From Bob’s original Learning Nuggets archive. Instructions and screenshots refer to Trial Director 6.8.
Trial Director 6.8 (TD6) has a variety of reports that can be generated but can be a bit of hunting to find them. What you won't find, however, is a mention of a report anywhere. Here we'll list where you can find them, how they'll help you and how to generate them.
Case Library-File drop-down menu
Several of the available reports consist of data sent to a Microsoft Word document. The first two are Exhibit List reports for Exhibits and Trial Exhibits. Both of these reports require you have populated the Exhibit or Trial Exhibit fields within your TD6 case, as they are not there by default. You can find more about how to populate those fields in LN #7.
- Send Exhibit List to Microsoft Word-Exhibits
- Three columns of data are included in this report: Exhibit, Description and Document ID's. The Description column (just like the Exhibit column) only populates if you've entered data into that field/column. This report is formatted as a table within a Word document.
- Three columns of data are included in this report: Exhibit, Description and Document ID's. The Description column (just like the Exhibit column) only populates if you've entered data into that field/column. This report is formatted as a table within a Word document.
- Send Exhibit List to Microsoft Word-Trial Exhibits
- Similar to the Exhibits report, three columns of data are included in this report: Trial Exhibit, Description and Document ID's. The Description column (just like the Exhibit column) only populates if you've entered data into that field/column. This report is formatted as a table within a Word document.
- Similar to the Exhibits report, three columns of data are included in this report: Trial Exhibit, Description and Document ID's. The Description column (just like the Exhibit column) only populates if you've entered data into that field/column. This report is formatted as a table within a Word document.
- Print Document Manager Grid
- The Document Manager tab contains a list (in grid form) of every page of every document in your TD6 case. It also contains additional information about your case, such as where your documents are located, among others. There is also a column for Common Name. This field allows you to enter a fourth name you can call an exhibit, for purposes of using the Common Name to present the exhibit, or for searching purposes.
- There is no way to customize what's included in this 'report', so do know it will be a lengthy report. This print job uses the printer that has been assigned as your default printer, so please do know the print job starts as soon as you click this selection.
- The Document Manager tab contains a list (in grid form) of every page of every document in your TD6 case. It also contains additional information about your case, such as where your documents are located, among others. There is also a column for Common Name. This field allows you to enter a fourth name you can call an exhibit, for purposes of using the Common Name to present the exhibit, or for searching purposes.
Coding-Coding drop-down menu
The coding part of TD6 is (mostly) a holdover for older workflow scenarios (for example, TD6 used to connect to a program called Summation iBlaze, where coding done in that program could be transferred and made available here). In today's world, perhaps the best use of coding starts with the transfer of data entered in the Case Library to this Coding tab, so further data entry could be done.
There is a little icon (indicated with an arrow in the Coding screenshot) that toggles between a column view of data (the default view) to a coding screen, which is better organized for coding purposes. As you can see, there is an opportunity to add work product information, such as Privilege and Confidential, as well as a way to know if an exhibit has redactions, is annotated, etc.
- Export Coding Data to File...
- Regardless of any additional effort, the export feature of Coding allows you to pick and choose which fields of data you would like to export. You select fields from the left-hand list to push to the right side. Once you're ready to export, you'll click the Export button. You will be asked where you want to save the file, as well as what you want to name it. Make sure to include a file extension (either .txt or .csv will work). The contents of the exported file will contain comma-delimited data).
- Regardless of any additional effort, the export feature of Coding allows you to pick and choose which fields of data you would like to export. You select fields from the left-hand list to push to the right side. Once you're ready to export, you'll click the Export button. You will be asked where you want to save the file, as well as what you want to name it. Make sure to include a file extension (either .txt or .csv will work). The contents of the exported file will contain comma-delimited data).
Case Library-Workbooks right-click option
Given the greatest value of Workbooks is the ability to populate them with the exhibits for a purpose, such as for a witness, generating a report for this might be of high value. When you right-click on a Workbook, find:
- Send Workbook Contents to...-Microsoft Word Exhibit Outline
- This report can be funky to generate. You will want to first open Word before you try to send the contents of a Workbook to Word. Otherwise, Word will open, your content will not be sent and you will have to resend.
- Even after you've opened Word, you will get a pop-up window indicating you are about to send to an open Word document. Please do so!
- The advantages of this report are several.
- By default, the Docid is listed, followed by a thumbnail of the exhibit, followed by a bar code (which allows for opening the exhibit in presentation, if you are presenting with a bar code reader)
- Other items that will appear, if you've done the work
- Description field contents
- Memo contents
- Exhibit field contents
- Trial Exhibit field contents
- Description field contents
- Best of all, it's an editable document, so it can be used to add to, print, and use in trial
- By default, the Docid is listed, followed by a thumbnail of the exhibit, followed by a bar code (which allows for opening the exhibit in presentation, if you are presenting with a bar code reader)
- This report can be funky to generate. You will want to first open Word before you try to send the contents of a Workbook to Word. Otherwise, Word will open, your content will not be sent and you will have to resend.
Transcript Manager-File drop-down menu
Reports to be generated for transcripts are available via the Print menu items. There are several available and a few are super helpful. They are all accessed via these three menu items
- Print Preview
- This option allows you to preview one of the options, then print if you'd like
- This option allows you to preview one of the options, then print if you'd like
- Print to File
- This option provides multiple options to save a report
- This option provides multiple options to save a report
- Print
- This option will present you with your report options to print
- This option will present you with your report options to print
Following are the different reports you can print with the above three Print options:
- Case Details Report
- Provides a summary of all work product
- Provides a summary of all work product
- Current Transcript
- Allows for printing of the current transcript
- Options for Issues Emphasis
- Allows for printing of the current transcript
- Current Transcript (Condensed)
- Allows for the printing of the current transcript, from 2x2 to 5x5 per page
- Allows for the printing of the current transcript, from 2x2 to 5x5 per page
- Current Transcript (Word Index)
- Allows for the printing of the current transcript's word index
- Allows for the printing of the current transcript's word index
- Issue Codes (Summary)
- Allows for the printing of summary of testimony cites where issues have been applied
- Organized by transcript text or Issue
- Sorted by transcript name or date
- Organized by transcript text or Issue
- Allows for the printing of summary of testimony cites where issues have been applied
- Issue Codes (Detailed)
- Allows for the printing of customizable context of testimony cites where issues have been applied
- Organized by transcript text or Issue
- Sorted by transcript name or date
- Organized by transcript text or Issue
- Allows for the printing of customizable context of testimony cites where issues have been applied
- Case Clips (Summary)
- Allows for printing a summary of all clips made and their time
- Case Clips (Detailed)
- Allows for printing a detailed report of clips made
- Multiple options for content and sorting
- Multiple options for content and sorting
- Allows for printing a detailed report of clips made
- Search Results (Summary)
- Page/Line text per search hit, by transcript
- Page/Line text per search hit, by transcript
- Search Results (Detailed)
- Provides the Q+A for each section of testimony where search hit exists
- Provides the Q+A for each section of testimony where search hit exists