Manage Folders¶
Alation Cloud Service Applies to Alation Cloud Service instances of Alation
Customer Managed Applies to customer-managed instances of Alation
In General Availability from Alation version 2024.3.2
In Public Preview from Alation version 2024.1 to 2024.3.1
Important
You are viewing documentation for Classic Alation.
This page has information about how to manage folders in a Document Hub. Folders are containers for documents in a document hub. You can create, edit, and delete folders, and you can control who has access to them.
Create a Folder¶
To create folders in a document hub, you must have the Catalog Admin or Server Admin role.
In 2024.3.2 and later, you can create a subfolder inside another folder. In earlier versions, you can only create folders at the top level of the document hub.
Create a Top-Level Folder¶
When you create a folder from the document hub catalog page, the folder is created at the top level of the document hub.
To create a top-level folder:
Navigate to the catalog page of the document hub. You can do this through the left navigation or by searching.
Click the + Create <Folder Name> button. The name used on the button is the name Alation admins gave to folder objects in this hub’s settings. As an example, if this document hub’s folders are named Categories, the button will say + Create Category.
The folder is created immediately, and the folder catalog page opens for editing.
Click the default title at the top of the page and enter the folder’s title. Optionally, enter a Description.
To control who can access this folder, click the three dots in the upper right, then click Access Settings. See Document Hub Permissions for more information about access levels.
To add documents to the folder, click the + <Document> button. The name used on the button is the name Alation admins gave to document objects in this hub’s settings. As an example, if this document hub’s documents are named Metrics, the button will say + Metric.
To add an existing document, click Add Existing <Document>, then search for the document you want and select it.
To add a new document, click Create New <Document>, then select a template and click Create. The new document is created immediately, and the document catalog page opens for editing. You can now edit and configure the document.
Modify any other fields associated with the folder as desired. Changes are saved automatically. The fields that are available depend on the folder’s template and field-level permissions.
Navigate to the catalog page of the document hub. You can do this through the Apps menu or by searching.
Click the + Create <Folder Name> button. The name used on the button is the name Alation admins gave to folder objects in this hub’s settings. As an example, if this document hub’s folders are named Categories, the button will say + Create Category.
The folder is created immediately, and the folder catalog page opens for editing.
Enter the folder’s title at the top of the page. Optionally, enter a Description.
To control who can access this folder, click Manage in the upper right, then click Access Settings. See Document Hub Permissions for more information about access levels.
To add documents to the folder, click the + <Document> button. The name used on the button is the name Alation admins gave to document objects in this hub’s settings. As an example, if this document hub’s documents are named Metrics, the button will say + Metric.
To add an existing document, click Add Existing <Document>, then search for the document you want and select it.
To add a new document, click Create New <Document>, then select a template and click Create. The new document is created immediately, and the document catalog page opens for editing. You can now edit and configure the document.
Modify any other fields associated with the folder as desired. Changes are saved automatically. The fields that are available depend on the folder’s template and field-level permissions.
Create a Subfolder Inside Another Folder¶
Available from version 2024.3.2
To create a subfolder inside another folder, you need to start on the catalog page for the parent folder.
Navigate to the catalog page for the folder that will be the parent. You can do this through the left navigation or by searching.
Click the + Create button, then click New <Folder Name>. The name used on the button is the name Alation admins gave to folder objects in this hub’s settings. As an example, if this document hub’s folders are named Categories, the button will say + Create Category.
The folder is created immediately, and the folder catalog page opens for editing.
Click the default title at the top of the page and enter the folder’s title. Optionally, enter a Description.
To control who can access this folder, click the three dots in the upper right, then click Access Settings. See Document Hub Permissions for more information about access levels.
To add documents to the folder, click the + <Document> button. The name used on the button is the name Alation admins gave to document objects in this hub’s settings. As an example, if this document hub’s documents are named Metrics, the button will say + Metric.
To add an existing document, click Add Existing <Document>, then search for the document you want and select it.
To add a new document, click Create New <Document>, then select a template and click Create. The new document is created immediately, and the document catalog page opens for editing. You can now edit and configure the document.
Modify any other fields associated with the folder as desired. Changes are saved automatically. The fields that are available depend on the folder’s template and field-level permissions.
Navigate to the catalog page for the folder that will be the parent. You can do this through the Apps menu or by searching.
Click the + Create button, then click New <Folder Name>. The name used on the button is the name Alation admins gave to folder objects in this hub’s settings. As an example, if this document hub’s folders are named Categories, the button will say + Create Category.
The folder is created immediately, and the folder catalog page opens for editing.
Enter the folder’s title at the top of the page. Optionally, enter a Description.
To control who can access this folder, click Manage in the upper right, then click Access Settings. See Document Hub Permissions for more information about access levels.
To add documents to the folder, click the + <Document> button. The name used on the button is the name Alation admins gave to document objects in this hub’s settings. As an example, if this document hub’s documents are named Metrics, the button will say + Metric.
To add an existing document, click Add Existing <Document>, then search for the document you want and select it.
To add a new document, click Create New <Document>, then select a template and click Create. The new document is created immediately, and the document catalog page opens for editing. You can now edit and configure the document.
Modify any other fields associated with the folder as desired. Changes are saved automatically. The fields that are available depend on the folder’s template and field-level permissions.
Move a Folder¶
You can move a folder to a different location in the document hub hierarchy. In 2024.3.2 and later, you can move a folder to a different parent folder within its current hub or move it to the top level of its current hub. In 2025.1.1 and later, you can also move a folder to a different document hub.
Note
Known Issue: When moving a folder, the last updated timestamp on child documents and subdocuments isn’t updated in Alation Analytics.
Move a Folder within a Hub¶
Available from version 2024.3.2
In 2024.3.2 and later, folders can be nested inside other folders in the Document Hub hierarchy. You can move a folder to a different parent folder within its current hub or move it to the top level of its current hub.
To move a folder within the same hub, you must meet one of these conditions:
Be the folder’s creator
Have the Catalog Admin or Server Admin role
Have the Steward, Composer, or Source Admin role and have edit access to the folder
When you move a folder, the folder’s contents are also moved with it, including subfolders and subdocuments. This is true even if you don’t have access to the folder’s contents. You only need access to the folder itself to move it.
To move a folder:
Navigate to the folder’s catalog page. You can do this through the left navigation or by searching.
Click the three dots in the upper right corner and select Move. The Move <Folder> dialog opens.
If you’re a Server Admin in 2025.1.1 and later, you’ll be asked if you want to move the folder within the hub or to a different hub. Choose to move it within the hub.
Choose whether to move the folder to another folder or the top level of the hub:
To move the folder to another parent folder, click the Select Location button and select the folder that will be the new parent.
To move the folder to the top level of the document hub, select Top-level Folder of <Hub Name>.
The Move Summary at the bottom of the dialog shows the current and new locations to highlight the change and serve as a sanity check.
Click the Move button. The folder is moved immediately to its new parent, and the folder catalog page refreshes to show the new hierarchy in the breadcrumbs.
Navigate to the folder’s catalog page. You can do this through the Apps menu or by searching.
Click Manage in the upper right corner and select Move. The Move <Folder> dialog opens.
If you’re a Server Admin in 2025.1.1 and later, you’ll be asked if you want to move the folder within the hub or to a different hub. Choose to move it within the hub.
Choose whether to move the folder to another folder or the top level of the hub:
To move the folder to another parent folder, click the Select Location button and select the folder that will be the new parent.
To move the folder to the top level of the document hub, select Top-level Folder of <Hub Name>.
The Move Summary at the bottom of the dialog shows the current and new locations to highlight the change and serve as a sanity check.
Click the Move button. The folder is moved immediately to its new parent, and the folder catalog page refreshes to show the new hierarchy in the breadcrumbs.
Move a Folder to a Different Hub¶
Available from version 2025.1.1
In 2025.1.1 and later, you can move a folder to a different document hub.
To move a folder to a different document hub, you must have the Server Admin role.
Moving a folder to a different hub has the following effects:
The folder’s contents are also moved with it, including subfolders and subdocuments.
Any navigation links to the folder will be removed. Documents can only have navigation links to folders in the document hub the document belongs to.
Document hubs can only have one folder template, so the folder will be assigned to the existing folder template of the new hub. Because of this, the folder may have different custom fields than it did in the original hub. Custom field values will be preserved, but the custom fields themselves may not be visible if they’re not included in the new hub’s template.
To move a folder to a different document hub:
Navigate to the folder’s catalog page. You can do this through the left navigation or by searching.
Click the three dots in the upper right corner and select Move. The Move <Folder> dialog opens.
Click Move <FolderName> to a different hub.
Click the Select Document Hub dropdown, and select the document hub you want to move the folder to. Enter part of the hub name to filter the list.
The folder will be moved to the top level of the new document hub by default. If you want to move it to a different parent folder, click Select new location, then click the Folder dropdown and select the new parent folder. Enter part of the folder name to filter the list.
The Move Summary at the bottom of the dialog shows the current and new locations to highlight the change and serve as a sanity check.
By default, all templates for the folder’s documents will be copied to the new document hub. This ensures that the folder’s documents will have the same layout and custom fields after being moved. If you want to assign a template from the new hub instead, click the Clone Template(s) to Document Hub drop-down and select the new template.
Click the Move button. The folder is moved immediately to its new parent, and the folder catalog page refreshes to show the new hierarchy in the breadcrumbs. The folder will be assigned to the existing folder template in the new hub. The new hub’s folder template may have different fields than the original folder template.
Navigate to the folder’s catalog page. You can do this through the Apps menu or by searching.
Click Manage in the upper right corner and select Move. The Move <Folder> dialog opens.
Click Move <FolderName> to a different hub.
Click the Select Document Hub dropdown, and select the document hub you want to move the folder to. Enter part of the hub name to filter the list.
The folder will be moved to the top level of the new document hub by default. If you want to move it to a different parent folder, click Select new location, then click the Folder dropdown and select the new parent folder. Enter part of the folder name to filter the list.
By default, all templates for the folder’s documents will be copied to the new document hub. This ensures that the folder’s documents will have the same layout and custom fields after being moved. If you want to assign a template from the new hub instead, click the Clone Template(s) to Document Hub drop-down and select the new template.
Click the Move button. The folder is moved immediately to its new parent, and the folder catalog page refreshes to show the new hierarchy in the breadcrumbs. The folder will be assigned to the existing folder template in the new hub. The new hub’s folder template may have different fields than the original folder template.
Change Access to a Folder¶
To change who has access to a folder, you must meet one of these conditions:
Be the folder’s creator
Have the Catalog Admin or Server Admin role
Have the Steward, Composer, or Source Admin role and have edit access to the folder
To change access to a folder:
Navigate to the folder’s catalog page. You can do this through the left navigation or by searching.
Click the three dots in the upper right corner and select Access Settings. The access dialog opens.
Choose the level of access:
Public—All Alation users in your organization will have view and edit permissions to this object. This is the default setting.
Editing Restricted—All Alation users in your organization will have view permissions to this object. You can grant edit permissions to specific users. Catalog Admins, Server Admins, the object creator always have view and edit permissions.
Private—You can grant view or edit permissions to specific users. Catalog Admins, Server Admins, the object creator always have view and edit permissions.
If Editing Restricted or Private is selected in the previous step, you can see the users and groups that currently have access. You can use the paging controls at the bottom of the list to navigate through the list.
a. To grant access to someone new, click + Invite. Search for or navigate to the users or groups and select the ones you want. c. To change or remove someone’s permissions, click Can Edit or Can View next to a user or group and select the desired permission.
Click Save.
Navigate to the folder’s catalog page. You can do this through the Apps menu or by searching.
Click Manage in the upper right corner and select Access Settings. The access dialog opens.
Choose the level of access:
Public—All Alation users in your organization will have view and edit permissions to this object. This is the default setting.
Editing Restricted—All Alation users in your organization will have view permissions to this object. You can grant edit permissions to specific users. Catalog Admins, Server Admins, the object creator always have view and edit permissions.
Private—You can grant view or edit permissions to specific users. Catalog Admins, Server Admins, the object creator always have view and edit permissions.
If Editing Restricted or Private is selected in the previous step, you can see the users and groups that currently have access. You can use the paging controls at the bottom of the list to navigate through the list.
a. To grant access to someone new, click + Invite. Search for or navigate to the users or groups and select the ones you want. c. To change or remove someone’s permissions, click edit or view next to a user or group and select the desired permission.
Click Save.
Create or Edit a Folder Template¶
Each document hub has a single folder template that determines the fields that are available for folders in that document hub. Folder templates can’t be shared between document hubs.
To edit a folder template, see Manage Templates.
Download and Upload a Folder’s Data Dictionary¶
Available from version 2024.3.5
Download and upload data dictionaries at the folder level in a document hub. A folder’s data dictionary includes custom fields on its template as well as the custom fields on templates of all its child objects, such as sub-folders and documents. For more information, refer to:
Delete a Folder¶
To delete a folder, you must meet one of these conditions:
Have the Catalog Admin or Server Admin role
Have the Steward, Composer, or Source Admin role and have edit access to the folder
Folders are soft-deleted, so they still exist in the Alation database. Deleted folders will not appear in the navigation, search, or the document hub. Most references to a deleted folder will no longer appear in the catalog. Direct @-mentions will remain. If you click on an @-mention or use a saved bookmark to visit the document’s old link, the folder catalog page will open with a warning that it has been deleted. The folder can then be restored from that page.
When you delete a folder, the folder’s contents are not deleted and will still be available in the document hub:
Starting in 2024.3.2, the deleted folder’s documents and subfolders will be shifted up so they belong to the deleted folder’s parent. Any navigation links to the deleted folder will also be shifted up so they link to the deleted folder’s parent instead.
In 2024.1 to 2024.3.1, the documents may still be a member of another folder, or they may appear as independent documents on the document hub catalog page.
Delete a Folder via the Folder’s Parent¶
To delete a folder via the folder’s parent:
Navigate to the catalog page of the document hub or parent folder. You can do this through the left navigation or by searching.
Find the folder in the list of folders. You can use the search box at the top of the folder list, or scroll through the folder list using the paging controls at the bottom of the list.
Click the three dots to the right of the folder name, then click Delete.
In the confirmation dialog that appears, click Delete.
Navigate to the catalog page of the document hub or parent folder. You can do this through the Apps menu or by searching.
Find the folder in the list of folders. You can use the search box at the top of the folder list, or scroll through the folder list using the paging controls at the bottom of the list.
Click the three dots to the right of the folder name, then click Delete.
In the confirmation dialog that appears, click Delete <Folder>.
Delete a Folder via the Folder’s Page¶
To delete a folder via the folder’s catalog page:
Navigate to the folder’s catalog page. You can do this through the left navigation or by searching.
Click the three dots in the upper right corner and select Delete.
In the confirmation dialog that appears, click Delete.
Restore a Deleted Folder¶
Folders are soft-deleted, so they still exist in the Alation database and can be restored. Restoring a deleted folder will not restore the folder’s former contents. The folder’s former contents will still be in the document hub, but they will no longer be associated with the folder.
To restore a deleted folder, you must meet one of these conditions:
Have the Catalog Admin or Server Admin role
Have the Steward, Composer, or Source Admin role and have edit access to the folder
To restore a deleted folder:
Visit the folder’s catalog page. To do this you must have the URL or a saved bookmark to the folder. You can reconstruct the URL if you know the folder’s ID. The URL is in the format:
https://<your-alation-instance>/app/doc-folder/<folder-id>
Click the three dots in the upper right corner and select Restore. The folder is restored immediately.
Visit the folder’s catalog page. To do this you must have the URL or a saved bookmark to the folder. You can reconstruct the URL if you know the folder’s ID. The URL is in the format:
https://<your-alation-instance>/doc-folder/<folder-id>
Click the Restore link in the banner at the top of the page. The folder is restored immediately. You may need to refresh the page to see the folder in the document hub.
Folders API¶
You can interact with folders using our Folders API (available from version 2024.1.3).