What to remove before you paste work into an AI assistant

Review the material before uploading

A useful prompt rarely needs everything in the original file. Before pasting a log, spreadsheet or email, look for access tokens, passwords, recovery codes, private keys, customer identifiers and confidential commercial terms. Remove information unrelated to the question.

For example, debugging a formula may require column names and a few invented sample rows, rather than a full payroll spreadsheet. Explaining an error may require the error text, rather than a complete server log that contains authentication headers.

Choose the correct account and service

Consumer and organization-managed accounts may have different terms and administrative controls. Check the exact service’s current retention and data processing settings. Do not assume that a familiar brand name implies the same policy across every product.

Follow your organization’s rules for approved tools. If the task needs regulated or sensitive records, consult the responsible team before uploading them. Substituting initials for names may not be enough when other details identify a person.

Make a safe sample

1. Copy only the part needed to explain the problem.
2. Replace identifiers and real values with consistent invented examples.
3. Remove hidden sheets, comments and metadata if sharing a file.
4. Check the remaining context for details that reveal an identity.
5. Verify that the modified sample still reproduces the question.

If you accidentally share a credential, treat it as potentially exposed: revoke or rotate it using the provider’s controls. Deleting the chat is not a substitute for revocation. For confidential records, document the event and follow your organization’s incident process.