Metadata

The Metadata Panel on Files.com provides detailed information about each file or folder within your Files.com site. Metadata, often referred to as "data about data," includes file information and can be customized to support specific workflows. With Custom Metadata, users can add file management attributes to meet specific business needs.

System metadata for files and folders that are contained within a Remote Server is not stored on Files.com.

Metadata Panel

The Metadata Panel is available in two locations within your site's web app: the Files page, where it appears when a file or folder is selected, and the preview page for individual files and folders. The panel organizes information into three sections: data preview, system-generated metadata, and Custom Metadata.

The data preview section provides a thumbnail view of the content if the selected item is a widely-used business file format document or image, allowing users to see the content without opening the file.

System-generated or standard metadata provides core file information, while Custom Metadata allows users to add key/value pairs.

System-Generated Metadata

System-generated or standard metadata provides the details needed to manage and organize files. Basic file information includes attributes such as file name, type, size, storage region location, creation date, and, if available, last modified date.

Created By and Last Modified By

Site Administrators and Folder Admins can view who or what process created or modified a file in the system-generated metadata, including details like the user, API key, Inbox name, Share Link ID, Sync, or Automation. This traceability provides clear insight into file modifications, whether through direct user actions, automated tasks, or integrations with external systems.

Files.com tracks these modifications through extended metadata for each file and folder. For example, when a Copy File Automation creates new files by copying them to a different location, the metadata indicates they were created by that automation. Similarly, when files are created by processes like an AS2 incoming message, a Share Link upload, an Inbox upload, or a Sync, the metadata reflects the specific process involved, including the Remote Server ID or sync ID.

This platform-managed data cannot be directly modified, and when any of those features (e.g., an automation) makes changes, the metadata records which feature was responsible for the modification.

Unlike file modification timestamps, the Created By and Last Modified By metadata do not cascade upward to parent folders when a file is modified. Changes made within a subfolder do not update these metadata fields on parent folders. This keeps the metadata specific to the file or folder being directly modified.

Checksums

Files.com calculates SHA256, SHA1, CRC32, and MD5 checksums for files stored on Files.com native storage if these file integrity options are enabled. Checksums verify that the uploaded file matches its source. System-generated metadata includes these checksums, which are displayed in the metadata panel.

Some system-generated metadata, including 'Modified By' or checksums, may not be available for remotely mounted folders, as external remote servers may not pass or store this information.

Custom Metadata

Your site allows you to add or modify Custom Metadata on files or folders. This data is stored as key-value pairs within the metadata of each file or folder and can be viewed or modified by any user or API with the proper permissions.

When using Custom Metadata on files and folders, use Metadata Categories, which pre-define reusable keys and values for folders.