BASALT · JOURNAL
How to create a privilege log from PDF review
A privilege log is easiest to build while the reviewer is making the withholding decision. Reconstructing it weeks later from black bars loses context and invites inconsistent descriptions.
The required fields and level of detail depend on jurisdiction, agreement, and court order. Counsel should define the template; the document workflow should capture it accurately.
Define fields before review
Common fields include document ID or Bates range, date, author, recipients, document type, privilege or protection asserted, a description sufficient for the required purpose, reviewer, and status. Use controlled values for reason and document type where consistency matters.
Do not copy the privileged communication itself into the description. Describe the nature and purpose at the approved level without revealing the substance.
Link entries to stable document IDs
Capture source hash and page reference during review, then replace provisional IDs with final Bates ranges after production. One document may contain several redactions under different grounds; decide whether the protocol expects one document-level entry or mark-level detail.
Keep uncertain calls in an exception queue with an owner. Do not export them as final simply because the batch completed.
Export safely
Spreadsheet cells beginning with =, +, -, or @ can be interpreted as formulas. Escape user-entered values during CSV or XLSX generation. Validate dates, required fields, duplicate IDs, and range arithmetic before delivery.
Reconcile the final log against withheld documents and redaction reasons. Every listed range should exist, and every logged withholding should map to the released set or an explicitly withheld document.
Frequently asked questions
Should a privilege log quote the withheld text?
No. Use the description required by the governing procedure without disclosing the privileged substance.
When should Bates numbers enter the log?
After final production numbering, with a mapping from the stable source or document ID used during review.
Why escape spreadsheet formulas?
Untrusted text at the start of a cell can execute as a formula when opened, creating a security and data-integrity risk.
Doing it in Basalt
Basalt captures editable privilege-log fields during redaction review and exports CSV and XLSX with formula-injection defenses. Entries stay linked to the local document workflow and final Bates manifest. Download Basalt.
Redaction that proves itself
Basalt destroys the content you mark, then re-opens the file it wrote and proves the content is gone before it saves anything. Your documents never leave your Mac.