An overview of viewable errored files
Consider this: You may receive a file, attempt to open it in its original software, and after a warning dialog box, you can still view its contents without issue. However, when you upload the same file to your eDiscovery platform for processing, it hits a roadblock, leaving you puzzled and hindered in your workflow.
While applications like Adobe Acrobat or Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint, etc. may display errored files without significant issues, eDiscovery software relies on a different set of standards and processes, which can lead to compatibility issues that can impede file processing.
The file viewed in the native (i.e. source) program after clicking the dialog box has undergone repairs, increasing the likelihood of data loss and modifications compared to the original file. eDiscovery platforms like GoldFynch often prioritize data integrity and security, which can result in more stringent validation processes during file uploads.
What do you do when faced with such challenges?
Firstly, it's essential to understand that file processing errors are not uncommon in the eDiscovery domain, given the complexity and diversity of digital content encountered.
Some general solutions that may help
- Explore alternative file formats or conversion methods that might improve compatibility with eDiscovery platforms like GoldFynch. Converting files to PDF/A, a standardized version of PDF optimized for long-term preservation, can often mitigate processing issues
- Other approaches to simplify data can also enhance processing reliability. These include:
- simplifying file structures
- Removing complex formatting
- Splitting large files into smaller segments
- Communicating with experts in the field like GoldFynch's support team can provide insights into specific issues and potential workarounds.
Errored files in GoldFynch
What to do if there are errored files in your GoldFynch case
If a file is flagged as errored in GoldFynch and you encounter a warning dialog indicating errors upon attempting to open it, it can be concluded that the file indeed contains errors and cannot be processed by GoldFynch.
The GoldFynch file processing system retries processing the files multiple times before they are set to an errored state. So if an issue is flagged, it is typically permanent, such as a corrupt, or invalid file, or semi-permanent, such as an unexpected file condition.
However, sometimes it may be a temporary issue with the processing system and the files will go through fine when retried again later or on a different processing machine. So we suggest the following:
You will see a "Reattempt processing" button near the top of the screen when in the 'Issues' view. Clicking this will automatically re-queue any errored files for another try through the processing system.
What to do if re-queuing your errored files doesn't work
- Try the "general solutions" listed above
- Contact GoldFynch staff at support@goldfynch.com
More details on ways to handle processing errors with files can be found here.
Searching for errored files in your case
Errored files in your case can be found by clicking the 'Issues' view within your case.
GoldFynch Advanced Search using syntax, "pstate = errored" will also list all errored files in your case.
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us at support@goldfynch.com and we'll be happy to help!