The OWL Case Management module is the central organizational framework for investigations, intelligence workflows, and regulated case handling. It is designed to support both structured investigations where a case is created at the outset, and dynamic workflows where information is collected first and formally organized into a case later.
This flexibility allows OWL to support law enforcement, government, insurance SIU, corporate investigations, and compliance driven environments without forcing premature case creation.
Case as the Central Hub
A Case in OWL serves as the authoritative container for organizing investigative activity. Once created, a case becomes the governing structure that links people, entities, documents, and activity together under a single controlled record.
Within a case, users can manage:
- One or more Subjects, including individuals, organizations, locations, assets, or other entities under review
- Supporting Forms, such as intake forms, incident reports, affidavits, or internal documentation
- Tips and Leads, whether received internally, from the public, or from third parties
- Information Sharing records that document collaboration, disclosures, or interagency exchanges
- OWLdocs records, including documents, images, videos, and evidentiary files
- OWLvault secured storage and protected records
- Third-Party Data Provider results and external data feeds
- API generated records created automatically through integrations
- Reports and analytics derived from case data
All activity within a case is governed by role-based access controls, audit logging, retention policies, and compliance rules configured by administrators.
Subject First and Data First Workflows
OWL does not require that a case be created before data exists. This is a critical design decision that supports real-world investigative and intelligence workflows.
Orphan Records and Pre-Case Data Collection
OWL allows records to exist independently before being associated with a subject or case. These records are often referred to as orphan records and may include:
- Tips or leads received before sufficient context exists to open a case
- Forms submitted without a known subject
- Information sharing records received from external parties
- Data returned from third-party providers
- Documents or files uploaded for later review
- API generated records from automated systems
These records are fully governed, logged, and secured even before they are attached to a subject or case.
Attaching Records to Subjects
As information matures, orphan records can be attached to a Subject. A subject represents the primary individual, entity, or object under scrutiny.
Multiple record types can be associated directly with a subject, including:
- Tips and leads
- Forms
- Documents and media
- External data
- Information sharing entries
This allows investigators and analysts to build a subject profile incrementally without committing to a formal case prematurely.
Attaching Subjects to Cases
Once sufficient context exists, one or more subjects can be attached to a Case. A case may contain:
- A single subject, such as a focused investigation
- Multiple subjects, such as networks, related parties, or co-involved entities
When subjects are attached to a case, all associated records follow the subject into the case context, preserving full traceability and audit history.
This model supports complex investigations involving multiple people, organizations, or data sources while maintaining clear governance boundaries.
Multiple Entry Points, One Governing Model
OWL supports two equally valid investigative entry points:
-
Case First Workflow
- A case is created at the outset
- Subjects and records are added directly to the case
-
Data First Workflow
- Data, tips, forms, or documents are collected independently
- Records are attached to subjects
- Subjects are later grouped into a case
Both workflows converge into the same governed case structure once a case is established.
Governance, Auditability, and Compliance
Regardless of when a case is created, OWL enforces:
- Immutable audit logs
- Role-based access and collaboration controls
- Record classification and retention rules
- Evidence handling and chain of custody protections
- Controlled information sharing workflows
- Reporting and oversight visibility
This ensures OWL remains auditor-ready and defensible across CJIS, insurance regulatory, privacy, and evidentiary use cases.
Summary
OWL Case Management is not a rigid case file system. It is a flexible, compliance-driven investigative framework that allows information to be collected, evaluated, and governed at the pace of real-world investigations.
Cases, subjects, and records are interconnected but not forced prematurely, enabling investigators and analysts to work efficiently while preserving security, auditability, and organizational clarity throughout the lifecycle of an investigation.
Case Management has the following main sections and features available: