Terms of Use

1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing or using Normalize (the "Service"), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Use ("Terms"). If you do not agree, do not use the Service. These Terms form a legally binding agreement between you and the operator of Normalize ("we," "us," or "our").

2. Description of the Service

Normalize is a user-driven data normalization workflow. You upload a raw tabular file (CSV, Excel, or JSON). Normalize samples the file and suggests how to interpret each column — type, format, null tokens, separators, and other parameters. You review the suggestion, adjust any column configuration, and confirm. After confirmation, you set your output preferences (date styles, number formats, export type) and Normalize produces your clean dataset. Output can be downloaded as CSV, JSON, or Parquet.

The normalization output reflects the configuration you confirmed. Normalize executes your decisions — it does not make autonomous choices about how your data is interpreted or produced.

The Service is provided for data processing purposes only. It is not a data storage service, a database, or a backup solution.

3. Eligibility

You must be at least 18 years old and capable of entering into a binding contract to use the Service. If you are using the Service on behalf of an organization, you represent and warrant that you have authority to bind that organization to these Terms.

4. Acceptable Use

You agree to use the Service only for lawful purposes. You must not:

• Upload files containing content that is illegal, harmful, or infringes third-party rights.
• Upload files containing special categories of personal data (as defined under GDPR Art. 9) without an appropriate legal basis and adequate safeguards.
• Use automated scripts, bots, or crawlers to interact with the Service in ways that circumvent or abuse its intended usage.
• Attempt to gain unauthorized access to systems, networks, or data associated with the Service.
• Interfere with or disrupt the integrity or performance of the Service or its underlying infrastructure.
• Use the Service to process personal data belonging to third parties without their knowledge or a lawful basis for doing so.

5. Your Data and Files

5.1 Ownership

You retain full ownership of the files you upload and the output artifacts generated from them. We claim no intellectual property rights over your data or your results.

5.2 License to Process

By uploading a file, you grant us a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable license to process that file solely for the purpose of executing the normalization workflow you have initiated and returning the output to you. This license terminates as soon as your output artifacts are deleted.

5.3 Responsibility for File Contents

You are solely responsible for the content of the files you upload. You warrant that you have the right to process that data and that doing so does not violate any applicable law, regulation, or third-party right. If your files contain personal data about third parties, you are the data controller for that data and must ensure you have a lawful basis for processing it through a third-party service.

5.4 Ephemeral Storage — No Long-Term Retention

Source files are deleted immediately after normalization completes. Output artifacts (normalized dataset, trace file, manifest) are stored for a maximum of 1 hour and then permanently and automatically deleted at the infrastructure level. Do not rely on the Service as a storage or backup solution. Download your results within the 1-hour window.

6. Output and Determinism

Normalize produces a deterministic output tied to the source file checksum, the configuration you confirmed, the rules version, and the runtime version. A fingerprint and trace file are included with every output for auditability and reproducibility. We make no warranty that results will be identical across different rules versions or runtime versions.

The normalization output is a direct product of the configuration you confirmed. You are responsible for reviewing the suggested configuration before confirming it and for validating the output before using it in downstream systems.

7. Open Source Engine

The Normalize processing engine is open source and published under its applicable license at github.com/htvictoire/normalize. The web application, user interface, and associated service infrastructure remain the property of the operator and are not covered by the engine's open source license.

8. Availability and Modifications

We do not guarantee uninterrupted or error-free availability of the Service. We may modify, suspend, or discontinue the Service or any part of it at any time, with or without notice. We will not be liable for any such modification, suspension, or discontinuation.

9. Disclaimer of Warranties

The Service is provided "as is" and "as available" without warranties of any kind, express or implied, including but not limited to warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, accuracy of output, or non-infringement. We do not warrant that the normalization output will be free of errors or suitable for any specific downstream use. You are responsible for reviewing the confirmed configuration and validating the output before using it in production systems.

10. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, we shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages arising from your use of or inability to use the Service, including but not limited to loss of data, loss of revenue, or business interruption, even if we have been advised of the possibility of such damages.

Our total aggregate liability for any claim arising out of or related to these Terms or the Service shall not exceed the amount you paid us in the twelve months preceding the claim, or €100, whichever is greater.

11. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold us harmless from any claims, losses, damages, liabilities, and expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising from your use of the Service, your violation of these Terms, or your violation of any applicable law or third-party right.

12. Governing Law and Jurisdiction

These Terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Federal Republic of Germany, without regard to its conflict of law provisions. Any disputes arising out of or in connection with these Terms shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the competent courts in Germany, unless mandatory consumer protection law in your country of residence grants you the right to bring proceedings in your local courts.

13. Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. We will notify you of material changes by updating the "last updated" date and, where appropriate, by more prominent notice. Continued use of the Service after the effective date constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms.

14. Contact

For questions about these Terms, reach us via our contact form.