What is the problem with scattered files?
Documents for a single case rarely arrive all at once. First the contract, two days later a revision, then a scan of the signed page. Finally, someone pastes a screenshot with a comment. One file stays in an email, another in a chat, and a third on someone's desktop. A week later, finding out which version is final means calling three people.
In Task Manager with the Files module (Pro plan), every task and every chat has its own folder. It's created automatically under the thread's name, even while it's still empty. Attachments from the conversation end up there: files sent in messages, drawings from the Draw window, pasted screenshots and images inserted via the icon. Drawings are named rysunek-data.png, and pasted images - obraz-data.png.
What does a thread folder look like inside?
Task and chat folders are in the Files tree, under the Workspace branch, in the Tasks and Chats sections. They have a different icon from regular folders. You can't delete or move them - they exist for as long as the thread does. The folder displays conversation attachments, not copies of them. When someone deletes a file from the conversation, it disappears from the folder too.
The paperclip in the task or chat header, next to the avatars, opens the Files window in that thread's folder. You can also dock the Files window next to the conversation and drag a file onto it. An overlay appears saying “Drop to attach”. The file goes to the attachments bar and is sent with your next message. You can't move an attachment from a thread to another folder. You can download it, add it to Favourites or copy it using “Copy to…” - to Documents, a Workspace folder or your own subfolder.
Clicking a file opens a preview in place of the folder contents. Images and PDFs are displayed directly. Videos in MP4, M4V, MOV, WebM and OGV formats play in a scrollable window. DOCX and XLSX files have a text preview. The ‹ › arrows next to the Back button and the arrow keys let you move between files in the same folder. The counter shows, for example, “3 / 8”. The Location field shows the task or chat the attachment came from.
What do you gain?
You don't have to ask others where they saved the revised contract. If someone attached it to a conversation about the matter, you'll find it with the other thread attachments. You won't need to search the chat history separately to download it.
You can return to a drawing sketched in a hurry or a screenshot pasted into a comment. There's no need to scroll through the conversation to view them. You can also download and forward them.
When someone goes on leave in the middle of a matter, the person taking over has the documents alongside the conversation where the work was done. They don't have to start by asking for missing files to be sent over.
Use case: a law firm and the documents for one case
A client's case has one task in Task Manager. A trainee attaches a contract to the conversation. Then they paste in a screenshot of the disputed clause with a note, the solicitor attaches the revised document, and another team member - a scan of the signed page. Four files from different points in time end up in the folder for a single conversation.
When compiling the case file, the solicitor opens the task folder using the paperclip in the header. They move between files with the arrows, without going back to the list. They copy the scan of the signed page using “Copy to…” to their own folder in Documents. The original stays with the case. Everyone in the thread can see a file uploaded directly to the task folder. This is an exception to the file privacy rule in the Files module.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need the Files module?
For the shared drive and thread folders, yes - that's a Pro plan module. Attachments in tasks and chats work in both plans.
Do I have to save attachments to the case folder manually?
No. A task or chat folder is created automatically along with the thread. Conversation attachments appear in it automatically, including images embedded in message content.
Does uploading a file to a task folder share it with the team?
Everyone taking part in the thread can see a file uploaded directly to a task or chat folder. This is an exception: elsewhere in the Files module, a file is private until you share it. Only the owner can delete or rename the file.
Can I recover a deleted file?
Yes. A deleted file goes to the Bin. You can restore it or delete it permanently. A restored file goes back to its original location, unless its parent folder is in the Bin - in that case, it goes back to the root of the relevant area. The Bin deletes files automatically after 30 days. Files in the Bin count towards your storage limit.
What's the maximum size for a single file?
A single file can be up to 100 MB. The administrator can also set a per-user limit in GB for the Files module under Settings → Advanced → “Files and storage”.