The November 2024 Nebula update introduces *.neml (aka NEML, short for 'Nebula EML'), a custom file format for seamless ingestion of chat conversations into Nebula.

In the ever-evolving world of data management, Nebula stands out as a powerful tool for handling various types of data, including chat data. When handling projects with chat or short message data, such as enterprise chats (Microsoft Teams, Slack, Google Chat), SMS (Short Message Service), MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service) or social media applications, Nebula provides efficient searching, reviewing, and production of essential short message data.

Understanding the Basics

NEML files encapsulate the normalized short message data, allowing virtually any data resembling a chat or conversation to be converted into a NEML file for loading into Nebula.

NEML files go through Nebula Processing similar to how Nebula handles emails. Any attachments are retained as family members of the NEML parent file.

Consolidated chats are rendered by the standard Nebula HTML viewer in Review in a rich, visual conversational layout. Inline attachments such as images, animated GIFs, or audio snippets, will appear in their original relative position within the conversation, when possible.

No new fields were introduced to support NEML; metadata is mapped to existing Nebula fields, some of which are general purpose fields like dates and participants, and some of which are chat-specific like Chat Thread ID.

Exploring ReadySuite Integration for Generating NEML

ReadySuite is a software application where you can import and export load files, as well as view, validate, and perform quality control for document volume and production sets. It is one of the most widely used utility toolkits for litigation support professionals across all types of organizations. In addition to load file management, ReadySuite can collect and convert chat messaging data from platforms such as Microsoft Teams, Google Chat, and Slack. ReadySuite can also handle CSV/DAT of phone data (SMS/MMS) and convert RSMF files into NEML. Today, NEML files can only be created using ReadySuite, which Nebula subscription customers can license at preferred rates.

Click here to learn more about ReadySuite.

Once the source data is loaded into a ReadySuite chat project, you will have the same options already available with our chat export tool. This includes the ability to batch, split by time, and re-export into the NEML file format.

You can choose a variety of batching strategies, which allow you to place conversations into their own NEML file set. For example, you may want to batch on Conversation/Thread ID. Since multiple conversations can exist in a single NEML file, if you batch on Conversation or Thread ID, you can require exactly one conversation per NEML file instead.

Setting the Stage: Specify Export settings

ReadySuite can generate NEML files in two distinct ways: single message or batched. The batched option is becoming more popular between the two, as it helps streamline downstream document review. This method compiles multiple messages into a single NEML file, essentially acting as a conversation transcript. Opting for the batched format allows you to set criteria for how data is grouped, avoiding the overkill of creating an individual database record for every message sent or received.

Next, you can (optionally) choose to split NEML files by date period. The options available are splitting by year, month, week, day, and even by hour. You can also choose to split the batches by Platform type (Microsoft Teams, Slack, Google Chat) and Conversation Type (Direct one-on-one, Group, Channel, etc.)

Conclusion

Whether dealing with Microsoft Teams, Google Chat, Slack, or mobile chats, the NEML format ensures a smooth workflow and compatibility with Nebula. Creating NEML load files simplifies the process of managing communication data across different platforms. Users can efficiently handle their chat data, making the transition to NEML load files seamless and straightforward.