Timeline Visualization
Automatically build chronological timelines from events extracted from your case documents.
What is Timeline?
The Timeline feature automatically:
- Extracts dated events from all case documents
- Creates event descriptions with AI
- Verifies events against source citations
- Visualizes events chronologically
- Allows importance ranking (Major/Standard/Dismissed)
How It Works
BillionLens uses Grounded Timeline Extraction with citation verification:
- Document Search - AI searches all indexed documents for dated events
- Event Extraction - Identifies events with specific dates
- Citation Verification - Verifies each event against source documents
- Description Generation - Creates meaningful event descriptions
- Deduplication - Removes duplicate events
- Importance Classification - AI identifies major milestones
Every timeline event must be verified in source documents. Events without citations are rejected.
Building a Timeline
Extract Timeline
- Navigate to your case
- Click Timeline card
- Click Extract Timeline button
- Wait for extraction to complete
- View chronological timeline
Progress Phases
The extraction runs in phases:
- Extracting dated events - Finding events with citations
- Deduplicating events - Removing duplicates
- Verifying accuracy - Checking against documents
- Identifying major events - Ranking by importance
Timeline Interface
Event Display
Each timeline event shows:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Date | When the event occurred |
| Description | What happened |
| Source | Which document mentions this event |
| Confidence | How reliable the extraction is |
| Importance | Major, Standard, or Dismissed |
Filtering Options
Filter your timeline by:
| Filter | Description |
|---|---|
| Year | Show only events from a specific year |
| Month | Narrow to a specific month |
| Importance | Show only Major events, or all events |
Date Formats Supported
BillionLens recognizes many date formats:
Standard Formats:
- March 15, 2024
- 03/15/2024
- 2024-03-15
Written Formats:
- March 15th, 2024
- 15 March 2024
Email Dates:
- Tue, 15 Mar 2024 10:30:00 -0500
Event Importance
Importance Levels
| Level | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Major | Key milestones - company formation, major transactions, legal actions |
| Standard | Regular events - meetings, communications, routine activities |
| Dismissed | Not relevant - hidden from default view |
AI Classification
The AI automatically identifies major events like:
- Company formation or incorporation
- Contract signings
- Large financial transactions
- Legal actions filed
- Key decisions or resolutions
Manual Adjustment
You can change event importance:
- Click on an event
- Select new importance level
- Event is reclassified
Use Cases
Case Chronology
Build comprehensive case timeline:
- Contract signing dates
- Important meetings
- Key communications
- Transaction dates
Financial Timeline
Track money movement:
- Investment dates
- Payment dates
- Transfer dates
Legal Milestones
Identify key legal dates:
- Filing dates
- Agreement effective dates
- Amendment dates
- Termination dates
Discovery Preparation
Use timeline for:
- Understanding sequence of events
- Identifying gaps
- Preparing chronologies for court
Stale Indicator
Timeline Status
The timeline shows a status indicator:
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Current | Timeline is up to date |
| Stale | Entities were extracted after timeline - re-extract recommended |
When to Re-extract
Re-run timeline extraction when:
- You've added new documents
- Entity extraction was run more recently
- You want fresh analysis
Accuracy & Verification
Citation-Required Events
Unlike simple date extraction, BillionLens uses grounded extraction:
| Traditional | BillionLens |
|---|---|
| Pattern matching | AI with document search |
| May find irrelevant dates | Only significant events |
| No verification | Citation-required |
| No context | Full event descriptions |
Verification Process
Every event must pass verification:
- Date must appear in source documents
- Event description must be grounded
- Citation must be retrievable
Rejected Events
Events that can't be verified are rejected:
- Prevents hallucination
- Ensures timeline accuracy
- Logs rejected events
Best Practices
Review Major Events
- Verify major events are correctly identified
- Check if any should be promoted/demoted
- Ensure key milestones are captured
Use Filters
- Filter by year for focused review
- Use importance filter to see only major events
- Narrow by month for detailed analysis
Combine with Chat
- Ask AI to explain specific events
- Request summaries of time periods
- Verify event interpretations
Update Regularly
- Re-extract when adding documents
- Keep timeline current with latest documents
- Check stale indicator
Next: Check the Troubleshooting Guide for common issues.