> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://help.solink.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://help.solink.com/docs/review-events-and-save-evidence/investigations.md).
# Investigations
**Investigations** let you organize related events and saved video clips into one collection so you can review and focus on important footage.
Each section has a **Web** and a **Mobile** tab. Select **Mobile** to see the steps for the Solink mobile app.
***
## Access Investigations
{% tabs %}
{% tab title="Web" %}
Select **Investigate** from the side menu in the Solink platform:
If you do not see **Investigations**, your account may not have the feature enabled.
Contact your Solink Customer Success manager to enable this feature if you do not see it.
{% endtab %}
{% tab title="Mobile" %}
To access investigations, open the side menu (☰) and tap **Investigate**:
{% endtab %}
{% endtabs %}
***
## Investigations Overview
{% tabs %}
{% tab title="Web" %}
The **Investigate** page includes the following areas/buttons:
1. **New Investigation**: Create a new investigation with events and/or clips. See [Create a New Investigation](#create-a-new-investigation) for more information on how to create a new investigation.
2. **Search**: Find investigations by name or description.
3. **Open** and **Archived**: Active investigations versus investigations you have archived and no longer need to review. See [Open and Archived Investigations](#open-and-archived-investigations) for more information on how to archive.
4. A list of all your investigations (shows open or archived investigations depending on which tab you have selected). Select a card to open the investigation and view the associated events and/or clips. Each card shows:
* Investigation name
* Description (if you added one)
* Date it was last updated
* How many events and/or clips are attached (for example, **3 Events**, **1 Clip**)
{% endtab %}
{% tab title="Mobile" %} 
The Investigations page features the following functions/sections:
1. Create a new investigation. See [Create a New Investigation](#create-a-new-investigation) for more information.
2. Search by name for investigations.
3. Open and Archived investigations. Open investigations are considered active and in review to help you stay organized, while Archived investigations are closed and no longer in review. See [Open and Archived Investigations](#open-and-archived-investigations) for more information.
4. List of all investigations.
{% endtab %}
{% endtabs %}
***
## Create a New Investigation
{% tabs %}
{% tab title="Web" %}
To create a new investigation:
1. Select **New Investigation**:
2. Choose **Public** or **Private**:
* **Public:** Anyone in your organization who can open **Investigations** can view this case and add events or clips. Use this when you want others to collaborate.
* **Private:** Only you (the user account who created it) can see the investigation. Use this for sensitive work. Private investigations cannot be shared with others. To give others access, change the visibility to **Public**.
3. Enter a **Name** (required).
4. Optionally enter a **Description**.
5. Select **Save**.
Next, you can add events and clips to this investigation or any others you have. See [Add Events and Clips](#add-events-and-clips-to-investigations) below.
{% endtab %}
{% tab title="Mobile" %}
To create a new investigation:
1. Tap **New**.
2. Choose to create a Public or Private investigation.
* **Public**: Everyone in your organization with access to the **Investigations** page can view and contribute to the case. Use this for collaborative investigations.
* **Private**: Only you, the creator, can see the case. Use this for sensitive or confidential work. Note that private investigations cannot be shared with specific people; to give others access, change the visibility to Public.
3. Provide a name and description for the investigation.
4. Tap **Save** to create the investigation. Next, you can add events and clips to this investigation. Follow the steps in the following section for more information.
{% endtab %}
{% endtabs %}
***
## Add Events and Clips to Investigations
{% tabs %}
{% tab title="Web" %}
You can add items to an investigation from either the Investigations area or directly from the **Events** and **Clips** pages.
### From an Investigation
1. Open the investigation from the **Investigations** page.
2. Select **Add to Investigation**:
3. Use the **Events** and **Clips** tabs to choose items. You can search, and scroll to load more.
4. Select each event or clip you want to include. Selected items show a checkmark.
5. Select **Save**.
**Notes:**
* Unchecking an item and selecting **Save** removes it from the investigation.
* Items already in the investigation stay selected when you reopen the picker.
### From the Events or Clips page
1. From any event or clip, select the **more options** menu (three dots) on the event or clip.
2. Select **Add to Investigation**.
3. Search for an **open** investigation if needed, then select it.
**Note**: This method only adds an event or clip to **open** investigations. To add items to an archived case, open that investigation and use **Add to Investigation** there.
**Note**: You can add the same event or clip to more than one investigation.
{% endtab %}
{% tab title="Mobile" %}
You can add events and clips to investigations to help you stay organized and review footage easily (assuming you have the correct access based on whether the investigation is public or private).
To add events or clips to an investigation:
1. Tap the investigation from the **Investigations** page.
2. Tap the **All** tab.
3. Tap **Add Event** or **Add Clip**, then select from the list of events/clips the footage you want in this investigation.
4. Tap **Add Event**/**Add Clip** to add the selected items.
You can also link a clip to an investigation while you save it. See [Save Video Clips](/docs/review-events-and-save-evidence/clips/save-video-clips.md).
{% endtab %}
{% endtabs %}
***
## See Investigation Details
Select an investigation > **Details** tab to see an overview of the investigation including:
* Investigation description
* Visibility (public or private)
* Creation date, last updated, and creator name
***
## Review an Investigation
{% tabs %}
{% tab title="Web" %}
Open an investigation to see its events and clips.
The detail page has three tabs:
| Tab | Description |
| ---------- | ------------------------- |
| **All** | Events and clips together |
| **Events** | Events only |
| **Clips** | Clips only |
Each tab shows a count. Items are grouped by date (newest first), using the same card style as the Events page.
Select a card to watch the video. The player lists the other items in this investigation so you can move through the case without returning to the list.
**Note**: If the saved item is an event, the footage may not be available if it is past the retention period. Keep this in mind when saving events to your investigations.
Use the search icon on the investigation to find items by title, notes, or event type:
If items were added but none appear, you may not have permission to view them (for example, a **private** clip). The tab still shows the count. See [How to Use the Clips Page](/docs/review-events-and-save-evidence/clips/how-to-use-the-clips-page.md) for clip visibility.
Select the breadcrumb to return to the Investigations list:
{% endtab %}
{% tab title="Mobile" %}
Tap on an investigation to review details, including:
* Description
* Date created and last updated
* Created by
{% endtab %}
{% endtabs %}
***
## Edit Investigation Details and Visibility
{% tabs %}
{% tab title="Web" %}
You can **Edit** any investigation you can see (a **Public** case, or a **Private** case you created).
To edit:
1. From the Investigations home page, select the "More Actions" icon next to the investigation you want to edit.
2. Select **Edit**:
3. Update the **Name** and **Description** as needed.
4. If you created the investigation, you can also change visibility to **Public** / **Private**. Other users can view a public case but cannot change its visibility.
5. Select **Save**.
{% endtab %}
{% tab title="Mobile" %}
You can edit an investigation if it is Public or if it is Private and you created it. Tap on an investigation to edit it.
Select **Edit Details** to change any of the following:
* Visibility (Public/Private)
* Name
* Description
{% endtab %}
{% endtabs %}
***
## Open and Archived Investigations
{% tabs %}
{% tab title="Web" %}
There are two types of investigation states:
* **Open** investigations are active (you are still actively using/reviewing the footage within). They appear on the **Open** tab.
* **Archived** investigations are those you have finished or put aside. They appear on the **Archived** tab.
Only the user who created the investigation can archive or reopen it, even if it is public.
To archive a case:
1. From the Investigations home page, select the "More Actions" icon next to the investigation you want to edit.
2. Select **Archive**.
The investigation moves to the **Archived** tab.
To make an investigation active (Open) again, open it from **Archived** and select **Reopen**:
**Note**: Archiving does not delete the investigation or its events and clips. You can still open an archived case to review items or add more.
{% endtab %}
{% tab title="Mobile" %}
* **Open** investigations are active cases you are working on and appear under the **Open** tab.
* **Archived** investigations are closed and appear under the **Archived** tab.
To archive an investigation:
1. Open the investigation (tap it).
2. On the **Details** tab, tap **Archive** and confirm.
The investigation moves to the **Archived** tab.
**Note**: To make an investigation active again, open it from **Archived** and tap **Reopen**.
**Note**: Only the person who created the investigation can archive it or reopen it. This applies to both Public and Private investigations.
{% endtab %}
{% endtabs %}
***
## Copy Link to Investigation
You can copy a direct link to an investigation from the Investigations page. Use it to share the investigation with a teammate in chat or email, or to bookmark it for later.
To copy a link to an investigation:
1. From the Investigations home page, select the "More Actions" icon next to the investigation you want to edit.
2. Select **Copy link**.
3. Paste/share the link with the person/team who has access to view it.
* **Public investigations**: Colleagues in your organization who can use Investigations can open the link and view the case.
* **Private investigations**: Only the person who created the investigation can open the link. Other users cannot view a private case even if they have the URL.
***
## Delete Investigation
You can delete an investigation completely. This is separate from archiving, where the investigation can still be recovered.
Only the user who created the investigation can delete it, even if it is public.
**Note**: Deleting removes the investigation and the links between that case and its events and clips. It does not delete the original events from your Events feed or saved clips from the **Clips** page. Those items remain in Solink unless you delete them separately.
To delete an investigation:
1. From the Investigations home page, select the "More Actions" icon next to the investigation you want to edit.
2. Select Delete.
3. Confirm deletion. You cannot recover the investigation once deleted.
***
## Investigations: FAQs
See the following frequently asked questions (FAQs) for the Investigations feature.
### If I add a private clip to a public investigation, can everyone see the clip?
The clip permission remains and other users who do not have access to view the private clip are still unable to view it.
### Is all footage added to an investigation automatically backed up in the cloud?
No, if you need access to a specific clip/event in the investigation at some point in the future, ensure it is either [saved to the cloud](/docs/review-events-and-save-evidence/clips/save-video-clips.md) or that you are aware of the date at which the clip will no longer be available per the [camera's retention period](/docs/watch-and-find-video/manage-cameras/how-to-check-camera-video-retention.md) (especially important for any events you save to an investigation).
---
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