The detail view in the Files module shows you all available information about a file – including its preview, metadata, versions, links, and history.

Depending on your permissions, you can edit the file and its metadata here, as well as view linked tasks or file shares.

Open a file by double-clicking it or using the "View" action in the toolbox.

detail view of an image file with the "Overview" tab open

The detail view of a file offers many features, which are divided into several sections. The following controls remain visible at all times:

Use the ribbon at the top to switch between the different views of the open file.

When you open the detail view, the Overview ribbon tab is active. Here you'll find basic information such as the preview, metadata, links, and tags for the file.

The other tabs allow you to access the change history or versioning, for example. For more information, see Other tabs in the ribbon.

Use the back arrow to return to the main view. Use the "Previous" and "Next" buttons to switch between the files in your current selection.

The toolbox on the far right contains all the actions available to you for the currently open file. We explain the most important actions for working with a file under Actions for the open file.

Some actions open a new, temporary tab in the ribbon, such as the "Image editing" action.

The scroll bar at the bottom shows you a thumbnail view of the results list for your current search or selection.

Select a specific file or use the arrow keys on your keyboard to open the results one by one in their detail view.

If you don't need the scroll bar, you can collapse it by clicking the arrow.

The Overview tab is active by default when you open a file. For your day-to-day work with a file, you'll find the preview, metadata, links, and markings here.

The preview of the open file is the center of the overview. It helps you quickly review the content without having to download the original file.

The system generates file previews automatically. They may therefore differ from the appearance of the original file.

As soon as you move the mouse over the preview area, a menu with additional options appears at the top or bottom, depending on the file type:

controls that appear on mouseover for an image file and a video file

To the right of the preview, you will find the metadata section. The metadata fields are organized into groups that you can expand and collapse.

The metadata fields contain all the information stored about a file. They form the basis for organizing files in the DAM and finding files using search filters.

For example, metadata can include information on the following topics:

The fields may be editable or read-only. This depends on the field type, your system configuration, and your permissions.

Technical information, such as image size, is automatically extracted from the file and is therefore not editable.

If you modify editable metadata, be sure to save your changes using the corresponding action in the toolbox.

open metadata group with non-editable file information

To the left of the preview is a sidebar containing additional information and features.

If the currently open file has been linked to a task or file approval request, you can see this in the corresponding groups in the sidebar.

For example, if the file is part of an open task, you can edit the task directly here using the three-dot menu. When you open the task, you will be redirected to the Tasks module.

If a task’s deadline is approaching, it will be highlighted in color.

Files can also be linked to other files. For instance, an image file can be embedded in an InDesign or PowerPoint file. In that case, the new "Linked files" group will appear automatically.

In the corresponding InDesign or PowerPoint file, any images used would appear in the "Linked with" group.

this file is subject to an open task and a linked InDesign document

You can tag files with colors, rate them with stars or add a note of up to 1,000 characters.

Please note: This information is stored with the item and may therefore be visible to other users.

To the right of the metadata, you will see the toolbox with all the available actions you can perform on the currently open file.

The actions displayed depend on the file type, your user role, and your individually configured system.

The most important actions in the detail view include:

When editing metadata, save your changes by clicking "Save".

Click "Reset" to discard the changes you've made since the last time you saved.

Click "Download" to download the file to your computer. Depending on your configuration, additional download options may be available.

Full-screen view lets you display the file in an especially large format and, for example, compare it with other files from your selection.

Click "Create new task" to link the open file directly to a new task.

This allows you, for example, to organize a review, editing, or approval process.

Using "Add to collection", you can save the open file to an existing collection.

This is helpful, for example, if you want to compile files for a project, a campaign, or for sharing later.

Depending on your configuration, you can use the toolbox to create a new version of the file or upload it.

This ensures that different versions of the same file remain linked to one another.

Some actions open an additional tab in the ribbon. These include, for example:

The new tab displays a separate view tailored to the selected tool.

If you have the necessary permissions, you can delete the open file.

Use the ribbon to switch to other views of the open file. Each tab displays a separate view with specific functions and information.

The usage history provides information about when, how, and by whom this file was used in the system.

The change history helps you track when and by whom specific metadata in this file was changed.

For more information, see the article Change history.

In this view, you can view and compare the existing versions of this file, create new versions, and restore previous versions.

For more information, see the article Versioning.

The Evolution tree displays variants and editing states of this file, as well as their relationships to one another.

For more information, see the article Evolution tree.

Some tabs only become visible when you perform a corresponding action. For example, if you select "Edit picture" or "Videocut" in the toolbox, a temporary tab with editing options opens.

temporary "Image editing" tab with the new editing options