Before performing a deletion, DISCO can archive your documents by running a production of all your documents. DISCO then sends you the data via FTP or on an external hard drive. You may archive databases on your own or hire our services team to complete the archive on your behalf for a fee. Please contact DISCO to create an archive if your matter has ECA enabled and there is data in the ECA data space. Only DISCO has the ability to archive ECA data.
Archiving involves collecting multiple files together into one single file for easier storage and portability. You can download an archive locally for smaller productions (< 100 GB) or you can submit an archive request from your 'My Matters' page within a particular review database:
Archived data includes: all documents (natives, near natives, text files, metadata) and all work product (tags, document notes, privilege notes, custom fields, redactions, metadata redactions, and productions).
Archive data does not include: exhibit sets, audit/document history, search term reports, term highlighting, AI scores, or Review stage metrics
Creating an archive involves mandatory as well as highly-recommended but optional steps. When DISCO Professional Services archives a database, they always include the optional steps.
Mandatory steps for archiving your database include exporting data and generating a doclist export. Optional steps for archiving your database are moving bates numbers, exporting redacted documents, and downloading all productions. Both mandatory and optional steps are explained below. If you have any questions, contact DISCODesk@csdisco.com.
- Moving bates numbers and folders (optional, but highly recommended)
- Exporting data
- Selecting advanced options
- Redacted documents production (optional)
- Generating doclist report
- Downloading all productions (optional)
Moving bates numbers and folders
This step is optional but we highly encourage the movement of bates numbers and folders before exporting data, otherwise this data will be lost. In this step, bates numbers and folders will be copied to custom fields and then later included in the archive DAT file - more convenient for re-ingesting down the line if needed. If you do not perform this step, the bates numbers and folders will not be included in the archive.
- Login to the review database, run a search to return all the documents in the database (search using * in the search bar). Save the search as All Documents Archive Search using the Save Search link just above the search box.
- Move production Bates numbers and folders to custom fields:
- Configure your document list view to include Doc ID, Bates Number, and Folders.
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Download a document list export using the search results from previous step
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Included Metadata: Select your current view
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Report Type: Document Report
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Rename the Bates Number column to “ProductionBatesNumbers” and the Folders column to “DISCO_Folders”. Save as a CSV.
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Overlay the production Bates numbers and folders to custom fields using self service overlay.
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Once the overlay is complete, refresh the page to reset the database. Otherwise your new custom fields may not appear in the custom DAT field selection.
Exporting data
- Login to the review database.
- If you have not already done so, you can move production bates numbers to custom fields before doing the export so that bates number data is included in the export. See the Moving bates numbers and folders section for detailed instructions.
- Run a search to return all the documents in the database by using * (just the asterisk) in the search bar.
- Save that search by clicking on Save Search. This will create a search that includes all documents.
- Save the search as "All Documents Archive".
- Navigate to Menu > Productions > Create New.
- Enter a name for the production.
- Select the By saved search tab.
- Use the dropdown list and select All Documents Archive search that you created in steps 3-5.
- In the Stamps section for Bates stamps, choose any prefix you'd like (e.g., ARCHIVE). The files will be named with this Bates prefix.
- For Bates Starting Number you can just enter 0000001 or any starting number you'd like.
- Select Bottom Right for Stamp position.
- Click Show Advanced Options and enter the specifications as described in the Selecting advanced options section.
Selecting advanced options
- Under Document Format, choose PDF from the Default document format dropdown.
- In the Metadata load file section, choose Select all.
- For Deduplication level, choose Global deduplication by family.
- For Sort by, leave as Custodian then family.
- For Starting volume label, leave as default.
- Set Volume Break to None.
- Under Natives, clear all selections in the Produce the following file types as native field.
- Under Other options select the following:
- Select Omit document redactions.
- Select Omit metadata redactions.
- Select Also include natives for all images (unless redacted).
- Select Do not apply Bates stamps to images.
- Review your settings
- Click Create.
- Monitor the archive production to ensure it is running and contact support if there are any issues.
- Download to a safe place after the production is complete.
Redacted documents production
This optional step provides you with a copy of redacted images because redactions are omitted in the initial archive.
- Run a search to return redacted documents in the database by entering hasRedaction(yes) in the search bar.
- Save that search by clicking on Save Search. This will create a search that includes all redacted documents.
- Save the search as "Redacted Documents".
- In the DISCO main menu, click Productions and click Create New on the Productions page.
- Use the following settings in the New Production page:
- Name: Redacted Documents
- By saved search: Select saved search “Redacted Documents”
- Stamps Bates prefix: REDACT
- Stamps Starting number: 000001
- Stamp position: Bottom Right
- Advanced options:
- Document format: PDF
- Load file format: Custom DAT (include Disco ID and standard fields)
- Deduplication level: Global deduplication by family
- Sort by: Custodian then family
- Starting volume label: VOL001
- Volume break: None
- Other options
- Select Do not apply bates stamps to images
- Leave all other options as default
- Click Create.
Generating doclist report
This mandatory step includes fields that are not available in the production DAT such as billing size, image size, processing status, processing details, ingest type, and more.
- Click in the search bar and select the archive saved search.
- Click on the Export document list icon to display the Download instance list dialog.
- Click Generate instance report (XLSX) and download locally to your machine.
Downloading all productions
- Navigate to Menu > Productions.
- Select the Download button for each production. Productions will be downloaded locally.
For more information on downloading productions, see Creating productions
NOTE: Depending on the size of a production, it may take hours to complete. This is normal. If the production takes over 10 hours, please contact DISCODesk@csdisco.com.