Relativity and Smarsh link archive to review platform, cutting the export-import step from eDiscovery

Relativity and Smarsh have introduced a connector that moves archived communications from Smarsh Enterprise Archive directly into Relativity aiR, the review platform formerly called RelativityOne. The companies announced a new Collect capability for Smarsh Enterprise Archive in a press release dated September 28, 2026. Trade publications picked the news up in early November.

What changed

Until now, moving Smarsh case data into Relativity required a manual export-and-import process. The Collect integration removes those steps. Users can transfer existing Smarsh case data, including email, chat and file data, directly into Relativity aiR.

Relativity's product documentation describes the setup. Smarsh is now a data source in Collect, and administrators must configure it before it can be used. Users pick from a searchable list of cases for import, in a way that aligns with other connectors. The documentation entry is dated September 17, 2026, which suggests the feature reached customers before the press release went out.

The platform name is also new. Relativity rebranded RelativityOne as Relativity aiR, and the two names refer to the same product. Older contracts and materials may still use the former name.

Scoping and chain of custody

The vendors say the main gains are lower error risk and better scoping. According to the release, removing the manual export and import reduces data-handling errors and helps maintain a clean, auditable chain of custody from Smarsh through to review. On scope, the release states that users select an existing case within Smarsh, and only that case's data is transferred into Relativity aiR. The companies say this lets organizations limit collections to the matter at hand without exposing unrelated data.

Once the data is in Relativity, teams can analyze Smarsh communications alongside other case data. These are vendor claims. Neither company has published performance figures or customer results for the connector.

Who the vendors are

Smarsh serves regulated sectors. It provides communications capture, archiving and monitoring technology for industries including financial services, government, insurance, healthcare and pharmaceuticals. Relativity develops legal data intelligence and eDiscovery software used for litigation, investigations and compliance matters. Smarsh was scheduled to appear at Relativity's RelFest Chicago event, held from September 29 to October 1.

What this means for in-house counsel

If your company archives messaging data in Smarsh and your outside counsel or eDiscovery provider reviews in Relativity, ask whether the new connector is available to them and who needs to configure it. The documentation says an administrator must set up the data source first. Confirm who holds that role and whether it sits with your team, your provider or Relativity-hosted infrastructure. Ask too whether any existing workflow still relies on manual exports, since those are the steps the connector is meant to replace.

Treat the defensibility claims as something to verify, not assume. A direct transfer may shrink the number of hand-offs, but your protocol still needs to document what was collected, who authorized it and when. Ask your provider whether the connector produces its own logs and how those logs line up with Smarsh case records. Also confirm how Smarsh cases are built, because the release says only the selected case's data moves. Over-broad cases would carry over-broad collections into review.

Finally, revisit vendor paperwork. A new data path between two vendors can touch data-processing terms, security reviews and cross-border transfer analysis, especially for regulated communications. If your agreements still refer to RelativityOne, check that the rename does not create ambiguity about which services are covered. Before the next regulatory inquiry or investigation, test the workflow on a closed or low-risk matter to learn where friction remains.