Working with metadata in the Brand portal in Assets

The Brand portal in Assets relies heavily on metadata so it is important to be aware of what it is and how to use it.

What is metadata?

Metadata is data that describes specific aspects of a file:

• When it was created
• Which application was used to create it
• Who created it
• What type of file it is
• What the size of the file is
• ...and much, much more

All this information is stored within the file itself, meaning that when you move the file (for example by sending it to someone else or by uploading it to Assets), the metadata is moved with it.

When working with files on a computer, you will come across metadata everywhere: from simply viewing a file in a folder to right-clicking a file and bringing up the Properties dialog box on Windows or the Get Info dialog box on MacOS.

Figure: Metadata of a file is shown in many different places such as in folders and in the Properties window.

Types of metadata

Some metadata is very technical (such as the file size and file type) while other metadata describes the content of the file (such as a description, tags, or category).

How metadata is added

Metadata can be added automatically (for example by a digital camera or a word processor), or it can be added manually.

About changing metadata

Some of the metadata cannot be changed (such as the date and time when the file was created), while other metadata can be freely edited (such as a description).

Metadata and the Brand portal

You will see metadata displayed throughout the Brand portal and use metadata whenever you perform a search.

Editing metadata

In the Brand portal, metadata cannot be edited.

Where metadata is shown

Metadata is shown for each thumbnail and when viewing a file in fullscreen mode.

Thumbnails

For each thumbnail, the file name and file size is shown.

Fullscreen preview

When viewing a file in fullscreen mode (by clicking the fullscreen icon in the thumbnail or by selecting the file and pressing the spacebar), many metadata fields can be viewed by clicking the info icon in the top right corner.

Changing the displayed metadata fields

Changing the metadata fields that are displayed in fullscreen mode cannot be done in the Brand portal but has to be done as part of the Setting up the Brand portal.