sometimes hidden from view when the document is opened, and may not appear in the printed version of the document either, but they can be easily retrieved by anyone who has the electronic version of the document. Microsoft Word documents may also contain tracked changes and thereby retain deleted text, earlier versions of the text, and comments from reviewers. While such text will generally not be visible when a document is viewed or printed, the text still exists in the Word document and can be retrieved (such as by changing the text style or through other means). For example, text can be hidden in a Word document by setting its colour to white, or by setting its background colour to black. Hidden data can refer to any extra information in a document or image which is not immediately visible to the user. The term “hidden data” includes the metadata embedded in a file, but also has a broader meaning. Although this information can be retrieved using appropriate software, it is mostly invisible to anyone who isn’t looking for it – i.e., anyone who merely opens, views, edits, or prints the file.
#How to use document inspector in excel pdf#
For a digital photograph, the metadata might include the type of camera or other device used to create the image, the location where it was taken, and the date and time it was taken, as well as other information.Įlectronic records, whether they are Word documents, PDF files, image files, or otherwise, almost always contain metadata which is embedded inside the record itself. For a Microsoft Word document, this could include information such as the author of the document, the date and time the document was created, the time spent editing the document, its length, its description, comments about the document, etc.

Metadata refers to information “about” a record. What are Metadata and Hidden Data? Metadata
