Shared Filing System

The Shared Filing System allows you to attach labels and custom metadata to files that you have edit access to. These labels and fields are attached directly to the file in Google Drive and are visible to anyone who uses Drive Toolbox and has access to the file.

What Makes It Shared?

Shared metadata is stored as Google Drive custom properties, making it collaborative and accessible to your team:

• Visible to everyone - Anyone using Drive Toolbox who can view the file can see shared metadata
• Collaborative editing - Anyone with edit access to the file can modify shared metadata
• Requires edit access - You must have edit permissions on the file to add shared metadata
• Capacity limits - Google Drive limits custom properties to approximately 30 items per file

Shared Labels

Shared labels are collaborative tags attached directly to files in Google Drive. They're perfect for:

• Team-wide categorization systems
• Workflow status tracking visible to all collaborators
• Departmental or organizational taxonomies
• Shared project management

Adding Shared Labels

1. Select one or more files (you must have edit access)
2. Click the Apply Shared Labels button in the toolbar
3. Type label names or select from existing shared labels
4. Click Apply to attach them to the files

Note: Shared labels are stored in Google Drive, so they persist with the file even if it's moved or shared with others.

Shared Info Fields

Shared info fields are custom metadata fields stored in Google Drive custom properties. Use them for:

• Approval workflows - Track approval status and approvers
• Document metadata - Version numbers, document types, classifications
• Team coordination - Assignment, ownership, or responsibility fields
• Compliance tracking - Retention dates, review cycles, classifications

Creating Shared Info Fields

Shared info fields are organized into field groups to keep them organized:

1. Go to Settings → Shared Info Fields
2. Click Create New Field Group (or use an existing group)
3. Enter a group name (e.g., "Approvals", "Projects", "Legal")
4. Add fields to the group with names and data types
5. Click Save

Adding Shared Info to Files

1. Select one or more files (you must have edit access)
2. Click Apply Shared Info in the toolbar
3. Choose a field group and field
4. Enter values for your selected files
5. Click Apply

Comparison: Personal vs. Shared

Feature	Personal Filing System	Shared Filing System
Visibility	Only visible to you	Visible to anyone using Drive Toolbox who has View access to the file
Editing	Only editable by you	Editable by anyone using Drive Toolbox who has Edit access to the file
File Requirements	Can attach to any file	Can only attach to files you have edit access on
Capacity	Unlimited number of tags and info fields	Number limited by Google-set limits on metadata; around 30 items
Storage	Local database	Google Drive custom properties
Persistence	Tied to your account	Travels with the file

Use Cases

Team Workflows

Create approval workflows visible to the entire team:

• Labels: pending-review, approved, needs-revision
• Fields: Reviewer, Review Date, Status

Department Organization

Establish departmental filing systems:

• Labels: hr-documents, finance, operations
• Fields: Department, Document Type, Retention Date

Client Projects

Manage client files collaboratively:

• Labels: client-name, active, archived
• Fields: Client ID, Project Manager, Contract End Date

Important Notes

Drive Toolbox Required

Shared metadata is only visible to users who have Drive Toolbox installed. Other users can still access the files normally, but they won't see the custom labels and info fields.

Google Drive Limits

Google Drive limits the number of custom properties per file to approximately 30 items total. This includes both labels and info fields combined. If you hit this limit, consider using Personal metadata instead.

Permission Requirements

You can only add or edit shared metadata on files where you have edit permissions. Files where you only have view access can only have personal metadata.

Learn More

• Personal Filing System - Private organization for any file
• Getting Started with Metadata - Quick start guide
• File Filtering - Search and filter using metadata