Personal Data Processing Register starter template
A structured starting point for documenting what personal data your organisation processes, why, where it lives, and who else touches it. Free to download, no email required. Fill it in with your own processing activities, one row per activity.
Download the template (.csv)
What's in the template
Fourteen columns, one row per activity.
Processing Activity ID
A short reference code, e.g. PA-001.
Processing Activity Name
What the activity is, in a few words.
Business Purpose
Why this data is processed.
Category of Personal Data
e.g. contact details, financial, health, government IDs.
Category of Data Principals
Whose data this is: customers, employees, vendors, applicants.
Source of Collection
Where the data comes from.
Consent / Legal Basis Reference
What allows you to process it: consent, or one of the legitimate uses listed in section 7 (say which).
System(s) Storing the Data
Which application or database holds it.
Vendor / Processor Involved
Any third party that processes it on your behalf.
Cross-Border Transfer
Whether the data leaves India, and to where.
Retention Period
How long you keep it, and why.
Security Measures Applied
Access controls, encryption, or other safeguards in place.
Owner / Responsible Team
Who's accountable for keeping this row accurate.
Last Reviewed Date
When this row was last checked.
Before you fill it in
- This is a starting structure, not an exhaustive legal template. Real registers grow as you map more of your organisation's data.
- One row per processing activity, not per system. The same system (like your CRM) can appear across several rows if it supports different activities.
- The platform's own Personal Data Processing Register module builds on this same structure, but keeps it live and shared across your team instead of a static file.
From the source
The provisions this guide draws on — official text, in English.
- Section 4 · DPDP Act, 2023Grounds for processing personal data
- Section 6(10) · DPDP Act, 2023Consent
- Section 7 · DPDP Act, 2023Certain legitimate uses
- Section 8(2), (5) and (7) · DPDP Act, 2023General obligations of Data Fiduciary
- Section 16 · DPDP Act, 2023Processing of personal data outside India
- Rule 6(1) · DPDP Rules, 2025Reasonable security safeguards
- Rule 8 · DPDP Rules, 2025Time period for specified purpose to be deemed as no longer being served
- Rule 15 · DPDP Rules, 2025Transfer of personal data outside the territory of India
Outgrowing a spreadsheet as more activities pile up?
See how the platform keeps this register live and shared across your team.