Combining notes from different team members

TimeZero seamlessly processes notes from multiple investigators, regardless of format differences or input order.

Key Features

• Format Normalization
  Each investigator can use their preferred note-taking style. TimeZero normalizes everything into consistent professional language.

• No Chronological Sorting Required
  Paste notes from all investigators in any order. TimeZero automatically sorts everything chronologically.

• Automatic Timeline Construction
  TimeZero identifies shift changes, handoffs, and creates a unified timeline across all team members.

Format Normalization

Different investigators often have different note-taking styles. TimeZero handles this automatically.

Example: Mixed Styles

Notes from Investigator 1:
0655 – On loc 1234 Elm. Wht Camry WA plt drvwy.
0748 – S exits. Blu hoodie/jns. Bpck L.
0750 – Veh dep EB Elm.
0830 – Dep coffee shop. Fllwng.

Notes from Investigator 2:
Picked up surveillance at 8:30 AM when Investigator 1 
handed off. Subject was driving eastbound on Main Street 
in the white Camry. At approximately 9:15 AM, the subject 
arrived at Home Depot and parked in the front lot. 
Subject entered the store and remained inside for 
approximately 20 minutes.

Notes from Investigator 1:
1045 – Resuming. Subj at res. Begins yard wrk.
1110 – Finish yard wrk. Tool to grg.

Overall Summary
Surveillance was conducted throughout the day with 
coordinated handoffs between investigators. The subject 
departed the residence in the morning, made stops at a 
coffee shop and Home Depot where purchases were made, 
and returned home to complete yard work in the afternoon.

Daily Summary
The subject departed residence at 07:50 and visited a 
coffee shop. At 08:30, surveillance was transferred to 
the second investigator who followed the subject to Home 
Depot where he remained for approximately 20 minutes. The 
subject returned home and performed yard work beginning 
at 10:45.

[1/1/25, 6:55:00 AM] Investigator: Positioned at 1234 
Elm Street. White Toyota Camry with Washington plates 
observed in driveway.

[1/1/25, 7:48:00 AM] Investigator: Subject exited 
residence wearing blue hoodie and jeans with backpack 
over left shoulder.

[1/1/25, 7:50:00 AM] Investigator: Vehicle departed 
eastbound on Elm Street.

[1/1/25, 8:30:00 AM] Investigator: Surveillance handed 
off. Subject continuing eastbound on Main Street in 
white Camry.

[1/1/25, 9:15:00 AM] Investigator: Subject arrived at 
Home Depot and parked in front lot. Entered store.

[1/1/25, 10:45:00 AM] Investigator: Surveillance resumed. 
Subject at residence, began yard work.

[1/1/25, 11:10:00 AM] Investigator: Yard work completed. 
Tools returned to garage.

Notice:

• Investigator 1's military shorthand converted to prose
• Investigator 2's full paragraphs integrated seamlessly
• Investigator 1's return noted appropriately
• Consistent professional tone throughout
• Proper chronological flow
• Handoffs clearly documented

No Chronological Order Required

You don't need to organize notes before pasting. Simply add all notes from each investigator sequentially.

How to Paste

Notes from Investigator 1:
[All of Investigator 1's notes from their shift(s)]

Notes from Investigator 2:
[All of Investigator 2's notes from their shift(s)]

Notes from Investigator 3:
[All of Investigator 3's notes from their shift(s)]

What TimeZero Does

TimeZero will:

1. Parse all timestamps across all investigators' notes
2. Sort events chronologically regardless of paste order
3. Identify shift changes and investigator handoffs
4. Create seamless timeline that flows naturally
5. Maintain proper sequence of all events

Example: Out of Order Input

Notes from Investigator 2 (Afternoon):
1400 – Subject at gym. Exercising.
1430 – Subject departs gym.

Notes from Investigator 1 (Morning):
0800 – Subject departs residence.
0830 – Subject at coffee shop.

Notes from Investigator 3 (Evening):
1700 – Subject returns home.
1730 – Lights on inside residence.

[1/1/25, 8:00:00 AM] Investigator: Subject departed 
residence.

[1/1/25, 8:30:00 AM] Investigator: Subject at coffee shop.

[1/1/25, 2:00:00 PM] Investigator: Subject at gym, 
exercising.

[1/1/25, 2:30:00 PM] Investigator: Subject departed gym.

[1/1/25, 5:00:00 PM] Investigator: Subject returned home.

[1/1/25, 5:30:00 PM] Investigator: Lights observed on 
inside residence.

TimeZero automatically sorted events by timestamp, regardless of the order you pasted them.

Shift Changes and Handoffs

TimeZero recognizes and appropriately handles investigator transitions.

Explicit Handoffs

If investigators note handoffs explicitly:

[Inv1] 0830 – Handing off to Inv2 at Main & Oak.
[Inv2] 0830 – Picking up from Inv1. Have visual on subject.

TimeZero identifies this as a coordinated handoff and documents it appropriately.

Implicit Transitions

Even without explicit notes, TimeZero recognizes when surveillance continues:

[Inv1] 1200 – Subject enters restaurant.
[Inv2] 1400 – Subject departs restaurant. Following westbound.

TimeZero understands there was a shift change and creates a seamless narrative.

Handoff Documentation

In the Detailed Activity Log, handoffs are noted clearly:

[1/1/25, 8:30:00 AM] Investigator: Surveillance handed off. Following subject 
eastbound on Main Street.

Team Workflow

Best Practices

During Operations:

• Each investigator takes notes in their preferred style
• No need to coordinate formatting
• Note handoffs for clarity (optional but helpful)
• Include investigator identifiers if desired

After Operations:

• Collect notes from all team members
• Paste into TimeZero in any order
• Add case context (people of interest, objectives)
• Select appropriate report type
• Review generated report for completeness

Collection Methods

Option 1: Sequential Paste

Investigator 1 notes
Investigator 2 notes
Investigator 3 notes

Option 2: Labeled Sections

[Morning Shift - Inv1]
notes...

[Afternoon Shift - Inv2]
notes...

[Evening Shift - Inv3]
notes...

Option 3: Inline Attribution

[Inv1] timestamp - observation
[Inv1] timestamp - observation
[Inv2] timestamp - observation
[Inv2] timestamp - observation

All methods work. Choose what's easiest for your team.

Multi-Day Operations

For operations spanning multiple days with rotating investigators:

Input Format

Day 1 Notes - Investigator 1 (Morning):
0655 – On loc. Wht Camry drvwy.
0748 – S exits. Blu hoodie.
[continues...]

Day 1 Notes - Investigator 2 (Afternoon):
Picked up at 1:00 PM. Subject at workplace...
[continues...]

Day 2 Notes - Investigator 3 (Morning):
0640 – On loc. Veh in drvwy.
[continues...]

Day 2 Notes - Investigator 1 (Afternoon):
1400 – Resuming surveillance...
[continues...]

Day 3 Notes - Investigator 2 (Full Day):
Morning shift began at 7:00 AM...
[continues...]

TimeZero Processing

TimeZero will:

• Organize all observations chronologically across all days
• Track shift changes between investigators
• Create day-by-day structure in Daily Summaries
• Maintain continuity in Surveillance Notes
• Present a unified, professional report

Output - Daily Summaries:

Daily Summaries

2025-01-01
[Summary of Day 1 activities with observations from both Inv1 and Inv2]

2025-01-02
[Summary of Day 2 activities with observations from both Inv3 and Inv1]

2025-01-03
[Summary of Day 3 activities from Inv2]

Output - Detailed Activity Log:

All observations from all investigators, sorted chronologically across all three days.

Style Differences

TimeZero handles any combination of note-taking styles:

Shorthand + Narrative

Investigator A (Shorthand):

0748 – S exits res. Blu hoodie.
0750 – Dep EB.

Investigator B (Narrative):

At 8:30 I picked up from Inv A. The subject was traveling eastbound on Main 
Street. I maintained visual contact throughout.

Combined output: Normalized into consistent professional language.

Detailed + Minimal

Investigator A (Very Detailed):

07:48 AM - Subject exited the front door of the residence located at 1234 
Elm Street. Subject was observed wearing a blue Nike brand hoodie with white 
drawstrings, black Levi's jeans, and white Nike athletic shoes. A red Jansport 
backpack was carried over the left shoulder.

Investigator B (Minimal):

0950 - Subj at store. In/out 10 min.

Combined output: Both levels of detail preserved appropriately in the Surveillance Notes.

Tips for Multi-Investigator Teams

Before the Operation

Align on what to communicate:

• Handoff times and locations
• Subject description confirmation
• Vehicle information
• Key observations

What you don't need to coordinate:

• Note-taking format
• Abbreviation style
• Level of detail
• Writing style

After the Operation

Collect notes efficiently:

1. Each investigator saves their notes (any format)
2. One team member collects all notes
3. Paste all notes into TimeZero (any order)
4. Add case context
5. Generate report
6. Team lead reviews for completeness

Review process:

• Verify all shifts are represented
• Check for any time gaps
• Confirm key observations are included
• Add any additional context needed

Common Questions

Do all investigators need to use the same format?
No. Each can use their preferred style.

What if investigators overlap (both observing at same time)?
TimeZero handles simultaneous observations and integrates them chronologically.

Do I need to mark who wrote what?
Ideal but not required. TimeZero can often infer from context and timestamps as long as it's provided who wrote what notes.

What if one investigator's notes are much more detailed than another's?
That's fine. TimeZero preserves appropriate detail levels in the output.

Can I combine notes from 5+ investigators?
Yes. TimeZero handles any number of investigators.

What if investigators use different time formats (military vs. 12-hour)?
No problem. TimeZero normalizes all time formats.

What if there are gaps between shifts?
TimeZero documents the observations that exist. Gaps in surveillance are apparent in the timeline.

Do I need to identify which investigator made which observation in the final report?
No. The final report presents a unified "Investigator" perspective. Individual attribution is not typically included unless specifically relevant to the case.

Questions? Contact support@timezero.com