Document Comparison Tool

Location: Document Viewer

General

This technical note explains Lexbe’s built-in document comparison feature that will compare the text of two separate documents within a case and highlight the differences.  This can be extremely helpful when reviewing email chains or near duplicate documents.  For more on email chains and near duplicate documents, see Email Threading and Near Duplication

Background

In document intensive cases, there will inevitably be numerous duplicate documents, near duplicate documents and email chains.  Handling duplicate documents can be as easy as simply filtering them out of review or removing them from the data set completely.  Handling near duplicate documents and email chains, however, require a bit more attention as the minor differences can be pertinent.  One way to quickly spot the differences is to use a comparison tool.  Lexbe’s built-in document comparison feature provides a side-by-side display of two documents highlighting all the differences.  Documents are compared within the Doc Viewer and can be selected from the Browse/Search page through linear document progression within the Doc Viewer itself.

Benefits

• • Speed up linear neardupe group review by setting one baseline document and reviewing all others against it

  • Locate inconsistencies within email chains

  • Easily identify differences between documents for any general purpose

Process

To execute the compare feature:

1. Select the baseline document from Browse/Search page and click the title to enter the Document Viewer.

2. Once the document is displayed in the Doc Viewer, click the blue and white square icon at the bottom right of the Coding/Metadata tab and select Compare with, and then click the blue SET COMPARE DOC button. See Fig. 1 below.

1. 1. • NOTE: The doc viewer screen will update and show two empty columns (Current Document - on the left; Compare To Document on the right. The two documents being compared will both display once the second document is selected. 

3. From the Browse Documents section on the left in the doc viewer, select the second document that you want to compare to the first. 

4. Both documents will now display with the first selected document in the Compare To Document column (in light green) and the second-selected document in the Current Document column (in light red) with the differences between the two documents highlighted. See Fig. 2 below.

5. The Coding and Metadata tabs will be tied to the Current Document so that subsequent documents being compared to  the baseline document can all be coded appropriately. 

6. Once the Current Document has been coded, select the next document from the Browse Documents column, note any differences, and code it appropriately, Save, and select the next document to compare. 

7. The Compare To Document (the baseline document selected at the start) will remain until the blue CLEAR COMPARE DOC button is selected. 

8. Once you have finished comparing all of the desired documents, click CLEAR COMPARE DOC to return to the normal doc viewer display. 

9. To set a new baseline document for comparison, repeat the instructions above.

1. 1. • NOTE: If you are working in a continuous, filtered subset such as a Near Dup Group or a review set, or an Email Thread Group, you can click the Save/Save & Continue/Save, Propagate, & Continue button to progress to the next document. This will maintain the baseline document, progress to the next Current Document and update the comparison results accordingly. 

Comparison of Emails within Email Thread Groups

The Document Comparison Tool is also available for use when comparing documents within email thread groups. Please see the Email Thread Groups Help Page for instructions on using the Compare feature with email threads. 

Additional Information

For additional information or questions, please contact Professional Services at support@lexbe.zohodesk.com.