Situation

A long-term client partner had run multiple dispute-related matters with us over many years. As part of this process, they used our hyperlinking workflow to efficiently and accurately prepare documents so that where a document ID was referenced, a hyperlink would be inserted into a version of the document that existed outside of the review workspace—usually exported and annexed as a PDF. Examples include witness statements, affidavits, expert and other reports, briefs and any document containing an accurate reference.

However, the client did not always require a “final” version of the document that required referenced documents to exist outside the review platform. Instead, they wanted to prepare interim versions of these documents quickly and easily, typically for internal use and collaboration with other stakeholders who had access to the review workspace.

Solution

Sky Discovery worked with our client to develop a custom integration with Microsoft Word that empowered the legal teams to link document references within a Word document to the document in the review workspace. Access to the relevant linked document was predicated on the recipient having valid access to the relevant project in the review workspace.

Essentially the tool scans the Word document for Document ID structures within it and then searches the relevant workspace to which it is linked for a corresponding document ID. A hyperlink will be created if the document is found in the workspace. If the document is not found, then the user will be notified.

Impact

Our work in developing this tool allowed our client to:

• increase the speed with which they can create case documents with accurate references

• build better documents with enhanced referencing capabilities

• improve collaboration between stakeholders on matters through quick and easy sharing of appropriately referenced case material

• reduce the delay and cost associated with preparing interim or draft versions of documents that internal stakeholders are using

• be better prepared to finalise documents for use by external stakeholders.