Overview: Import/Export

Administration allows you to import and export data from/to a variety of load files and sources. You can import:

Case data files:
- Load files
- OCR (plain text files containing image OCR)
- Production files (images or PDFs produced by LOCAL DISCOVERY or other products)
Issue tag details

Data can be exported to a variety of load file formats; you can also publish a standalone version of all or part of a case for reviewers outside of your environment.

Note: By default, you must have Super or Case Administrator rights to import or export case data. These requirements may differ if the Super Administrator modifies privileges for a particular user.

Supported Import/Export File Types

Case data files

Administration makes it easy to import or export case data—both document (field) data and page (image) data—from/to a variety of file types, as listed in the following table.

For files that contain both document and page data, both types of data is imported at the same time (or they can be imported separately). Performing overlays is also possible to allow for easy updating of records.

Import/Export File Types

File Type

Description

Use to Import or Export this Data...

Doc.

Page

.CSV

A delimited ASCII text file with a delimiter format of quote-comma-quote or plain commas.

.DAT

A delimited ASCII text file containing field data and metadata, exported from Concordance or other product that can create such a file.

.DII

A Summation Document Image Information load file. ASCII text file formatted using a non-delimited, multiple line format.

Important: Currently, .DII files can only be exported (not imported).

X, export only

.DLF

A type of IPRO load file. The .DLF file contains all document- and page-level information for case data.

.LFP

An IPRO load file provided by scanning software or conversion programs.

Note: An .LFP file containing IS lines only can be used to import tags alone into a case, or a .TXT file containing image keys and tag information can be used to import tags alone (document and/or page tags).

.LST

A Summation file for importing or exporting extracted text (document-level OCR) to text files.

.OPT

Opticon load file for image data.

.TXTb

An ASCII text file treated the same as a .

CSV file. (Import only; can export to .CSV file.)

.XML

An XML file using EDRM (Electronic Discovery Reference Model) schema to define document or page data.

.OLL

An inData load file used to establish relationships for multipage documents.

Note: When exporting to a .OLL file, keep in mind that there is a 20 character image key limitation for all files in this export. TRIAL DIRECTOR .OLL files also do not support single page PDF files for multipage documents.

Case definition files

In addition to case data, you can export and import case definition details, which can serve as a “template” for cases. The case definition file is an .XML file with a file extension of .CSE. It includes the case details, but not data.

For details on using case definition files:

A .CSE file is used (imported) to create a new case as explained in Create a Case.

A .CSE file can be created as explained in Edit Case Details and Perform Basic Case Actions and Export Case Definition Files.

Note: A .CSE file is also created automatically whenever you export case data into any type of load file. For more information, see Export Case Data.

Configuration Task Order

Importing case data and/or files

Case data and/or files can be imported after a new case has been created, or when data needs to be added to an existing case. If the case has not been created, see Overview: Create Cases.

Exporting case data

Case data can be exported from an case at any time (after data has been imported into it), see Export Case Data.

Load File Considerations

Load file size

For greatest efficiency, the size of individual load files should not exceed 5 GB.

Record size limitations

If any single record is over 2 GB, the corresponding record and all page information will not be imported, and an error will be logged.

Image key considerations

In Administration, the image key field (BEGDOC) is a string data type and thus is based on a string rather than a numeric value. The string data type accounts for alphabetic characters. (For example, the numbers will in the following order: ECL000001, ECL0000013, ECL0000023, ECL0000025).

Thus, when importing data, if a load file contains inconsistent image keys (for example, “ECL” and “ELC” as prefixes), the data will be associated with the inconsistent image key and may be omitted from a production range based on an image key range.

TIP: Check load files before importing to ensure the image keys are consistent.

Path information

Administration attempts to determine the correct paths for image, native, and OCR files automatically. If a path cannot be determined, you must correct the path manually as explained in the procedures in this topic. Entries can be validated when you make changes. In addition, path information is checked during load file validation and related errors are noted.