While the e-Discovery world has adapted to make best use of Native Files some data requires handling in a different manner. Sometimes this is due to the nature of the data and that a proprietary (and generally expensive) software application is required to view the data in native format. Sometimes this is due to treatment of the data – such as the need to redact content or otherwise annotate it. In these circumstances, TIFF (Tag Image File Format) or PDF may be the most appropriate.
Creating TIFFs or PDFs from native file types requires processing in a manner that basically simulates printing the documents. Instead of directing the printing to paper output, the data is captured and rendered into an electronic representation of what would have been printed on paper. TIFF/PDF readers are then used by the receiving party to view and perform their review. Most e-Discovery solutions accommodate TIFF and/or PDF and in fact some solutions prefer or only work with such files – requiring the additional step of processing the native files to convert them to one of these formats.
In order to not lose important information (“metadata”), that information is generally extracted and provided to the e-Discovery solution as a “load file”.
Vestige has the capability of converting most native file formats into TIFF and/or PDF, capturing the metadata and including that in a load file for ingestion into the review tool. We also offer stamping (i.e. “Confidential”, “Attorneys Eyes Only”, etc.) and Bates stamping/numbering.
