Documenting messages for an HR complaint
HR processes move on written records. A verbal account of what a manager said becomes a disagreement between two people; a dated screenshot in a numbered document becomes a record that has to be addressed. The difficulty is that most people send HR a folder of images, and folders get skimmed.
ThreadProof produces a single PDF: a cover page naming the parties and the platform, the messages in order, a plain-language declaration, and a redaction log covering the colleagues who are not part of your complaint. Everything is processed on your device.
Start with one screenshot. It stays on your device and you will see the first page in seconds.
Build my exhibit freeDeciding what belongs in the document
Keep the document to the conduct you are reporting and the immediate context around it. A thread that starts three weeks earlier with an unrelated shift swap dilutes the point. Include the message before and after each incident so the exchange is not stripped of context, then stop.
If the conduct happened across two platforms, for example a work chat tool and personal SMS, build one exhibit per platform rather than mixing them. Each cover page then states one platform honestly.
- The incident messages, with dates and times visible
- One message either side for context
- Any reply you sent at the time
- Any escalation you already made in writing
Redacting colleagues
Group chats sweep in people who have nothing to do with the complaint. Redact their names and numbers. The redaction log records that a third-party name was removed, which is a much better look than an image that has clearly been cropped in a photo editor.
Redactions in ThreadProof are burned into the pixels before the PDF is written, so there is no hidden layer to reveal.
Keeping a copy for yourself
Export before you send, keep the original screenshots, and keep the case backup zip that ThreadProof can produce. If HR asks for a second version with different redactions later, you can rebuild it in a minute instead of starting again from the phone.
One practical note: use a personal device and a personal account for this work if you can. Company-managed devices can be wiped or audited.
ThreadProof formats documents and does not give legal or employment advice.
Questions people ask
- Can HR tell I redacted something?
- Yes, and that is the point. The boxes are visible and the redaction log lists each one with a reason, so nothing looks concealed.
- Should I include screenshots of a group chat?
- You can, with unrelated participants redacted. Name the chat in the case title so the cover page is accurate.
- Is anything sent to a server?
- No images are. Only your email address and subscription status are stored if you create an account.
- What does it cost and can I cancel?
- Personal is $9 per month or $79 per year. A one-time Case Pass is $24 for 90 days. Professional is $49 per month or $439 per year. Cancel anytime from your Account page in two taps; access continues to the end of the period you paid for. Every charge has a 14-day money-back policy: see the policy at /refunds.
Related guides
- How to document text messages for an HR complaint
Document text messages for an HR complaint: capture the thread in date order, redact uninvolved colleagues, and hand over one numbered PDF instead of loose images.
- How to redact names in screenshots
Redact names in screenshots the safe way: use a solid black box, never blur or pixelation, and log every redaction with its page number and reason.
- How to screenshot text messages with the date and time showing
Screenshot text messages with the date and time visible on iPhone and Android, then keep those timestamps intact in a single numbered PDF exhibit.
- How to write a declaration describing text message evidence
A declaration describing text message screenshots covers who you are, whose phone it is, how and when you captured it, and what you redacted. Template language included.
ThreadProof formats documents. It is not a law firm and does not give legal advice.
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