Native Files and native-formatted productions

What is a native file?

A native file is one that exists in the exact same state as it was when uploaded. So if a Microsoft Word file was uploaded, a native version included in your production would be an identical Microsoft Word document.

If any of the following processes have been performed on a file, it means that they are not native anymore:

• Redaction
• Bates or Tag stamping
• Conversion into the PDF format (as one page per PDF, one document per PDF, or as a single PDF file)

On the off-chance that a file's format is not supported, you will still be able to download it and use the relevant software to open it since it will be the same file that was uploaded.

NOTE: You can learn more about the production process in general from here.

Producing documents as native files

Setting production output to native

During Step 3 of the production process (Production Output), you will be able to choose the file format that you want to export the files in. On this screen, if you select any of the 'Native' options, all files will be produced in their original format. To generate files in their 'Native' format you need to perform one of the following steps:

• Click on the Natives only button
• Click on the Load file/Database format button, then click on the All natives button, and finally click on any one of the buttons under the image representation section. When you select this option you can produce the files either in their native form (No Images) alone or as TIFF G4/JPEG/PDF files along with native files.

NOTE: Even if you choose a non-native production format you can still force specific files types (e.g. PDF, .txt files, etc.) to be produced in their native format in the next step (Step 4. Native files options for production)

Forced natives by tag or file type

In Step 4 of the production process (Native files options for production), you can choose to include a subset of your production's files in their native state.

To do so, check the checkboxes against the listed items. Tags and quick tags (that have been applied to at least 1 file in the case) will always be displayed along with the different file types that are present in the case. You can filter through this list by typing a tag name, file type, or file extension at the top of the grid.

Note: If a partial value is entered in the filter field then the list is filtered to retrieve all the entries that have the value entered.

Final Review

In the final step of production (Step 10. Final Review and Submit production) the Production Wizard will flag issues with files that are produced as natives for the following reasons -

• Files that have redactions - In this scenario the file will be produced image-only
• Files that have descendants with redactions - here also the file will be produced as image-only
• Files with privilege tag being produced as native
• Files with descendants with privilege tags being produced as natives

Additionally, files that are being produced as image-only because the native files are unavailable will also be flagged. This situation can arise if the files were part of a load file production that has been imported into GoldFynch without including the natives.

NOTE: You can view the files that have been flagged by clicking on the list icon against each category. You can also exclude the files from the production by clicking on the exclude icon

Uploading productions

When you are uploading files, it is preferable that you upload them in a native, or as near-to-native a format as possible.

Find out more about formatting productions you upload here