Tutorial

Creating a Trial Exhibit List Using Microsoft Excel and SharePoint

Posted on by Jeff Kirksey
15
Apr

Litigators must organize and manage trial exhibits efficiently to ensure courtroom readiness. Using Microsoft Excel in combination with SharePoint, attorneys and litigation support staff can track exhibits, assign exhibit numbers, note objections, and store file links for presentation.

This tutorial guides legal teams through setting up a trial exhibit list, formatting it for clarity, and integrating it with SharePoint for secure, team-wide collaboration.

Step-by-Step Guide: Exhibit Tracking in Excel and SharePoint

Step 1: Set Up the Exhibit Tracker in Excel

  1. Open Microsoft Excel and create a new workbook.
  2. In Row 1, enter the following column headers:
    • Exhibit Number
    • Exhibit Title/Description
    • Bates Range
    • File Location
    • Admitted (Y/N)
    • Objections
    • Witness
    • Notes
  3. Format the header row with bold text and freeze it for easier scrolling.

📂 Litigation Tip: Use a consistent naming scheme for exhibits (e.g., PX001, DX002) and store all related files in a SharePoint folder.

Step 2: Use Data Validation for Drop-Down Fields

  1. Select the Admitted column.
  2. Click Data > Data Validation > List.
  3. Enter: Yes, No, Pending.
  4. Repeat for the Witness column using a list of testifying witnesses.

🧾 Practice Tip: Dropdowns help avoid typos and standardize responses across the legal team.

  1. In the File Location column, right-click a cell > Link.
  2. Paste the SharePoint URL where the exhibit PDF or image is stored.
  3. Click OK to hyperlink it directly.

🔗 Efficiency Tip: Linking files lets trial teams open and present documents quickly in court or deposition.

Step 4: Share the Workbook Securely via SharePoint

  1. Save the file to your SharePoint litigation matter folder.
  2. Click Share > Copy Link and set permissions to View or Edit as appropriate.
  3. Use version history to track edits and restore previous exhibit logs if needed.

🔒 Security Tip: Ensure only authorized team members can modify exhibit records.

Step 5: Format for Court Submission or Print

  1. Apply borders, alternating row shading, and wrap text for clarity.
  2. Use Page Layout > Print Area to define printable sections.
  3. Save a copy as PDF for inclusion in pretrial filings or handouts.

📝 Courtroom Tip: Judges and clerks often prefer clearly formatted PDFs when reviewing exhibit lists.

Conclusion

Using Microsoft Excel with SharePoint, litigators can efficiently manage trial exhibits and prepare submission-ready logs for court. Hyperlinking to files and standardizing tracking fields improve accuracy and accessibility during trial prep.