Check closed-file archive and retrieval evidence
Compare approved inventory, archived items and recorded retrieval checks.
Tools for the documented steps
Practice relevance
Cross-practice idea · Useful supporting administrative method; no claim of practice-specific legal instructions.
Scope: Approved local snapshot and physical-box evidence, reviewed with PowerShell 7 and Excel. Helper runtime is untested; no original-will custody or retention certification.
The problem
Compare approved inventory, archived items and recorded retrieval checks.
Why it matters: A readable digital file does not prove that every expected item or physical original was archived. Comparing the inventory and retrieval evidence helps staff find missing locations or integrity gaps without inferring retention rules.
Sources & evidence
Proposed / not tested. The public source describes the problem. Documentation supports only the stated method components; no result from this recipe has been verified.
What’s been verified
Source methods and reported problems have been reviewed. We have not run the adapted workflow. The sample below describes expected behavior on synthetic data, not a customer result.
What to measure: In a synthetic pilot, count correctly found exceptions, false alarms, and unresolved inputs. No time or cost saving is assumed.
- Pain evidence: Case-file storage discussion ↗Case-file storage discussion, 2024-07-27, older: a criminal-defense practitioner describes very large video-heavy cases and difficulty storing closed files. How does your law firm store old case files?, 2023-10-17, includes practitioners checking scans to catch missing material. Forum retention-period claims are not used as legal rules.
- Pain evidence: How does your law firm store old case files? ↗Additional self-reported public account; no independent identity or outcome verification.
- Method: Get-FileHash ↗Get-FileHash supports content-integrity fingerprints; SharePoint metadata navigation supports locating approved archive records. A hash does not prove that every required record was originally captured.
- Method: SharePoint metadata navigation ↗Additional official capability reference. The complete adapted recipe has not been tested.
Source checked: October 15, 2026. Pain accounts are self-reported. Documentation supports components; this adapted recipe and prompt have not been tested. We wrote these prompts. The adapted workflow hasn’t been tested.
Suggested approach
Start when: Attorney approves administrative closeout or archive retrieval review
- compare approved closeout inventory with archive metadata and staff-supplied sample retrieval evidence
- Keep source references and report unknowns instead of filling gaps.
- The responsible reviewer checks the report before any separately approved action.
Limits and review
The assistant drafts or reports only. Check source records and review the output before a human performs any separately approved send or change. No automatic legal decision, money movement, account connection or publication is included.
Who reviews it: Records owner checks originals and sampled retrieval; attorney determines hold/retention requirements. Test a readable archive missing an expected physical original and an index pointing to a moved location. Distinct from S13 infrastructure backup coverage: this is matter closeout inventory and later findability.
What you need
Your firm-approved AI assistant · prepared files
- Existing PowerShell 7 on Windows and IT approval to run the bundled helper under the existing script policy. No install, elevation or execution-policy bypass is part of this route.
- An approved stable, fully local working snapshot and an existing output folder outside it on the same fixed local drive. Both paths must be absolute drive-letter paths with ordinary, non-reparse-point ancestors. No live/cloud/network/mapped-drive repositories, original forensic media or restricted paths.
- The records/IT owner must exclude credential/profile directories and all secret material before selecting the snapshot. The helper uses -Force and hashes every readable regular file, including hidden files; it does not detect or redact secrets.
- Records owner supplies scope and identity/custodian/family metadata; hashes establish byte equality only.
- Lawyer-approved closeout scope, expected inventory and hold/retention instructions; actual physical-box records and prior retrieval checks.
- Firm-approved Excel; optional Copilot entitlement and tenant approval for the exact minimized data. Native Excel analysis can be done manually if Copilot is absent.
- Keep raw exports and identifying source pointers in a separate restricted location. The AI workbook contains only approved alias-based tables and visible policy/scope text, never raw client records on another tab.
- Use synthetic inputs first. Keep real data in firm-approved accounts and processing, with appropriate access, confidentiality and retention controls. Aliases alone do not anonymize records. Never paste credentials, API keys or unnecessary client details.
How to use
Advanced · Advanced proposed local-snapshot route; helper statically reviewed only and not runtime-tested
- This is a closeout findability/manifest check, not backup certification or a retention decision.
- Digital hashes cannot inventory physical originals or establish legal holds. Unprovided expected inventories and missing retrieval tests stay unknown.
- Advanced helper route: existing Windows PowerShell 7, approved stable snapshot, IT code review and a safe synthetic test under existing policy are prerequisites. The helper is not a security boundary against concurrent or malicious filesystem changes. No runtime test was performed here.
Check access and setup
- Actual account access, plan and source-data completeness have not been tested.
Capture the approved closeout expectations
Local document viewer and records owner · Actual closeout approval, matter inventory and physical-box register
Read the approved item list and record matter/item aliases, item type, expected size/hash only if previously evidenced, hold_status, approved_next_review_date, access_owner and closeout_approval_ref. Copy physical original requirements from the actual register, not from digital filenames.
- Expected output
- closeout-inventory.csv with original approval/source references retained separately.
- Next step
- Prepare the approved archive working snapshot for digital inventory.
- Check before continuing
- Do not mark a matter closed, release a hold or select a destruction date based on this checklist.
Collect real local file sizes and SHA256 hashes
PowerShell 7 on Windows · Existing PowerShell 7 session > reviewed Inventory-ApprovedLocalSnapshot.ps1
Have IT review the bundled helper and test it on a synthetic fixture under existing script policy before using approved work files. Set absolute snapshot and output paths on the same fixed local drive, with the output directory outside the snapshot. Before running, exclude credential/profile directories and secret material: -Force includes hidden files and there is no automatic secret detection. Run the command below with approved paths. The helper checks path forms, drive type and every directory ancestor, then walks ordinary directories one level at a time without following reparse points, records read/enumeration errors, hashes readable regular files with SHA256, and writes new inventory/issues/control files outside the input. It does not change source bytes. Reads may affect access metadata; this is not forensic acquisition.
- Expected output
- Native-cmdlet-derived local_row_id,relative_path,original_name,size_bytes,sha256,observed_last_write_utc,captured_at_utc plus issues/control logs. local_row_id is a run-local row reference, not a persistent document ID.
- Next step
- Inspect the issue/control logs before mapping the digital archive manifest. Import CSV via Excel Data > From Text/CSV > Transform Data; set IDs, hashes and paths to Text. Do not double-click untrusted CSVs or enable formulas/macros/links.
- Check before continuing
- Any skipped/unreadable/changing file is a coverage gap. No claims about deleted files, embedded attachments, alternate streams, cloud versions or access permissions. No repair/delete action. Stop if any path is rejected or changes during capture; do not bypass checks, elevate permissions, install PowerShell or change execution policy as part of this recipe.
Map the observed records to the starter input
Excel and authorized staff · Separate analysis workbook > Home > Format as Table
Map archive-manifest.csv to matter_alias,item_id,size_bytes,sha256,archive_location,physical_box_locator,source_ref using verified item crosswalks. Enter physical_box_locator from actual records; blank is not proof no original exists. Read actual authorized retrieval-check records into retrieval-checks.csv with checked_at,retrieval_result,observed_location,evidence_ref. If a new read-only retrieval check is authorized, the records owner opens the actual archived item/locates the physical original and logs the result; do not claim a test occurred merely because the file appears in a list. Paste scope.txt and inventory errors into Scope. Create named tables for CloseoutInventory, ArchiveManifest and RetrievalChecks. Put the policy and review scope in visible worksheets or paste them into the next prompt.
- Expected output
- CloseoutInventory, ArchiveManifest and RetrievalChecks with digital/physical evidence separate.
- Next step
- Check the mapping against each original source before using AI.
- Check before continuing
- Aliases and missing policy fields are staff-created; do not relabel a native export as the kit schema. Unknown stays blank/unknown, not false or zero.
Review the bounded evidence with Copilot
Excel Copilot, optional · Approved analysis workbook > Copilot icon at lower right > Chat only
Use Chat only and submit the prompt. Without Copilot: join approved expected items to manifest and actual retrieval checks, preserving digital and physical requirements.
- Expected output
- Closeout evidence-gap checklist.
- Next step
- Copy the draft exception list to the reviewer; retain row references.
- Check before continuing
- Check every flagged row and the scope. A fluent answer is not evidence of completeness; no automatic workbook or source-system edits.
Approve the review result
Final human reviewResponsible staff reviewer · Reviewed local worksheet
Records staff verify each exception and the lawyer confirms hold/closeout instructions. Approve only a bounded inventory/findability observation; plan missing retrieval checks separately.
- Expected output
- Reviewed closeout checklist with unresolved evidence.
- Next step
- Any external message, source change, payment or deletion requires its own authorized process.
- Check before continuing
- No archive is certified complete solely by matching filenames or a successful sample retrieval.
What you’ll get
archive-review.csv: matter_alias, item_id, expected_item, archived_location, hash_size_check, retrieval_result, physical_original_gap, hold_status, approved_next_review_date, source_ref, review_action. No deletion or retention decision.
Inputs and a sample test Synthetic example · not a measured result
Input files
- closeout-inventory.csv: matter_alias, closeout_approval_ref, item_id, item_type, expected_size_bytes, expected_sha256, hold_status, approved_next_review_date, access_owner
- archive-manifest.csv: matter_alias, item_id, size_bytes, sha256, archive_location, physical_box_locator, source_ref
- retrieval-checks.csv: matter_alias, item_id, checked_at, retrieval_result, observed_location, evidence_ref; scope.txt: inventory cutoff and sampled retrieval coverage
Synthetic example
Synthetic inputs are included in the starter kit. closeout-inventory.example.csv archive-manifest.example.csv retrieval-checks.example.csv scope.example.txt
Expected output
I2 expected physical original is missing from archive manifest; no physical box locator supplied. Digital readability does not resolve it. I1 expected hash/size aligns with manifest, but retrieval failed at old index location while manifest says new location. Queue location/retrieval review. I3 readable sample still has expected hash b... versus archived c... mismatch; retain integrity exception. I3 also lacks hold status and approved next-review date. Do not infer retention or recommend destruction. Archive completeness is not established.
Test a failure
Records owner checks originals and sampled retrieval; attorney determines hold/retention requirements. Test a readable archive missing an expected physical original and an index pointing to a moved location.
Try with the sample files
Follow the tool steps above and use the inputs named in each step. Where provided, native-* files are blank scaffolds and NATIVE-INPUT-MAPPING explains their fields. Original examples and the optional full review prompt use a separate prepared-input schema. Keep them separate unless the mapping explicitly connects them. Downloading a kit does not connect accounts or prove the workflow works.
Download inputs and checklist 13 files
Instructions, blank templates and separate synthetic examples; these files do not install an automation. Blank templates still need verified source data.
- Download starter kit All inputs, synthetic examples and review notes in one ZIP. No automation is installed.
- Start here: get the sources and prepare the review Documentation-checked acquisition, explicit manual mapping, exact prompts and human review limits
- closeout-inventory.csv Blank input template with exact recipe headers.
- closeout-inventory.example.csv Separate synthetic fixture input. Do not mix these rows into real exports.
- archive-manifest.csv Blank input template with exact recipe headers.
- archive-manifest.example.csv Separate synthetic fixture input. Do not mix these rows into real exports.
- retrieval-checks.csv Blank input template with exact recipe headers.
- retrieval-checks.example.csv Separate synthetic fixture input. Do not mix these rows into real exports.
- scope.txt Blank text input worksheet. Fill its fields with approved evidence; no default assumptions are supplied.
- scope.example.txt Separate synthetic text input fixture; use with the example CSV files only.
- Expected fixture findings Read-only expected output and failure conditions for the included synthetic input files.
- Setup and review checklist Recipe-specific prerequisites, file mapping, prompt, setup steps, checklist and limits.
- Advanced: approved local snapshot inventory helper Read an approved stable local snapshot and write inventory/error outputs outside its root; requires authorized IT review and synthetic validation first
Optional full review prompt for prepared inputs
Prepared-input review prompt with Your firm-approved AI assistant · prepared files
Proposed / not tested · editorial prompt. This prompt uses the original prepared-input schema shown in the sample test. Step prompts may use different tables. Follow NATIVE-INPUT-MAPPING where supplied; do not mix the original examples with native-step inputs without mapping and checking every field.