Initial Setup
Review recommended setup steps before using Monolith for active casework.
Your organization should review and configure the core settings that support users, cases, evidence, storage, reporting, and quality assurance.
Some settings may already be configured during implementation or trial setup. Use this page as a setup checklist to confirm that Monolith is ready for your team’s workflow.
Recommended Setup Checklist
1. Review organization information
Confirm your organization details before users begin working in Monolith.
See: Organization Info
This information may be used throughout Monolith, including reports, labels, and other organization-specific areas.
2. Add user accounts
Create user accounts for team members who need access to Monolith.
See: Team Management
Confirm that each user has the appropriate access for their role before they begin working with cases, evidence, reports, or administrative settings.
3. Configure item number formats
Set the formatting for case numbers, evidence numbers, and storage numbers.
See: Item Number Formats
Number formats help standardize how records are created and referenced across Monolith.
4. Configure case options
Review and customize the options your team will use when creating and managing cases.
Recommended settings include:
These options help your team classify cases consistently and track case progress over time.
5. Configure evidence options
Review and customize the options your team will use when adding and managing evidence.
Recommended settings include:
These options help standardize evidence intake and tracking across your organization.
6. Configure time entry options
Review the categories your team will use for time tracking.
These settings help organize time entries and provide more consistent reporting.
7. Configure quality assurance options
Review and customize the options your team will use for quality assurance workflows.
Recommended settings include:
These settings help your team standardize review processes and track QA issues consistently.
8. Configure item labels
Create and upload labels for evidence, storage items, or people.
See: Item Labels
Monolith supports DYMO label templates and variables that can pull information from Monolith records.
9. Create evidence locations
Create the physical locations where evidence may be stored.
See: Item Locations
Locations should reflect how your organization tracks evidence in the real world, such as evidence rooms, shelves, bins, lockers, or other storage areas.
10. Add existing storage items, if applicable
If your organization already uses storage items that should be tracked in Monolith, add them before beginning the related storage workflows.
See: Storage Items
This helps your team manage physical or digital storage items and associate them with cases and related workflows as needed.
11. Add forensic software
Enter the forensic software tools used by your lab or organization.
See: Forensic Software
This information can support acquisition tracking, reporting, and lab management workflows.
12. Test your configuration
Before beginning active casework, create a test case and evidence item using the settings your team configured.
Confirm that:
Case and evidence numbering works as expected
Case and evidence options are available
Locations and labels behave as expected, if configured
Users have the access they need
Your basic workflow matches how your team plans to use Monolith
Once your team is comfortable with the test workflow, you can begin using Monolith for active casework.
Optional Setup
Depending on your organization's workflow, you may also want to configure:
These options can be added during implementation or introduced later as your team's Monolith workflow develops.
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