Keep what you received
Retain the original TXT or ZIP, supplied media and any relevant screenshots independently of the document you intend to prepare. An export is not a complete device image or a substitute for every other source. Do not delete the underlying conversation or other material solely because you have made a PDF.
Create a working copy for inspection. Use clear folder names to distinguish originals, later additions and prepared outputs. Maintain an independent backup appropriate for the sensitivity of the material; UnPack is not a cloud backup service.
Record the handling steps
A simple preparation note can help another person follow your work. Record facts you know, and label uncertainty rather than filling it with assumptions:
- Who supplied the material and how it was received.
- When the export or receipt occurred, if known.
- Which files were supplied and which attachments appear to be missing.
- Which copies you used and what presentation changes you made.
- What you sent to the next reviewer and when.
These notes are not a certified chain of custody. They do not establish the history of a file before you obtained it or authenticate its contents.
Separate presentation changes from source changes
Filtering dates, choosing participant placement and masking part of a number can help prepare a view. They can also change what the reader sees. Inspect the final output and describe relevant selections. Do not remove context from the original file to obtain a cleaner presentation.
A saved UnPack package retains source and presentation settings separately. Full identifiers may remain in original TXT and media even when a rendered view is partially masked.
Use hashes with a known baseline
A file hash can help compare a later file with a recorded earlier digest. Record which file and algorithm the digest relates to, and keep the earlier record separately. A hash created only after an unexplained change cannot tell you what the file was before it. See what a file hash proves.
Hand over the limitations too
Tell the reviewer about missing material, unclear dates or anything you could not verify. For a legal process, obtain advice on the source and procedural requirements of that process. Preservation and presentation do not themselves establish admissibility or authenticity; this guide is not legal advice.