Before you review data on Everlaw, you upload it into your database. This article provides an overview of uploading data to Everlaw and tips for making the upload process smooth.
This article is written for users who are new to uploading data to Everlaw and want to understand the process. If you're ready to upload, check out our articles with instructions on how to do so:
- Native data
- Process data with a load file
- Processed PDFs without a load file
- Transfer files to Everlaw
Required permissions
To upload documents, you must have database Upload permissions, or be a Database Administrator or Organization Administrator.
To be granted the Upload permission, a Database Administrator must grant it to you from the Database Settings page. To read more about granting and receiving database permissions, please see our [db admin article link].
In addition to permissions on the database, users require the following project-level permissions:
- To access the upload page, you must have Full Document access on at least the project from which you initiate the upload. This permission is automatically included for Project Administrators.
-
To upload documents into a partial project, you must have Partial Project Document Management permission on that project. This permission is automatically included for Project Administrators.
Uploading documents adds the documents to your entire database and can affect projects that you are not a user on.
Upload type
The first step of an upload is to tell Everlaw whether your data is native data, in its original format, or processed data, which has already been through a processing system. For background information about these data types, or if If you are not sure what type of data you have, see our article Distinguish between Native and Processed Data.
Native Files: Native data are files in their original, or raw, state that have not been processed or produced previously. Typically, these files are collected directly from a custodian's device, like a computer, cloud service, or cell phone. When you upload them, they go through Everlaw's cloud-processing system to get ready for review. Processing includes de-NISTing, deduping, and generating text, metadata, and images for your documents.
Processed Files: Processed data are files that have already been loaded into, and then produced out of, a processing tool, such as Everlaw. Typically, these files are Bates numbered. Everlaw has tools to upload document sets with a load file or PDFs without a load file. If you have a complex upload, submit your files to Everlaw support staff and they can upload them for you.
Access the Uploads page
To start an upload or to access previous uploads, go to Data Transfer > Uploads. This takes you to the page to start an upload. On the left are the tabs to access previous Native Uploads, Processed Uploads, Processing Jobs, and File Transfers.
Each previous upload is represented by an upload card. See the Completed uploads section for details about the upload cards.
Details about native uploads
To learn more about getting your data ready for upload, see our Preparing Native Data for Upload article.
When you initiate a native upload, each file goes through the examine, PDF, and text stages of processing before being added as a document to your project. In the PDF step, a PDF image of the document is generated. In the text step, text is extracted from the document to create a searchable text file. Additionally, metadata for each document is extracted. The most common fields (standard fields) are made available for searching and review.
Everlaw detects metadata fields that refer to the same underlying concept, and groups them together. For example, all variations of the custodian field (“Custodian”, “Custdn”, “CUST”, etc.) are grouped into the “Custodian” field on Everlaw. This simplifies searching for documents from across multiple uploads. To learn more about the standard metadata fields, see our Standard Fields article.
For more information about native uploads, see the native uploads article.
Details about processed uploads
To make sure your data is ready to upload, see our Standard Format for Processed Data.
Data sets with a load file are uploaded through our processed data upload wizard. The wizard guides you through steps to make sure each file is properly identified and that the metadata is organized and formatted to be searchable.
If you have a set of processed PDFs that are Bates stamped and named after their Bates numbers, but don't have a load file, you can upload them using our PDFs without a load file upload tool. This tool gets the files onto Everlaw with their appropriate Bates numbers, and can extract some metadata if the text-extracted metadata setting is turned on.
If you submit your files to the Everlaw team via a File Transfer, the Everlaw support team will communicate with you about any questions with the upload.
Completed uploads
Native uploads tab
Completed native upload cards are organized by the month they were uploaded. Use the filters at the top to search for a specific upload. You can Filter by name, Filter by date, and/or Filter by custodian.
The card for a completed native upload displays the number of documents in the upload and the number of documents with Examine, PDF, and Text errors, if there are any. Select any number to access a results table of those documents.
You can use the upload card to understand the configuration and summary of the upload, or take action on the upload. To learn more, see our Manage Native Uploads article.
Processed uploads tab
Processed uploads can be paused and returned to later. The cards for incomplete uploads, or those that didn't complete due to errors, are in the In progress tab. Completed uploads are accessed from the Complete tab. If a particularly large upload is being deleted, you can track it in the Deletion in progress tab.
The card for a completed processed upload displays the number of documents in the upload. Select the number to access a results table of those documents. You can also use this card to see the configuration of the upload and to take actions on it, like delete it. To learn more, see our Upload Processed Data with a Load File article.
File transfers tab
All the transfers you submit for the Everlaw team to upload are displayed as cards on the File Transfers tab. Once the Everlaw team has begun processing your files for upload, the file transfer enters the Processing stage ans an upload card is created in the In progress tab of the Processed Data Uploads page.
Completed file transfers display a Completed status.
Processing Jobs tab
The Processing Jobs tab contains a record of each:
From the card for each processing job, select the number to access a results table of the affected documents. Overlays for metadata-only will not show a record of any affected documents.