As a design manager, it's important to ensure that all documents, drawings, and models are organized according to project manuals and are easily accessible to everyone involved in the project.
While using filename codes can shorten file names, they may not be clear to all team members.
To address this, Dalux can help you by making metadata mandatory and automatically populated based on the filename code, which will help both the design and construction teams, improving clarity and communication throughout the project.
Search and filter
Files are organized so that everyone involved in the project can quickly and efficiently find the information they need. This level of organization reduces time spent searching for documents, minimizes errors caused by using outdated or incorrect files, and improves collaboration across teams.
Users can quickly search (1) and filter (2) for the files they are looking for.
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Moreover, metadata can automatically initiate design approval processes and monitor data across all file versions, giving you complete visibility into when and what modifications have been implemented.
Read more
For a more detailed explanation of searching and filtering, you can find additional information here: Search and filters in Box.
Mandatory metadata
For each folder, the project administrator can make it mandatory to add information when uploading files. This helps ensure that the required information is provided.
When a file is uploaded to a folder with mandatory metadata, each field is marked with an orange star; if it is not filled in, the file cannot be uploaded.
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Populate metadata from filename
Metadata can automatically be populated from the file name, making uploading files easier and faster.
If the file follows the naming convention, the filename will automatically populate the metadata; if not, a warning is displayed, and the metadata must be manually populated.
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The file naming template can even be made mandatory, making it impossible to upload files that do not follow the naming convention.
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Metadata Administration
Custom metadata records additional information about uploaded files. While Dalux automatically tracks information, we recommend adding information such as content and author.
Evaluate what information is important to document and help find the right files during the design, construction, and maintenance phases of the project.
The type of information depends on your project, but some common data includes:
- Originator: Document who created the file, as this might differ from who uploaded it
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Title: Used to identify the file in
Locations, and should describe the file in plain text
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(Sub-)Discipline: Used to structure the drawings, if they are added to
- File/Drawing type: Categorize your files (assessments, permits, etc.) and drawings (View, Section, Ceiling plan, etc.)
- Level: Specify the level of a drawing
You can refer to this guide on how to set up metadata in Dalux: Set up metadata.
File name template
Use your custom metadata as a basis to create a file name template for your project. Some general recommendations when setting up file naming standards include:
- Use a consistent delimiter, that is not used in metadata values
- Keep metadata short and avoid special characters
- Don't list the status of the document in the file name, it is separately tracked in the files' metadata
- Avoid data that is automatically documented by Dalux, like the upload date or version
Read this article to see how you can set this up: File naming templates
If you want to learn more about how to set up Dalux according to best practices, read these articles: