Migrate documents from your network storage to GoFileRoom

The Document Migration Service uploads documents that you provide into GoFileRoom. This document explains the migration process in detail and provides information about the migration of documents stored on an Internal Network to be stored in GoFileRoom.

Using the Document Migration Service

  1. Work with your Consultant on timing of when data should be sent to Thomson Reuters.
  2. Prepare and send your files for migration.
  3. Work with your Consultant to determine how uploaded documents will be indexed in GoFileRoom
Your documents will be ready for use within GoFileRoom when the migration process is complete.

What to expect from the document migration

The document migration process is customized based on how your firm has stored documents on your Internal Network Storage and how your firm has set up GoFileRoom. Your firm should expect to commit some time to the migration process. The amount of time needed typically depends on the number of documents being migrated and the consistency in naming conventions used to store documents in your Network Location.
Due to limited information within the file name and folder structure, documents may be added to GoFileRoom using generic file location information. However, you can change the location of your firm’s documents later, if necessary.

Confidentiality

We acknowledge that your firm will be sending confidential client information. Thomson Reuters and the Technical Services team will use the information solely to migrate documents in a secure environment so that the documents will be available to your firm. We treat all client information as confidential. We retain your source data for 60 days after providing your firm with a document reconciliation report to help you identify and manage any unprocessed data. For additional information, you can view our Privacy Policy from the bottom of any page on our website, CS.ThomsonReuters.com.

Internal Network Document Migration Service steps

Step 1: Scheduling your migration date

Upon receiving your signed agreement, Technical Services will contact you within three business days to confirm scope and schedule date to begin the migration. If you are migrating documents as part of a Guided Implementation, your Consultant will discuss timing with you. The typical turnaround time for the entire migration is eight weeks from the time we receive your data.

Step 2: Preparing and sending your client data for conversion

Thomson Reuters will discuss preliminary information with you that your firm can compile to minimize the turnaround time for document migration. For examples of this information, see the Client cross-reference list example later in this article.
important
Failure to properly prepare and send client data will result in the delayed processing of your migration. For assistance with copying or sending your data, contact Support at 800-968-0600.
Complete the following steps to create a copy of your data.
  1. Verify that you have an external hard drive with sufficient space for your documents and associated folder structure.
  2. Navigate to the storage location that contains your documents.
  3. Copy the entire directory location and paste it to the external hard drive.
  4. Encrypt the data on the hard drive using a data-encryption program such as BitLocker, a free application that is available from Microsoft.
  5. Ship the encrypted hard drive to the Technical Services team at the following address.
    Thomson Reuters
    C/O Technical Services
    6300 Interfirst Drive
    Ann Arbor, MI 48108
  6. Send the password for the encrypted drive to a Technical Services representative via email.

Step 3: Determining how to index documents in GoFileRoom

Index values must be assigned to each document that is stored in GoFileRoom. These index values identify the who, what, and when of a document so that documents can be quickly and easily located. You can customize index values to meet your firm’s needs, but we recommend that you use the following industry best practices for indexing client documents to guide you in designing your indexing structure.
  • Client Name:
    A unique, identifiable name. (This value can be updated from your practice management application.)
  • Client Number:
    A unique value (alphabetic, numeric, or alphanumeric) that is associated with a client name. (This value can be transferred from your practice management application.)
  • File Section:
    Used to identify the type of work with which the document is associated. This value may also be used to identify correspondence or other permanent information. Examples include: Individual Tax 1040, Business Tax 1120, Audit, etc. (These values are controlled by your firm’s GoFileRoom administrator.)
  • Document Type:
    Used to identify the type of information that is contained in the document. The Document Types that are available vary depending on the File Section. Examples include: Tax Return, Workpapers, Financial Statement, etc. (These values are controlled by your firm’s GoFileRoom administrator.)
  • Description:
    Provides additional details about a document.
  • Year:
    Used to identify the year of services to which the document applies. (These values are controlled by your firm’s GoFileRoom administrator.)
  • Period End:
    Used to identify the period of services to which the document applies. (These values are controlled by your firm’s GoFileRoom administrator.)
  • Document Date:
    Used to identify a specific date with which the document should be associated.
Documents from your Network Drive must include a format formula to identify GoFileRoom index values. These index values can be determined by the folder structure or file name. Your firm will need to provide Professional Services with information on how to identify your folders and files in order to determine the index values for the following items.
GoFileRoom index value
Additional information
Client number
If client numbers are different within your folder structure a cross reference will be required.
Client name
Associated by the client number.
File section
May be indexed under a generic file section. If your firm requires more specific mapping, provide a cross reference of Folder Name/entity-type reference for each client.
Document type
May be indexed under a generic document type. If your firm requires more specific mapping, provide a cross reference of folder name and document type.
Description
The file name as listed on the hard drive.
Year
Can be determined by a year contained within the folder name or by the date on which the document was created. The date may be left blank. Or, if year is a required value, the date will be set using the year of the document creation date.
Period end
Can be determined through a cross-reference list. If period end cannot be determined through the folder name or cross-reference, period end of 12/31 will be used.
Document date
Can be determined by the creation date.

Step 4: Index mapping approval and migration

After indexes have been assigned but before migrating documents, we will provide your firm with a review spreadsheet that shows the proposed index mapping for all documents that will be migrated. At this point, your firm can make any necessary changes.
After your firm has given final approval on the index mapping, we can begin the document upload process. Depending on the number and size of the documents, the upload can take between one and several days. Technical Services can typically determine how long the upload will take before starting the process.
note
The maximum number of documents that can be processed per night is 30,000. However, the presence of multiple large documents (over 1GB) may reduce this number.
When the migration process is complete, you will be provided a spreadsheet that contains document filenames, indexing information, and GoFileRoom document IDs, which are assigned to all documents that are uploaded to GoFileRoom.

Client cross reference list example

Excel document showing an example of client information cross referenced
note
If client numbers contain leading zeros, verify that the field is formatted as text.

Keyword mapping example

You can refer to the following keyword mapping example when determining how to index your documents in GoFileRoom.
Excel document showing the Product folder, keyword, file section, and document type columns.

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