Subject access request (SAR) and FOI request managementEvery request logged, on the clock and answered on time
Dev Soft UK designs and builds subject access request and FOI request management for you with DocView Capture, DocView Web and DocView OmniRead: identity checks, a deadline clock, search, redaction, approval, release and a record of what you sent and why.
The clock starts the day the request arrives
A subject access request usually has to be answered within one calendar month, and an FOI request usually within 20 working days. Requests arrive by letter, e-mail and web form, often to the wrong person. Then someone has to confirm who is asking, find every relevant record, remove what must not be released and get sign-off.
When that runs on spreadsheets and shared inboxes, requests are missed, deadlines are worked out by hand and there is no clear record of what was released.
| Ref | Type | Received | Due | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| REQ-0418 | SAR | 02/11/2026 | 02/12/2026 | ID check |
| REQ-0415 | FOI | 28/10/2026 | 25/11/2026 | Search |
| REQ-0409 | SAR | 20/10/2026 | 20/11/2026 | Due soon |
| REQ-0402 | FOI | 13/10/2026 | 10/11/2026 | Released |
Illustration with sample data.
From first contact to release, in six steps
Log
Letters, e-mails and forms become one request with a reference and a received date.
Verify
The requester's identity is checked and the evidence kept with the request.
Start the clock
A due date is set from the request type, and reminders follow it.
Search
Relevant records are found and gathered into the request.
Redact and approve
Third-party and exempt information is removed, then a named person signs off.
Release
The response is shared securely and the request is closed with a full record.
Included in DocView
- DocView Capture imports from IMAP, POP3 and Microsoft 365 mailboxes, watched folders and scanners
- A ready-made DocView Capture setup tracks data subject access requests under UK GDPR and EU GDPR with response deadlines
- One search box covers documents, field values and page text, with hits highlighted on the page
- Customer sharing by secure link and PIN, so a requester can answer questions, fill in fields or upload replacement pages, with reminders and escalation
- DocView Web document types, workflow tasks for a user or role, and Approve or Reject actions
- Document cases that group the records for one request, and time-limited secure sharing
- A history of what happened to each document, and who did it
What we configure or build for you
- We configure SAR and FOI request types, each with its own due-date rule and reminders
- We build the identity check step and the evidence it must record
- We connect DocView to the systems where your records live, so searches reach them
- We add a redaction step for third-party and exempt information
- We set up approval routes, extension and refusal records, and response letters
- We build a register and reports of open, due and closed requests
- We can add a breach incident log with its own clock, decision record and evidence
The solution is designed to help you meet your obligations under data protection and freedom of information law. Decisions about what to release remain with your team.
Teams that answer information requests
Councils and public bodies
FOI and subject access requests side by side, each on its own clock.
Data protection officers
One place to see every request, its due date and who holds it now.
Legal and HR teams
Requests from employees, customers and former clients, answered with a clear record.
SAR and FOI management questions
Is this an off-the-shelf product?
No. It is DocView Capture and DocView Web configured for your request process and, where needed, extended by Dev Soft UK, for example with a redaction step or connections to your own systems.
What deadlines does it track?
We set the due date for each request type with you. A subject access request is usually due within one calendar month and an FOI request usually within 20 working days, and extensions are recorded with their reasons.
Does it take care of our legal obligations?
No software can do that on its own. The solution is designed to help you meet your obligations by keeping every request visible, dated and recorded, while the decisions stay with your people.
Can requesters send us documents securely?
Yes. DocView Capture can share chosen documents with a secure link and a PIN. The requester can answer questions, fill in fields or upload replacement pages without an account, and we can build a secure upload form for identity evidence.
Where does it run?
We can host it on Azure, AWS, Google Cloud or another provider of your choice, or install it on your own servers or cloud.
Get requests under control
Tell us how requests reach you today, and we will show you how DocView could log, track and answer them.