---
key: attach-a-file-to-a-record
title: Attach a file or photo to a customer or record
audience: staff
section: resources
routes: ["/accounts/:accountUid", "/accounts/:accountUid/:tab", "/work-orders/:uid/:tab?/:itemUid?", "/work/projects/:uid/:tab?/:itemUid?", "/work/tasks/:uid/:tab?/:itemUid?", "/service-assets/:assetUid/:tab?/:itemUid?", "/work/portfolios/:uid/:tab?/:itemUid?"]
permissions: ["files.read"]
since: 0.0.1
updated: 0.0.1
status: published
summary: Upload photos and documents to a customer, work order, project, task, service asset or portfolio from its Files tab, then find, download, pin, mark up, move or remove them.
keywords: [upload, photo, picture, attachment, document, PDF, before and after photos, manual, add file, delete file]
related: [find-your-way-around-a-record, add-a-note-to-a-record, find-a-file-in-the-media-center, turn-folders-on-or-off-for-one-record, share-a-note-or-file-with-a-customer]
---

Open the customer or record, then press its **Files** tab. For example, in the sidebar open **Operations**, then **Work Orders**, open the work order, and press **Files**; the page address ends in `/files`. The quickest way in is **Actions**, then **Upload file**, which opens the tab and your device's file picker straight away.

## Before you start

Your role needs permission to see files on that kind of record, and to upload them. Downloading, sharing and deleting each have their own permission; a control you lack is greyed out, and pointing at it says why.

## Steps

1. Press **Upload**, pick one or more files, and confirm. You can also drag files from your computer onto the list. On an empty tab, drop them on **Drag files here or click to upload**, or press **Choose files**.
2. Wait for each file to finish. Photos and videos show a progress state while Nova prepares them.
3. When folders are on, the files go into the folder you have open; the drop area names it.

## What you see

- Press a file to preview it. Switch between list and grid with the layout buttons.
- Press the **Files** title to switch between **All files**, **Unfiled**, **Pinned**, **Shared** (files shared outside your team) and **Trash**.
- Type in **Search files**, or filter by type with **All file types** and by tag with **Filter by tag**.
- Each file's menu offers, depending on the file and your role:
  - **Download** (**Download xlarge** for a photo) and **Download original**.
  - **Mark up** to draw on a photo; **Upload original** or **Replace original** for a full-size copy.
  - **Pin** or **Unpin**, and **Edit details** to rename it or add a description.
  - **Share / manage link** to share it with a customer ([[share-a-note-or-file-with-a-customer]]).
  - **Add to...** to put the same file on another record, and **View usage** to see where it is used.
  - **Make agreement** to send a PDF for signature.
  - **Remove** takes it off this record only; if nothing else uses it, it goes to the trash. **Delete everywhere** removes it from every record at once.
- Tick several files to move or remove them together.

## If something looks different

- **File upload limit reached. Delete files or increase the organization limit before uploading more.**: your organization's storage allowance is used up. An admin can raise it.
- **Uploads are disabled in related record view.**: on a customer's page you are looking at files from their work orders and projects. Upload on that record instead.
- **Remove** is greyed out on a picture: it is the record's own photo or part of a catalog gallery. Change it there.
- When folders are on, a folder panel sits beside the files ([[turn-folders-on-or-off-for-one-record]]).
- Every file in the organization, from every record, is also in the Media Center ([[find-a-file-in-the-media-center]]).