File Management

Overview

The File Management feature allows you to upload your organization's legal documents, contracts, policies, and other files. Once uploaded, these documents are automatically indexed and become searchable through the AI Chat interface, enabling you to ask questions across both your private documents and public Dutch law sources.

Key capabilities

• Secure Cloud Storage: Files are stored in your organization's private Google Cloud Storage bucket
• Automatic AI Indexing: Documents are automatically imported into Discovery Engine for intelligent search
• Cross-Document Search: Query across all your uploaded documents simultaneously
• Combined Search: Ask questions that span both your private documents and public legal sources
• Access Control: Organization-level permissions ensure only authorized members can access files
• File Management: Easy upload, download, and deletion of documents

Getting Started

1. Access File Management

Navigate to Files from the top navigation menu.

2. Upload Documents

You can upload documents in two ways:

Drag and Drop

1. Drag one or more files from your computer
2. Drop them in the designated upload area
3. Files will automatically begin uploading

Click to Browse

1. Click the "Upload Files" button or upload area
2. Select files from your file browser
3. Click "Open" to begin upload

3. Supported File Types

The system supports a wide range of document formats:

• PDF (.pdf) - Recommended for legal documents
• Microsoft Word (.doc, .docx)
• Text Files (.txt)
• Rich Text (.rtf)
• HTML (.html, .htm)
• Markdown (.md)

File Size Limits:

• Maximum per file: 100MB
• Recommended: Under 50MB for faster processing

4. View Uploaded Files

After upload, your files appear in the file list with:

• File Name: Original filename
• Size: File size in MB/KB
• Upload Date: When the file was uploaded
• Actions: Download or delete options

Using Files with AI Chat

Once files are uploaded and indexed, you can query them through the Chat interface:

1. Start a Chat Conversation

1. Navigate to Chat
2. Create a new conversation or open an existing one
3. Select your preferred AI mode (Lawyer or Deep Research)

2. Ask Questions About Your Documents

The AI automatically searches across:

• Your organization's uploaded documents
• Public Dutch legal sources (overheid.nl, etc.)

Example queries:

• "What are the termination clauses in our employment contracts?"
• "Summarize our data processing policy and compare it to GDPR requirements"
• "Find all references to intellectual property in our partnership agreements"
• "What privacy obligations do we have according to our client contracts?"

3. Source Verification

When the AI references your uploaded documents:

• The response includes the source file name
• You can download the original file from the Files page
• Always verify critical information against the original document

File Management Operations

Downloading Files

1. Navigate to the Files page
2. Find the file you want to download
3. Click the Download icon next to the file
4. The file will download to your browser's default location

Deleting Files

1. Navigate to the Files page
2. Find the file you want to delete
3. Click the Delete icon (trash can)
4. Confirm the deletion in the popup dialog

Note: Deleted files are immediately removed from storage and AI search. This action cannot be undone.

File Re-upload

If you need to update a document:

1. Delete the old version
2. Upload the new version with the same or different filename
3. Wait a few minutes for re-indexing (typically 2-5 minutes)

Discovery Engine Integration

Uploaded files are automatically imported into Google's Discovery Engine, which provides:

Advanced Search Capabilities

• Semantic Search: Find documents by meaning, not just keywords
• Multi-language Support: Search in English across Dutch documents
• Contextual Understanding: AI understands legal terminology and context
• Relevance Ranking: Most relevant documents appear first

Indexing Timeline

• Upload: Immediate (files stored instantly)
• Processing: 1-3 minutes (text extraction and preparation)
• Indexing: 2-10 minutes (searchable through AI)
• Total: Approximately 5-15 minutes from upload to searchable

You can start using documents immediately after the "Indexing" status shows complete.

Privacy & Security

Data Protection

• Encrypted at Rest: All files are encrypted in Google Cloud Storage
• Encrypted in Transit: All uploads use TLS encryption
• EU Data Residency: Files are stored in European data centers
• GDPR Compliant: Full compliance with European data protection laws

Access Control

• Organization-Level: Files belong to your organization
• Member Access: All organization members can view uploaded files
• Role-Based: Future updates will include granular permission controls
• Audit Logging: All file operations are logged for compliance

Data Retention

• Active Storage: Files remain until manually deleted
• Deleted Files: Permanently removed within 24 hours
• Backup Copies: Maintained for 30 days in secure backup storage
• Account Closure: All files deleted within 30 days of account termination

Best Practices

Document Organization

1. Consistent Naming: Use clear, descriptive file names
2. Version Control: Include version numbers or dates in filenames (e.g., "Contract_v2_2025.pdf")
3. Categorization: Consider using prefixes (e.g., "POLICY_", "CONTRACT_", "LEGAL_")
4. Regular Cleanup: Delete outdated or unnecessary documents

Optimal File Formats

1. Prefer PDF: Most reliable text extraction
2. Avoid Scans: Use OCR before uploading scanned documents
3. Text-Based: Ensure documents contain searchable text, not just images
4. Clean Formatting: Remove unnecessary formatting for better indexing

Security Considerations

1. Sensitive Data: Be mindful of what you upload
2. Redaction: Redact confidential information before upload if needed
3. Regular Review: Periodically review uploaded files
4. Access Auditing: Monitor who accesses which documents (Enterprise feature)

Storage Quotas

File storage limits vary by plan:

• Trial: 100MB total storage
• Professional: 10GB per organization
• Business: 100GB per organization
• Enterprise: Custom storage limits (up to 1TB+)

Check your current usage in Settings → Subscription → Storage.

Troubleshooting

Upload Failed

Common causes:

• File size exceeds 100MB limit
• Unsupported file format
• Network connection interrupted
• Storage quota exceeded

Solutions:

1. Check file size and format
2. Compress large PDFs before upload
3. Verify stable internet connection
4. Upgrade plan if quota exceeded

File Not Searchable

If a file doesn't appear in AI results:

1. Wait 10-15 minutes for indexing to complete
2. Check file contains actual text (not just images)
3. Verify file uploaded successfully (check Files page)
4. Try re-uploading the file

Cannot Delete File

Possible reasons:

• Insufficient permissions (contact organization admin)
• File currently being processed (wait and retry)
• Network error (check connection and retry)

Poor Search Results

To improve AI search accuracy:

1. Use clear, specific questions
2. Mention document type or topic if known
3. Include relevant keywords from your documents
4. Try both Lawyer and Deep Research modes
5. Ensure documents are text-based, not scanned images

API Access (Enterprise)

Enterprise customers can programmatically manage files via API:

# Upload a file
POST /api/organizations/{orgId}/files/upload

# List files
GET /api/organizations/{orgId}/files

# Download a file
GET /api/organizations/{orgId}/files/download?name={fileName}

# Delete a file
DELETE /api/organizations/{orgId}/files/delete?name={fileName}

Contact support for API documentation and authentication details.