Introduction to Document Migrator
The Document Migrator is your all-in-one solution for uploading large numbers of documents into your Filevine projects. It uses a simple folder structure to organize your files and mirrors that structure in Filevine, ensuring your documents are exactly where you need them to be within Filevine's powerful Documents feature.
Understanding Filevine's Documents Feature
Before diving into the Document Migrator, it's crucial to understand how Filevine handles documents:
Centralized Document Management: Filevine's Documents feature allows you to search and manage documents across all your projects, including archived ones.
Comprehensive Search: You can search documents by title, content, metadata, and more.
Advanced Filtering: Filter documents by projects, tags, folders, upload dates, and more.
Bulk Actions: Perform actions like downloading on multiple documents at once.
Preview and Details: View document previews and detailed information without leaving the Documents page.
Understanding these features will help you leverage the Document Migrator more effectively to organize your files for optimal use within Filevine.
Getting Started: The Document Upload Template
The Document Upload Template is the foundation of a successful document migration. While using the template is optional, it's highly recommended for ensuring your documents end up in the correct projects and folders.
Step-by-Step Guide:
Download the Document Upload Template from the Document Migrator tool.
The template is a zip file containing folders for each of your Filevine projects.
Each project folder is labeled with the project name and ID for easy identification.
Unzip the template to start organizing your files.
Key Features:
Pre-organized folder structure matching your Filevine projects
Easy identification of projects with both names and IDs
Flexibility to create subfolders for further organization
Pro Tips:
Even if you're only uploading to a few projects, using the template ensures accuracy.
Keep the original template as a backup in case you need to start over.
Organizing Your Files
Proper organization is crucial for a smooth document migration. Here's how to set up your files:
Step-by-Step Guide:
Open your unzipped Document Upload Template.
Drag your document folders into the corresponding project folders.
Create subfolders within each project folder as needed. These will be recreated in Filevine.
Ensure your files are in the correct folders and subfolders.
Example Folder Structure:
Document Upload Template/
├── Project A - 123/
│ ├── Folder 1/
│ │ ├── doc1.pdf
│ │ └── doc2.docx
│ └── Folder 2/
│ └── doc3.pdf
├── Project B - 456/
│ └── doc4.pdf └── ...
Pro Tips:
Use descriptive names for your subfolders to make document location intuitive in Filevine.
Avoid using special characters or excessively long names in your folder structure.
Double-check your organization before zipping to save time on corrections later.
Uploading and Migrating
Once your documents are organized, you're ready to upload and migrate them to Filevine.
Step-by-Step Guide:
Compress the entire organized Document Upload Template folder into a new zip file.
In the Document Migrator tool, click the "Browse" button to select your zip file.
Click "Start Upload" to begin the upload process.
Review the list of files to be migrated.
Click "Create Job" to start the migration process.
Key Features:
Bulk upload of multiple documents across various projects
Automatic creation of folder structures in Filevine
Review process to ensure accuracy before final migration
Pro Tips:
For large migrations, consider breaking your upload into smaller batches for easier management.
Keep your original zip file until you've confirmed all documents are successfully migrated.
Supported and Unsupported File Types
While the Document Migrator supports most common file types, some are not supported for security reasons.
Unsupported File Types:
The following file types will be ignored during migration: .bat, .cmd, .dicom, .dll, .dmg, .exe, .com, .js, .msi, .ocx, .pif, .pwl, .vbs
Pro Tips:
These files can be included in your zip, but they will be automatically excluded during migration.
Consider converting unsupported file types to supported formats before migration if the information is crucial.
Common Use Cases
The Document Migrator is a versatile tool that can streamline various aspects of your document management. Here are some common scenarios where you can leverage its power:
Bulk Uploading Legacy Documents
Scenario: You're transitioning to Filevine and need to import your existing document library.
Solution:
Organize your legacy documents using the Document Upload Template.
Use the Document Migrator to upload all documents, maintaining your existing folder structure.
Pro Tip: Start with a single project as a test run to familiarize yourself with the process before tackling your entire document library.
Migrating Documents from Service Providers
Scenario: You've received a large batch of documents from a medical provider or referring firm.
Solution:
Create a subfolder in the relevant project folder for the service provider.
Organize the received documents within this subfolder.
Use the Document Migrator to upload, automatically creating the new folder in Filevine.
Pro Tip: Use a consistent naming convention for service provider folders across all projects for easy identification.
Setting Up a Standardized Document Structure
Scenario: You want to implement a consistent document structure across all your Filevine projects.
Solution:
Design a standardized folder structure that works for most of your projects.
Use the Document Migrator to implement this structure across multiple projects at once.
Leverage Filevine's tagging system to further categorize documents within this structure.
Pro Tip: Use Filevine's search and filter capabilities to quickly find documents across your standardized structure.
Importing Files for New Cases
Scenario: You've taken on a new case with a substantial amount of documentation.
Solution:
Create a folder structure for the new case within the appropriate project folder in the template.
Organize all case documents within this structure.
Use the Document Migrator to upload everything at once, setting up your case file structure in Filevine.
Pro Tip: Develop a standard folder structure for new cases to ensure consistency across your Filevine organization.
Best Practices for Success
Organize First, Upload Second: Take the time to properly organize your documents before uploading. It's much easier to structure your files outside of Filevine than to reorganize them later.
Use Consistent Naming Conventions: Develop a standard naming convention for files and folders to make document location intuitive across your organization.
Regular Backups: Always keep a backup of your original files until you've confirmed successful migration to Filevine.
Batch Your Uploads: For very large migrations, consider breaking them into smaller, manageable batches. This makes troubleshooting easier if issues arise.
Verify After Upload: After migration, spot-check your documents in Filevine to ensure they're in the correct locations and accessible.
Clean As You Go: Use this migration as an opportunity to clean up your document library. Only migrate what you truly need.
Train Your Team: Ensure all team members understand the new document structure in Filevine to maintain organization going forward.
Troubleshooting and Support
Missing Documents: If documents are missing after migration, check if they were unsupported file types or if there were issues with the file names.
Folder Structure Issues: If your folder structure doesn't appear correctly in Filevine, verify that you didn't exceed any folder depth limitations.
Upload Errors: For large uploads that fail, try breaking them into smaller batches or check your internet connection stability.
File Type Concerns: If you have many files of unsupported types, contact support to discuss potential solutions or conversion strategies.
Remember, we're here to help! If you encounter any issues or have questions about using the Document Migrator or navigating Filevine's Documents feature, don't hesitate to reach out to our support team at support@vinetegrate.com. Together, we'll ensure your document migration to Filevine is smooth and efficient, setting you up for success with Filevine's robust document management capabilities.