Collect, organize, and validate documents from clients and staff so your agency can maintain a searchable, centralized document repository with OCR text extraction and self-service upload capabilities.

### Overview

Document management in eCourtDate gives your agency a single place to store, organize, and retrieve every document associated with clients, cases, and events. Instead of managing paper files or scattered email attachments, you can upload documents directly, allow clients to submit their own through the portal, and use OCR and AI to extract text and validate content automatically.

- Upload documents and attach them to client, case, and event records for organized storage
- Validate documents using OCR (Optical Character Recognition) and AI-powered content extraction to confirm document types and pull key data
- Allow clients to upload their own documents through a self-service portal, reducing staff workload
- Send reminders when documents are due, nearing expiration, or have not been submitted
- Build searchable indexes so staff can find any document by keyword, client name, case number, or document type

Court clerks use document management to collect and organize case filings. Probation officers track compliance documents such as drug test results and program completion certificates. Administrative staff manage identification documents, financial disclosures, and signed agreements. In every scenario, centralized document management saves time and reduces the risk of lost or misfiled paperwork.

### Prerequisites

Before uploading and managing documents, make sure you have:

- An active eCourtDate agency account with Admin or Manager role access
- Client records created for any individuals whose documents you plan to manage (go to **Clients** in the top navigation)
- A configured [web portal](https://app.ecourtdate.com/portals) if you want clients to upload documents through self-service
- (Optional) Document type categories configured in **Admin** > **Settings** for consistent organization
- (Optional) Auto message templates set up for document reminder notifications

### How-To Steps

#### Step 1: Upload a Document

1. Sign in to your eCourtDate agency.
2. Click **Admin** > **Files** in the top navigation bar.
3. Click the **Choose File** button in the upload section on the left side of the page.
4. Select the file from your computer. Supported formats include PDF, DOC, DOCX, JPG, PNG, and TIFF.
5. Click **Start Upload** to upload the file to your agency's document library.

The file appears in the files table with its name, upload date, and file size.

#### Step 2: Attach a Document to a Record

1. Click the **Edit** button next to the uploaded file.
2. In the file detail view, locate the **Attachments** section.
3. Select the record type you want to link the document to: **Client**, **Case**, or **Event**.
4. Search for and select the specific record from the dropdown.
5. Click **Attach** to create the link.
6. Click **Save** to confirm your changes.

You can attach a single document to multiple records. For example, a court order can be linked to both a case and the associated client.

#### Step 3: Enable Client Self-Service Uploads

1. Go to **Admin** > **Portals** and click **Edit** on the portal where you want to enable uploads.
2. Locate the **Documents** section in the portal settings.
3. Enable the **Allow Document Uploads** toggle.
4. Configure the following settings:
   - **Accepted File Types**: Specify which file formats clients can upload (for example, PDF, JPG, PNG).
   - **Maximum File Size**: Set the upper limit for individual file uploads.
   - **Required Document Types**: List the document categories clients must submit (for example, Photo ID, Proof of Address).
5. Click **Save** to apply the portal settings.

Clients who sign into the portal now see a **Documents** section where they can upload files directly.

#### Step 4: Use OCR and AI to Extract Document Content

1. Open a document by clicking **Edit** in the files table.
2. Click the **Extract Text** button to run OCR on the document.
3. Wait for the extraction to complete. The extracted text appears in the **Content** section of the file detail view.
4. Review the extracted text for accuracy.
5. If AI validation is enabled, eCourtDate automatically checks the document type against expected content (for example, confirming a document labeled "Driver's License" contains identification fields).

Extracted text is indexed and becomes searchable from the files table and global search.

#### Step 5: Set Document Due Dates and Reminders

1. Open the document assignment or navigate to the client's record.
2. Locate the **Documents** tab on the client profile.
3. Click **Add Required Document** to create a document request.
4. Enter the **Document Type**, **Due Date**, and any **Instructions** for the client.
5. Enable **Send Reminders** and set the reminder schedule (for example, 7 days before the due date, 3 days before, and on the due date).
6. Click **Save** to activate the document request.

The client receives a notification through their preferred channel (SMS, email, or portal notification) reminding them to upload the required document.

#### Step 6: Search and Retrieve Documents

1. Go to **Admin** > **Files** in the top navigation bar.
2. Use the **Search Files** form on the left side of the page.
3. Enter any combination of search criteria:
   - **File Name**: Full or partial document name
   - **Client Name**: The client associated with the document
   - **Document Type**: The category assigned to the document
   - **Content Search**: Keywords from OCR-extracted text
4. Click **Search** to display matching results.
5. Click **Edit** on any result to open the full document detail view, or click the file name to download the document directly.

### What to Expect

After uploading documents and configuring self-service uploads, your agency has a centralized repository that grows automatically as staff and clients add files. OCR extraction runs within minutes and makes document content searchable across your entire library. Clients who upload documents through the portal see a confirmation message, and staff receive a notification if configured. Reminder notifications go out automatically based on the schedule you set, and overdue documents are flagged in the client's profile.

All documents are stored securely on AWS with encryption at rest and in transit.

### Best Practices

- **Use consistent document type categories** across your agency so every staff member files documents the same way. Configure standard categories in **Admin** > **Settings** before staff begin uploading.
- **Enable OCR on all PDF and image uploads** to build a fully searchable document library. Text extraction makes it easy to locate specific documents months or years after upload.
- **Set expiration dates on time-sensitive documents** such as insurance certificates, professional licenses, and compliance records. eCourtDate can notify you when documents are about to expire.
- **Require portal login for client uploads** to verify the client's identity before accepting documents. This prevents unauthorized submissions.
- **Review uploaded documents within 48 hours** to catch issues early. Reject and request re-uploads for illegible scans, incorrect document types, or incomplete submissions.

### Frequently Asked Questions

**Q: What file formats can clients upload through the portal?**
A: You control the accepted formats in the portal settings. Common formats include PDF, JPG, PNG, DOC, and DOCX. You can restrict uploads to specific types based on your agency's requirements.

**Q: Is there a file size limit for uploads?**
A: The default maximum file size is 25 MB per file. Your agency administrator can adjust this limit in the portal settings. For larger files, ask clients to compress or split documents before uploading.

**Q: Can I bulk upload multiple documents at once?**
A: Yes. On the **Admin** > **Files** page, you can select multiple files in the file chooser dialog and upload them in a single batch. Each file is processed and indexed individually.

**Q: How accurate is the OCR text extraction?**
A: OCR accuracy depends on the quality of the original document. Clear, high-resolution scans typically produce very accurate results. Handwritten text, low-resolution images, and heavily formatted documents may have lower accuracy. You can review and manually correct extracted text in the file detail view.

**Q: Can clients see documents that staff upload to their profile?**
A: Only documents that are explicitly assigned or shared with a client appear in the client's portal view. Internal staff uploads are not visible to clients unless you create a file assignment.

### Troubleshooting

**Issue:** OCR text extraction returns blank or garbled content.
**Symptoms:** After clicking **Extract Text**, the content section is empty or contains unreadable characters.
**Solution:**

1. Verify the uploaded document is not password-protected or encrypted.
2. Check that the document is a supported format (PDF, JPG, PNG, or TIFF).
3. If the document is a scanned image, ensure the scan resolution is at least 300 DPI.
4. Try re-uploading the document. If the original file is corrupted, request a new copy from the source.

**Issue:** Client cannot upload documents through the portal.
**Symptoms:** The client sees an error message or the upload button is not visible.
**Solution:**

1. Confirm the **Allow Document Uploads** setting is enabled in the portal configuration.
2. Check that the client is signed into the portal (document uploads typically require authentication).
3. Verify the file the client is trying to upload meets the accepted file type and size restrictions.
4. Ask the client to try a different browser or clear their browser cache.

> **Important:** If you continue to experience issues after following these troubleshooting steps, sign in to eCourtDate and create a ticket by clicking the ticket button in the bottom right corner of the screen.

### Related Articles

- [How to Manage Files](/how-to-manage-files)
- [How to Create Forms](/how-to-create-forms)
- [How to Assign Files to Clients](/how-to-assign-files-to-clients)