Once the substantive upload is complete, small ad hoc changes to the bundle can be requested via email without an Excel load file on the basis the instruction:
- Has 10 documents or less; and
- Only requires changes to the standard metadata fields on the platform i.e. Bundle/Tab, Document Name, Date or Document/Exhibit ID
The template email (attached at the bottom of this article) should be used for ad hoc requests falling in line with the above. If the instructions fall outside this scope, a standard load file will be required to ensure tasks are actioned accurately and efficiently.
Completing the template
The template contains two tables which should be completed in line with the below.
Table 1 should outline:
- Bundle Name(s) - The bundle(s) that are being changed;
- Document Count - The number of documents for the request;
- Out-of-office approved? - Whether out-of-office work has been approved or not.
Table 2 should outline the metadata for each document with the 'Task Type' column outlining whether the document is an insert, replacement, requires a metadata change or for hyperlinks to be activated.
We advise collating requests where possible for the most cost effective and efficient processing of changes. A new email chain should be started for each new instruction with the subject line ‘Case Code – YYYYMMDD – Description of Task’ to prevent large chains building up and tasks being erroneously missed.
Please note the corresponding documents for instructions will need to continue to be provided via Opus 2 Transfer or an alternative FTP site in line with our security policy.
Inserts
If you are inserting documents between two existing entries on the platform, numerical suffixes should be used to avoid disturbing the existing references around the inserts. As more inserts are added, you may find that it is not obvious what suffix value to use however, please find a table here that illustrates how a bundle with suffixed tabs may be built over time.
Replacements & Metadata Amendments
If any documents are being provided to replace existing entries on the platform (i.e., no metadata will change, just the underlying document itself), the relevant files being sent can be titled in line with the Bundle/Tab reference of the document they correspond to. For example, if you provide a document to replace A/6, the file should be titled ‘A_6’.
In instances where the replacements then also require a metadata change, the change should be included and highlighted in the second table of your instructional email. The ‘Task Type’ field in the instructional email should clearly indicate that a document is to be replaced and the metadata should be updated. In instances where they are not highlighted, there is a risk that they will not be actioned. If you are simply requesting a metadata change without a replacement, the ‘Filename’ column can be left blank and the ‘Task Type’ field should say ‘Metadata change’ with the amendment being highlighted.
If your replacement files are longer or shorter than the entries currently on the platform, existing notes/annotations may become orphaned and float on the new replacement as the original text they were anchored has either been removed or now sits elsewhere in the document. Similarly, if a document is replaced with a file that has different OCR data, existing notes may float as the data they were previously attached to has been amended. When replacing documents on the platform, annotations will never be deleted but as with the previous examples, they may become displaced.
Hyperlinking
When providing documents for the purpose of hyperlinking, in addition to 'insert' or 'replacement' being outlined in the ‘Task Type’ field, please also outline that links need to be activated as the tool will need to be run across the file(s) post upload/replacement. If this is not specified, the links will not be activated.
Tracking Changes
Changes such as inserts and replacements can be tracked via our Bundle Updates feature. Guidance on how it works and is implemented can be found here.