The Files.com web application provides an online file manager user interface. Web based users can interact with files and folders that are stored on Files.com or stored in any connected 3rd party storage solution, including cloud storage and content collaboration solutions.

Folder Access and Permissions

Site administrators have access to all files and folders folders.

All other users can only view and access folders which they've been assigned permissions to. Users are limited to the actions allowed by their permission settings. For example, if a user is given Read Only permission to a folder then they can only view, read, and download items in that folder and will not be able to upload, edit, or delete items.

Folder access permissions can also be assigned to groups, which assigns those access permissions to members of the group.

File Manager View

The default file manager condensed view will present a tabular listing of files and folders that includes the following informational columns:

A thumbnail view, grid view, and file history view are also available.

The thumbnail view will present small file thumbnails within the Name column, next to the file name.

The grid view will present a tile-based view using larger thumbnails. A slider allows you to change the size of the presented thumbnails.

The file history view will present the history logs showing the activity for this folder. The folder history can also be exported as a CSV (Comma Separated Value) formatted file.

Last Modified Date and Time

The following timestamps are stored when available:

When a file has been modified on the Files.com platform, the file manager view will display the most recent modification timestamp.

When a file is uploaded to Files.com, the file manager will display its last modification timestamp (Modified on source system) from the system that uploaded the file if that timestamp is provided by the uploading system or application. If no last modification time is provided during upload then the upload timestamp (Uploaded) will be displayed as the date and time.

Dates and times are presented in your configured time zone. Dates and times are stored in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) but will be converted to your local time zone, including any daylight saving time (DST) adjustment, when presented to you in the file manager view.

You can preview a file to view these timestamp values.

File Manager Actions

The file manager's Actions column provides actions that can be performed on files and folders.

For folders, options are provided to download, share, preview, rename, color tag, move, copy, and delete. Folders that have been configured for public hosting will also have an option for Copy Public URL available.

For files, options are provided to download, share, preview, edit, rename, color tag, move, copy, duplicate, delete, and view history.

Uploading Files and Folders

To upload files and folders, use the provided file manager buttons or drag and drop the items into the file manager view.

You can continue to navigate and interact with the file manager while uploads are in progress.

Drag and drop may not work for older web browsers or for web browsers that do not support drag and drop into the browser window.

Downloading Files and Folders

Each listed item has a corresponding download action button, displayed in the Actions column of the file manager. For files, the download action button will download the individual corresponding file. For folders, the download action button will download a Zip container file that contains the corresponding folder and its contents.

You can select multiple items within the file manager and download them. The selected items will be downloaded as a single Zip container file.

Sharing Files and Folders

Each listed item has a corresponding Add to Share action button, displayed in the Actions column of the file manager. This will add the item to a Share Link for you.

You can select multiple items within the file manager and add them to a Share. These selected items will be shared as a single Share Link.

Searching for Files

In addition to the global search at the top of every page of the web interface, you can search the contents of the particular folder you are currently viewing. The field for Search this folder appears directly above the tabular listing of a folder's contents.

Text that you enter in the Search this folder field is compared against the files and folders within the folder. When you perform the search, every file or folder that contains your search text anywhere in its name is included in the list of search results. Wildcards, such as ? or *, are not supported.

Searching the current folder is not recursive. Folders within the current folder that match your search are included in the search results, but their contents are not searched.

Previewing Files

Files.com supports previewing of many common document, image, and media file types. Some media types may be limited by your web browser and operating system.

Online Editing and Coediting

Supported file types will have a corresponding Open in Files.com editor or Open in Microsoft Office Online action button, displayed in the Actions column of the file manager.

You can choose which option should be used for online editing for your site.

Previews of supported file types will also provide an Open in Files.com editor or Open in Microsoft Office Online action button, allowing you to transition to editing a document directly from its preview.

Both the Files.com editor and Microsoft Office Online support concurrent coediting. Multiple users can edit the document simultaneously and each user will see other user's changes in real time.

Creating New Items

The Add New... button at the top of the file manager allows you to create new sub-folders and new documents within the current folder.

Creating a new document, spreadsheet, or presentation will create the corresponding document and automatically open it for editing for you.

Copying, Moving, and Duplicating Items

Each listed item has corresponding Copy and Move action buttons, displayed in the Actions column of the file manager.

You can also select multiple items within the file manager and then copy or move them.

Items can be copied to multiple destinations within your site.

Items can be moved to a single destination.

When a site administrator is copying or moving files or folders, they can choose an existing Remote Server or Child Site. Items can be copied to multiple folders on the same Remote Server or Child Site at once, but you cannot copy items to multiple Remote Servers or Child Sites at the same time.

You can also move an item within your site by dragging it to a listed folder or by dragging it to a parent folder in the navigation path.

Each listed file also has a corresponding Duplicate action button, displayed in the Actions column of the file manager, allowing you to create a duplicate of the file within the same folder.

Renaming Files and Folders

Each listed item has a corresponding Rename action button, displayed in the Actions column of the file manager.

Avoid the use of restricted characters when renaming a file or folder.

Folder Navigation

Clicking on a folder name will open that folder and list its contents.

As you navigate down through folders, the navigation path at the top of the folder listing will expand to show the folder path to the current folder.

You can use the Go up to parent folder link to navigate upwards or you can select any parent folder in the navigation path to jump directly to that folder.

Copy Folder Path

While navigating folders, the folder path at the top of the file manager will update to show you the current path to the folder that you are viewing. You can use the Copy path icon to copy the full path of the current folder to your clipboard.

File Manager Branding

The file manager will display the same custom branding scheme as the rest of your site.

In addition, folders can be customized with their own custom folder icon.

Regional Folder Location

Folders can reside in any Files.com regional storage location and you can configure any folder to reside at any available geographic location.

Changing a folder's regional storage location will automatically migrate that folder's contents to the new region.

Subfolders can be configured with a different region than its parent folder, allowing for flexibility in regional storage options to help you meet compliance or data sovereignty needs.

Folder Settings

Folders can be configured with various folder settings, allowing automatic actions to be performed.

Folder settings can be used to limit the types of files that can be uploaded, automatically rename files, automatically GPG encrypt or decrypt files, purge expired files, and send notifications via email, webhook, Slack, and Amazon SNS.

Folders can be configured to sync with a remote server, allowing automatic pulling and pushing of files.

Folders can also be presented to web visitors as an Inbox, allowing external users to upload files and folders into the folder, or served as a public web page, allowing visitors to download the items within the folder.