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File Management

Learn how to view, organize, search, download, and delete files in your Glossa projects.

Written by Ali
Updated over a month ago

Overview

The Files tab in each project provides a centralized location to manage all uploaded source files. This includes manually uploaded files as well as files added through integrations like Google Drive, Gmail, Slack, and meeting recordings from Google Meet or Microsoft Teams.

File management in Glossa focuses on viewing file details, searching and filtering to find specific files, downloading original files when needed, and removing files that are no longer relevant.

Accessing the Files Tab

To view files in a project:

  1. Open the project

  2. Click the Files tab in the project navigation

  3. You'll see a list of all files uploaded to the project

Files List View

The Files tab displays all project files in a table with the following information:

File Information Displayed

For each file, you'll see:

  • File name: Original name from upload or integration

  • Type: File type icon and category (pdf, png, etc)

  • Size: File size

  • Status: Current processing status (Pending, Processing, Ready, Error)

  • Created: Date the file was uploaded or added

  • Actions: Menu for file-specific actions (preview, download, delete)

Processing Status Indicator

At the bottom of the file list:

Files currently processing: [number]

This shows how many files are actively being processed. If this indicator doesn't appear, no files are currently being processed.

Viewing File Details

To view more information about a file:

Click the file name to open the file preview, which shows:

  • Full file content

  • Playback with timestamp navigation (for audio/video)

  • OCR-extracted text (for images)

  • File Details (who uploaded it, file format, size, size, upload date)

This preview is the same view you see when clicking citations in requirements.

Searching Files

Use the search bar at the top of the Files tab to find specific files:

What you can search:

  • File names

How to search:

  1. Type keywords in the search bar

  2. Results filter automatically as you type

  3. Clear search to return to full file list

Search tips:

  • Use specific terms for better results

  • Search is case-insensitive

Filtering Files

Filter the file list by file type to focus on specific kinds of files:

Available filters:

  • All files (default, shows everything)

  • Text (documents, PDFs, text files)

  • Video (MP4, MOV, AVI, etc.)

  • Audio (MP3, WAV, M4A, etc.)

To filter:

  1. Click the filter dropdown or buttons

  2. Select the file type(s) you want to view

  3. File list updates to show only matching files

Combine with search: You can use both search and filter together:

  • Filter to "Video"

  • Then search for "discovery"

  • Shows only video files with "discovery" in the name

Sorting Files

Sort the file list to organize files in different ways:

Sort options:

  • Name (alphabetical A-Z or Z-A)

  • Status (Pending, Processing, Ready, Error)

  • Size (smallest to largest or largest to smallest)

  • Created At (newest first or oldest first)

To sort:

  1. Click the column header you want to sort by

  2. Click again to reverse the sort order

  3. Current sort shows an indicator (↑ or ↓)

Default sort: Files are sorted by Created Date (newest first) by default.

Downloading Files

You can download the original uploaded file at any time:

To download a file:

  1. Find the file in the Files tab

  2. Click the three-dot menu (⋮) at the end of the row

  3. Select Download

  4. The original file downloads to your computer

Why download files:

  • Share with team members who don't have Glossa access

  • Archive important source documents

  • Reference original content outside Glossa

  • Edit and re-upload updated versions

What gets downloaded: The exact original file that was uploaded—no modifications or processing applied.

Deleting Files

You can delete files from a project when they're no longer needed.

Deleting a Single File

  1. Find the file in the Files tab

  2. Click the three-dot menu (⋮) at the end of the row

  3. Select Delete

  4. Select if you want to also delete all associated requirements and changes made to other requirements (such as merged requirements that reference this file)

  5. Confirm the deletion

What Happens When You Delete a File

Immediate effects:

  • The file is permanently removed from Glossa

  • Citations to that file are removed from all requirements

  • Requirements that were generated from that file are deleted if you select the "Delete requirements" box - otherwise, they are not deleted

After a file is deleted, requirements that previously referenced that file show:

You have no referenced files for this requirement

Requirements remain editable:

  • You can still view, edit, and work with requirements

  • Only the citation links are removed

  • Requirement content is unchanged

Warning: File deletion cannot be undone. Once deleted, the file cannot be recovered.

When to Delete Files

Good reasons to delete:

  • File was uploaded by mistake

  • Outdated version of a document (upload new version instead)

  • Duplicate file

  • File no longer relevant to the project

  • Reducing project file clutter

Think twice before deleting:

  • File contains important citation sources

  • Requirements reference this file extensively

  • File may be needed for audit or traceability

  • Team members may need to reference the original

Managing Files from Integrations

Files added through integrations appear in the Files tab alongside manually uploaded files.

Meeting Recordings

Files from Google Meet or Microsoft Teams:

  • Automatically added when meetings are recorded

  • Appear with meeting name and date

  • Can be deleted like any other file

Drive Files

Files imported from Google Drive or OneDrive:

  • Show original Drive/OneDrive file name

  • Include date added

  • Deleting from Glossa doesn't delete from Drive/OneDrive

Email Files

Emails and attachments from Gmail or Outlook:

  • Email subject becomes file name

  • Attachments appear as separate files

  • Can be deleted independently

Slack Messages

Messages captured via @GlossaBot:

  • Appear with timestamp

  • Can be deleted like other files

File Storage Details

Storage Locations

Where files are stored:

  • Uploaded files: Stored in Glossa's secure cloud storage

  • Integration files: Copied to Glossa's secure cloud storage (originals remain in source system)

File Retention

  • Files are stored permanently while your project exists

  • Deleting a project deletes all its files

  • Files are deleted within 60 days after account termination (unless required by law)

File Limitations

Current Limitations

  • No renaming: Cannot rename files after upload (use original names)

  • No folders: Files are in a flat list, not organized in folders

  • No tags or labels: Cannot add custom organization tags

  • No bulk download: Must download files individually

  • No bulk delete: Must delete files one at a time

  • No file editing: Cannot edit files within Glossa (download, edit, re-upload)

  • No version control: Cannot track multiple versions of same file

File Organization Strategies

Since Glossa doesn't support folders or tags, use these strategies:

1. Use descriptive file names before uploading:

  • Include project phase: "Discovery_Requirements_v2.pdf"

  • Include dates: "Meeting_2025-01-15_Kickoff.mp4"

  • Include topic: "Payment_Processing_Workflow.docx"

2. Leverage search and filter:

  • Use search to find files by name or content

  • Filter by type to focus on documents, videos, or audio

  • Sort by date to find recent uploads

3. Delete outdated files:

  • Remove old versions when uploading new ones

  • Clean up test uploads or mistakes

  • Keep only relevant, current files

4. Document important files in requirements:

  • Reference file names in requirement descriptions

  • Add context about which files contain key information

Best Practices

Keep File Names Meaningful

Since you can't rename files in Glossa:

  • Name files descriptively before uploading

  • Use consistent naming conventions across your team

  • Include relevant context (date, topic, version)

Regular Cleanup

Maintain a clean Files tab:

  • Delete duplicates as soon as you notice them

  • Remove old versions when uploading new ones

  • Archive completed project files before deleting

  • Review files quarterly and remove irrelevant ones

Download Before Deleting

Before deleting important files:

  1. Download the file to your local system or archive

  2. Confirm you have a backup

  3. Then delete from Glossa

Use Integrations for Live Files

For files that change frequently:

  • Store in Google Drive or OneDrive

  • Import to Glossa when needed

  • Re-import updated versions

  • Easier than downloading, editing, and re-uploading

Track Drive File Updates

For files imported from Google Drive or OneDrive:

  • Check Last Updated vs. Last Imported dates

  • Re-import files that have been updated in Drive

  • Keep Glossa synchronized with latest versions

Combine Search and Filter

For fastest file finding:

  1. Filter by type to narrow down

  2. Then search within that type

  3. Sort by date if needed

Troubleshooting

Cannot Find a File

If a file seems to be missing:

  1. Check search spelling

  2. Clear any active filters

  3. Sort by Created Date to see recent uploads

  4. Check if someone else on your team deleted it

  5. Verify you're in the correct project

File Shows Error Status

To see why processing failed:

  1. Click the file name to view details

  2. Read the detailed error message

  3. Follow error-specific troubleshooting steps

  4. Contact support with the error message if needed

See the File Processing article for detailed error troubleshooting.

Want to Edit a File

Glossa doesn't support in-app file editing.

To edit a file:

  1. Download the original file

  2. Edit it on your computer

  3. Upload the new version to Glossa

  4. Delete the old version (optional)

  5. Review and update generated requirements as needed

Deleted File by Mistake

File deletion cannot be undone.

If you deleted a file accidentally:

  1. Re-upload the file from your original source

  2. Requirements previously generated won't be recreated

  3. New requirements will be generated from the re-upload

  4. Review for duplicates with existing requirements

Prevention: Always confirm before clicking Delete.

Need to Download Multiple Files

Currently, Glossa doesn't support bulk download.

To download multiple files:

  • Download each file individually

  • If many files are needed regularly, consider keeping originals in a shared Drive folder

Storage Limit Concerns

No storage limit shown: Glossa doesn't display project storage usage or limits.

If concerned about storage:

  • Delete old or unnecessary files

  • Remove duplicate uploads

  • Contact support if you have specific storage questions

Security & Privacy

File Access

  • All team members in your organization can view all project files

  • No per-project or per-file access restrictions

  • Files are only accessible to authenticated organization members

File Deletion

  • Deleted files are permanently removed

  • Cannot be recovered after deletion

  • Deleted within 60 days of account termination

Data Protection

  • Files encrypted in transit (TLS 1.2+)

  • Files encrypted at rest (AES-256)

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