Enhance files and folders with metadata

If the Files module uses a

File Metadata iSheet

, additional fields of information can be added to files in the Files module. Folder Metadata iSheets permit additional fields of information to be added to folders in the Files module.

Enhancing files or folders with metadata is useful for tracking additional information about the files in the site. Also, as the number of files in a site grows and the number of branches in the folder tree increases, it becomes harder to locate files through simple navigation. Searching iSheet metadata can make it easier to find files that are needed.

Once an iSheet has been associated with the Files module and a new file is added or an existing file is edited, the user performing the action is asked to complete the fields of information found in the associated iSheet. These fields will be displayed in the

Metadata

tab.

After a folder is associated with an iSheet, the

Metadata

tab opens; this displays the additional metadata fields.

By default, every column is displayed when a new file is uploaded or a folder is added.

A column can be made visible or hidden if certain conditions in another column or columns are met. For example, an iSheet might have a

Country

choice column and if the country selected is United Kingdom, the iSheet might display a

County

field (a choice field). If the country selected is United States or Australia, the iSheet instead might display a

State

field (another choice field). For any other country selection, a

Province/Territory

text field could be displayed.

By using conditional columns, it is possible to vary which input fields are displayed when a certain type of file is added or a folder is created.

For example, in a site used to store leases: Two folders are called

Office Leases

and

Retail Leases

and different information is tracked for each type of lease. In that case, the iSheet can include a conditional choice column:

Type of Lease

, with the choices of

Office

and

Retail

. Questions are displayed for each lease type when the appropriate lease type is selected. Then, for example, when a new office lease is added, and

Type of Lease

equals

Office only

the appropriate office lease fields are shown. This feature can be used with

views

to show only the appropriate iSheet fields for each of the two folders. The

Office Leases

folder can show the

Office Lease

view and the

Retail Leases

folder can show the

Retail Lease

view.

The extra fields in a file or folder metadata iSheet can be viewed in the Files module, along with the files and folders themselves. For file metadata iSheets, it is possible to set one of the

views

as the

Default file view

. Every folder added after the view was created shows the files in that view.

Here are examples:

:

The default file view is shown, but this view is not required. If there is no default file view, files are shown with additional fields. It is possible to choose which view of a file metadata iSheet is shown in any given folder: select

Edit

from the action menu of the folder:

In the

Settings

tab, there are options to sort folders and files.

Select

Custom

to sort your files and display the custom metadata fields.

Create multiple views for file and folder metadata iSheets and apply different views to different folders to provide flexibility to display appropriate fields when the type of files vary in each folder.

You can edit iSheet metadata when a file is open in the file preview window.

From the

Files

module, click the file you want to edit. The preview window opens, with additional details in the panel on the right.

If multiple types of metadata are associated with the file, click the

Metadata

dropdown to select another source.

To edit the metadata, click the

Edit metadata

button.

Select a field and type, or make a selection, to edit the metadata.

If available, select

Edit next record on save

to open the next record immediately after the current record is saved.

Select

Cancel

to close without saving changes, or select

Save

to keep your changes.

You can set which metadata is displayed when a file is opened.

You can set the default at the Site level and also select a different default for each folder in the Files module.

Open site

Admin

, then select

Settings

for the Files module.

Scroll down to

Default preview metadata

.

You can choose one of the metadata sources available on your site; these can include

Custom

,

iSheet

or

Contract Express

.

Select

Apply to all existing folders

to set all files to this default; if this is not selected the default is only applied to new folders.

Select

Save

to apply the new default

A user with folder admin permissions can apply a default to a single folder; open the folder in the Files module.

Select

More actions

for the folder, then select

Edit details

.

Select the

Settings

tab In the

Edit folder

window.

Select the new default in the

Default preview metadata

menu, then select

Save

.