In this article:
If you would like to turn on FCI for your organization, please contact your Customer Success Manager or the Support team via the chat bubble.
Types of search available in LawVu
LawVu has two types of search:
1. Standard search
2. File Content Indexing (FCI search)
Both types allow a user to search:
Matter and contract name, plus other party names
Knowledge base articles and documents
Conversations attached to matters or contracts
Files or emails attached to a matter or contract.
The difference lies in what each is able to search.
While standard search options are limited to file names, titles, subjects, or tags, FCI search expands on this functionality by searching the contents of files, emails, attachments, and conversations.
FCI enables you to locate any word or phrase, regardless of where it is located within a file.
Frequently asked questions
This FAQ is here to help you understand more about File Content Indexing (FCI), how it works, and how it can help your team become more productive and efficient.
What is File Content Indexing?
File Content Indexing allows for searching across the content of your files in LawVu.
FCI's search functionality only returns results for data that users have permission to access, ensuring that sensitive information is kept secure and confidential.
Can I still search across my files in LawVu without File Content Indexing?
Yes, you can still search across your files in LawVu without File Content Indexing. However, you will be limited to searching for those files by their name and any metadata or tags you have manually associated with them in LawVu.
How does File Content Indexing work behind the scenes?
When you upload a file to LawVu it is stored securely. The files indexer then reads the content of the file and populates this into the files index. The indexing process is scheduled to run every 5 minutes and connects the text to the file, making it searchable in LawVu.
What gets indexed?
The entire text content of a file. We do exclude common words such as “and,” “or,” etc.
How often does it update?
Approximately every five minutes, but actual indexing can take 5-30 minutes depending on file content size.
What action do I have to take to start indexing?
None. Once FCI is turned on, the process happens automatically.
Can I search my legacy files in LawVu as well?
Yes, our new Optical Character Recognition (OCR) feature makes your non-digital PDF files searchable in LawVu's Global Search. This means you can easily find and access information in older contracts and documents that weren't previously searchable.
After uploading a non-digital PDF, it typically takes 10-15 minutes for the file to be processed and become searchable in Global Search.
The OCR feature is included for customers who have File Content Indexing (FCI) in their subscription.
Currently, the OCR feature works with PDF files only, but supports multiple languages.
How much storage is included in one tier?
Each tier of File Content Indexing is 0.5 terabytes. This storage refers to the size of the indexed content (i.e. the text characters), not the size of the files themselves. Because we index only text characters from your files, this takes up much less storage than if we counted the size of the files themselves.
Our experience is that most customers will only need one tier for all of their file content. In fact, 99% of current customers only use one tier of storage. However, if you are concerned that you may need more than this, contact your Customer Success Manager who will be able to help you confirm your storage requirements.
Benefits of FCI Search
Find files faster, especially if you have a large number of them.
Search at a detailed level within your files.
This speeds up routine legal processes such as document review because you can search for precedents and similarly worded documents for comparison. This unlocks the value of stored content within your files
FCI offers contextual search capabilities that enable users to locate files even when they have limited information about them.
For instance, if a user needs to find an employment agreement for an individual named Scott but only remembers a few details about it, they could search for "employment agreement" AND "Scott". Unlike standard search options, which are limited to file names or titles, FCI's contextual search takes into account the content of the files, allowing users to retrieve relevant results based on the information they have, even if it is not explicitly stated in the title or file name.