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How do I manage collection requests?

Track request status, order equipment, request assistance, upload data, and lock a collection.

The Collection Requests page inside a case shows every collection request, its status, and the data sources for each custodian. From here you can send reminders, order equipment, request managed collection assistance, upload data directly, and lock a collection when it is complete.

Open the Collection Requests page

This page lists all collection requests for a case.

  1. Open a case from the My Cases page.

  2. Click Collection Requests in the left sidebar.

Each custodian appears as a tab. Click a tab to view that custodian's request details.

Request header and status

The header state describes where the request stands. The following states appear depending on how the request was sent.

Header state

Meaning

Awaiting custodian

The request has been sent but the custodian has not started uploading.

Custodian added

The custodian has been confirmed and the request is active.

For requests sent through opposing counsel, the badge shows one of three additional statuses described in the Opposing counsel requests section below.

Action buttons

The buttons let you take quick actions on a request.

  • Link icon: copies the Upload Portal link to your clipboard.

  • Portal: opens the Upload Portal in a new tab.

  • Remind: sends the custodian a reminder email with their extraction code and Upload Portal link. For opposing counsel requests, this button appears as Remind OC.

  • Equipment: opens the Equipment order form (see below).

  • Assistance: opens the managed collection request form (see below).

  • View Data: opens the collected data for this request (appears after data has been collected).

Data Sources table

The Data Sources table lists every data source for the collection request. Each row shows the following columns.

Column

Description

SOURCE

The data source name (Mobile Device, Email, Social Media, AI Chat, Financial, Case Files).

STATUS

Pending, In Progress, Collected, or Not requested.

SIZE

The size of the collected data, if any.

COMPLETED

The date the source finished collecting.

Sources with a status of Collected show a View button that opens the data in Case Data. Phone collection rows (such as iPhone) show a Details button that opens the collection details for that device.

The Case Files row includes an Add documents button to add new document requests, an Edit documents button to change existing ones, and a Remove button to remove the source from the request.

Sources not included in the original request show a status of Not requested with a + Add button. Click + Add to add the source to the extraction code.

Upload Data to Case

You can upload files or folders directly to a case from this page.

  1. Click the Upload Data to Case dropdown in the top right corner.

  2. Select Upload Files to upload individual files, or Upload Folder to upload an entire folder.

    Upload Data to Case dropdown

Equipment

Order hardware for a custodian's phone collection from the Equipment form.

  1. Click the Equipment button on the request header.

  2. In the Order Additional Hardware modal, indicate whether you have a computer available.

  3. If you select Yes, I have one, choose what you need in your kit: an external hard drive, a cable, or a USB splitter/hub.

  4. If you select No, I need a rental, choose the phone's port type: Lightning (iPhone 14 and earlier) or USB-C (iPhone 15 and later, most Android).

  5. Fill in the shipping address: full name, address, city, state, ZIP code, phone number, and optional delivery instructions.

  6. Click Submit Order.

    Equipment order form

Assistance

Request a managed collection where a Hearsay specialist coordinates directly with the custodian and handles the data collection.

  1. Click the Assistance button on the request header.

  2. In the Request Assistance modal, enter the custodian's name, email address, and phone number.

  3. Add any additional notes or special requirements.

  4. Click Request Assistance.

    Request Assistance form

Opposing counsel requests

Requests sent to opposing counsel for review show additional status badges and a review panel. The following table describes each state.

Badge

What it means

PENDING OC REVIEW

The request has been sent to opposing counsel and is waiting for their response.

OC APPROVED

Opposing counsel approved the request. Equipment and Assistance buttons are greyed out.

OC REJECTED

Opposing counsel rejected the request. You can delete the request or create a new one.

For full details on the opposing counsel workflow, see How do I send a collection request to opposing counsel?.

Request with PENDING OC REVIEW status
Request with OC APPROVED status and locked footer
Request with OC REJECTED status

Lock Collection

Locking a collection prevents the custodian from submitting additional data.

  1. Scroll to the bottom of the Collection Requests page.

  2. Click Lock Collection.

    Lock Collection footer

Authenticity certificates

An Authenticity Certificates label lists certificates for the case, once phone collections are complete. Full certificates are also listed on the Case Exports page.

Each certificate is a PDF that records the collection summary, source device, data integrity hash, chain of custody, and collection method, with a QR code and link for independent verification. See How to create a phone authenticity certificate for details.

Create a new request

You can add another collection request to an existing case.

  1. Click + New Request in the top right corner of the Collection Requests page.

  2. On the first step, select a case template to pre-fill the request with default data sources and settings, or click Continue without template to start fresh.

  3. Complete the remaining steps of the request wizard.

    New Request wizard, Case Type step

Delete a collection request

You can remove a request that is no longer needed. The Delete Collection Request button is not available on locked requests or on requests where data has already been collected. Once data has been collected, the request can only be locked to stop further submissions.

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