FCCS Data Extraction Tool

Extracts and organizes documents from FileCabinet CS (Thomson Reuters) using GUI automation. Designed to work across multiple client engagements without code changes.

Prerequisites

  • 32-bit Python (must match FCCS architecture)
  • pywinauto (pip install pywinauto)
  • Pillow (pip install Pillow) — required for failure screenshots
  • FileCabinet CS installed and restored with client backup data

Project Layout

File Purpose
config.ini All paths, timeouts, and FCCS control identifiers
fccs_folders.txt FCCS folder templates (manually populated per engagement)
fccs_config.py Shared config loading, logging, folder pattern building
fccs_scan.py Step 1: Scan backup directory for drawer IDs
fccs_export.py Step 2: Automate FCCS GUI to export all drawers
fccs_reorganize.py Step 3: Parse filenames and rebuild folder structure
fccs_verify.py Step 4 (optional): Compare manifests against exported files

Setup Per Engagement

  1. Edit config.ini -- point backup_dir, export_dir, and output_dir at the client's directories.
  2. Populate fccs_folders.txt -- open FCCS > System Configuration > Document Folders and list each folder template exactly as shown, one per line. Keep the YYYY prefix on recurring folders. UltraTax CS folders are detected automatically and do not need to be listed.

Workflow

Step 1: Scan Drawers

python fccs_scan.py

Reads the restored FCCS backup directory and writes all drawer IDs (subfolder names) to drawer_ids.txt.

Step 2: Export Documents

python fccs_export.py

Requires FCCS to be open with export destination already configured. Automates the GUI to export every drawer via File > Send To > File. Features:

  • Resumable -- tracks completed drawers in completed.txt; safe to restart
  • Screenshots -- captures failure states for diagnosis
  • Defensive -- one bad drawer won't crash the entire run

Step 2b (optional): Verify Export Completeness

python fccs_verify.py

During export, each drawer's document list is captured from the FCCS dialog and saved as a manifest. This script compares those manifests against the actual exported files to flag any drawers with missing or extra files.

Step 3: Reorganize Files

python fccs_reorganize.py

Parses the flat exported filenames and copies them into an organized structure:

output/
  ABRAHAM, REBEKAH L./
    Tax Documents/
      2025/
        030126 E-mail re Tax Info.pdf
    Billing & Invoices/
      2026/
        030826 Invoice for 2025 Forms 1040 & IL-1040.pdf
    UltraTax CS/
      12-31-2008/
        2008 Form 1040 Filing Instructions.doc
    Permanent File/
      Driver's License.pdf
  _unparsed/
    (files that couldn't be parsed go here for manual review)

Exported filenames follow the format {drawer_id}_{client_name}_{folder_name}_{creation_date}_{document_name}.ext. The parser uses folder templates from fccs_folders.txt (with YYYY expanded via regex) and the creation date (MM-DD-YYYY) as anchors to reliably split the underscore-delimited fields. Folder names are decomposed into nested paths that match the FCCS UI structure (e.g. 2025 Tax Documents becomes Tax Documents/2025/). UltraTax CS folders are matched by a built-in pattern.

Config Reference

All scripts read from config.ini (or specify --config path\to\config.ini).

  • [paths] -- backup_dir, export_dir, output_dir, drawer_id_file, completed_file, log_file, screenshot_dir, folder_list
  • [timeouts] -- nav_timeout, dialog_timeout, progress_appear, progress_finish, settle, confirm_timeout
  • [controls] -- FCCS window class names and button titles (rarely need changing)
Description
Extraction software for use with Filecabinet CS
Readme 433 KiB
Languages
Python 100%