What is the Asset Library?
BLUE’s digital asset library allows you to access files in all supported file formats with their metadata. From the asset library, you can preview, download, convert files to other formats, compare files, and publish files so you can share them with others.
The asset library allows you to access previous and current versions of an assets, in any file format (PDF, MS Word, media files, audio files, video files, etc.). Metadata and thumbnail images are saved with your digital assets so they can be stored and searched in a manner that makes sense to your employees and vendors.
The asset library’s content is organized in a hierarchy structure using folders and sub-folders. Each BLUE site is unique, specific to the requirements of your organization.
Who can use the asset library?
Anyone who has access to the asset library can use it. However, the functions or operations you can perform in the asset library are controlled by the security rights assigned to your user account. Depending on your rights you may not see all the files or may see different files than another BLUE user.
Exploring the library
Search filters
In the asset library, you can use the Search panel to find folders and files by clicking on one or more filters or file attributes. Click the Edit link in the Search panel to modify your search filters. Click the < icon to collapse the filter panel or click the pin icon on the floating panel to pin it.
For detailed information on searching for folders and files, see Library Search. 
Folders
Folders are containers that store the library’s files. These folders are organized in a hierarchy, which you can expand or collapse to see the files inside them. Depending on your security rights, you may not see all folders. By default, there are three folders: Administration, Assets, Projects. These folders will store the item type as you save them in BLUE. For example, when you create a project, you will have to select a projects folder. Library assets will be stored in the Assets folder. 
Managing Folders
If you have permissions to manage folders, you will be able to create new folders, copy a folder, move, or delete a folder. See Library Security for more information on library permissions.
Create folder
To create a new folder, select an existing folder in the Folder view. If you have the permissions, and if the folder you selected is allowed to contain a sub-folder, the “New…” option will be enabled.
Click on the “New…” link and enter the details in the fields.
Name. Enter a name for the new folder. Duplicate names are allowed within the same parent folder.
Number. Optional. Must be a unique numerical value, but can be left blank. The system will generate a random number if no entry is made.
Type. Every asset must have a system type, the drop-down will provide types that are associated with the parent folder type.
Status. The drop-down menu will show statuses based on the type selected. Choose a status for the new folder.
Parent Folder. This read-only field shows the original parent folder. The new folder will appear as a sub-folder of this folder.
Attributes. Attributes are based on the type you selected. These will provide the metadata for the folder you are creating. Enter values for the attributes on this folder.
Click Save to create the new folder. The new folder will appear inside the parent folder you selected.
Copy an existing folder
To save time, you may want to create folders based on other folders. To make a copy of an existing folder, click on the details panel of the original folder.
Click on the More Options “…” icon to view the actions available for the folder. Click on the option to “Duplicate Folder.”
The “Duplicate Folder” window will display, in which you can edit the following fields.
Note: the Type and Parent Folder fields are not editable because the copy of the folder must maintain the original folder’s properties.
Name. Enter a name for the new folder. Duplicate names are allowed within the same parent folder.
Number. Optional. Must be a unique numerical value, but can be left blank. The system will generate a random number if no entry is made.
Type. Because this is a copy of another folder, it must be the same type as the original. This is a read-only field.
Status. The drop-down menu will show statuses based on the type. Choose a status for the new folder.
Parent Folder. This read-only field shows the original parent folder. The new folder will appear as a sub-folder of this folder.
Attributes. Attributes are based on the original folder’s type. You can change or leave the original values for the attributes on the new folder.
Click Save to create the copy of the folder you selected. The folder will appear in the same location, at the same level, as the original folder.
Edit a folder
To edit a folder, click on the edit button in the details panel of the folder.
Name. If your system allows editing asset names, in the Edit Asset dialog you will be able to edit the folder’s Name field.
Number. If your system allows editing asset numbers, you will be able to edit the folder’s Number field. The number must be a unique numerical value. This is a required field and cannot be left blank.
Status. You can select the status of the file from the drop-down menu. The drop-down menu will show statuses based on the folder type selected.
Attributes. If your folder type has attributes, you can change the values for the attributes. Required fields must contain a value to save the folder and are marked with a *.
Move a folder
To keep folders and files organized, you may have to move a folder to a different location in the library hierarchy. To move a folder, click on the details panel of the folder.
Click on the More Options “…” icon to view the actions available for the folder. Click on the option to “Move Asset.”
The “Move Asset” window will display. Select a Parent Type for the list of eligible locations. Select a Parent Folder from the list that matches the Parent Type. The original folder will be moved to the new folder, but the original folder’s permission settings will not change.
Click “OK” to move the folder you selected. Confirm the move by clicking “Move” in the confirmation window.
The folder and all its contents will be moved to the new location.
Delete a folder
If a folder is no longer needed, and you have the permissions to delete, you can remove the folder from the library.
Note: the folder must be empty to be eligible to be deleted.
Click on the More Options “…” icon to view the actions available for the folder. Click on the option to “Delete Asset.”
The “Delete Asset” confirmation window will display. Click “OK” to confirm the deletion. You will not be able to recover the folder once it is deleted.
Files
Uploading files
If you have files on your computer or in any mapped network folders that you need to bring into BLUE, you can upload the files directly to a folder in the hierarchy. You’ll see a drop zone when file uploads are allowed in the folder. You can upload files to the asset library by dragging and dropping them onto the list or by clicking on “Choose File.”
Depending on your site configuration and licensing, the allowed file upload types may include: zae, dae, ai, pdf, pdf (3D), png, jpg, jpeg, ps, eps, psd, csv, doc, docx, rtf, txt, gif, giff, swf, tif, tiff, xls, xlsx, ppt, pptx, dwg, epub, htm, html, key, msg, tsv, vsd, bmp, mp3, mp4, avi, mov, mpg, xml, and zip.
Notes:
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- Not all of these file formats are viewable in the online proofing tool.
- Adobe Photoshop (PSD) files will have a thumbnail, however these files are not viewable in online proofing.
Once you select one or more files to upload to the library, you will be asked to enter attribute information about the file(s).
For every file that you want to upload, do the following:
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- Select the file Type. The Status field and any attributes associated with that type will appear. The fields you see will vary based on your site setup.
- Select the file Status.
- Enter an Expiry Date. This optional field is available on all uploads, and allows you to set a date in which you want this file to expire and have its status automatically changed. See Asset Expiry for more information.
- Select an Expiry Status. When the expiry date is reached, the file’s status will automatically change to this status. For example, this can be used to change the status from “current” to “retired” on a specific date. See Asset Expiry for more information.
- Under Attributes, enter the attribute values for the selected file type. Required fields must contain a value to upload the file(s) and are marked with a *.
Note: BLUE applies the same file type, status, expiry and attribute values to all of the files in a multiple file upload. - Click Upload.
BLUE will display a confirmation message for each successful file upload.
Viewing asset details
Click on an asset row to view the asset details The details panel of a file contains information such as the file’s name, file size, or the date it was added. You can see if it has a required item or what the values are for its attributes. If you have rights, you can edit the file’s details, download it, publish it, or tag it for a file collection. You can also preview it in online proofing.
To help identify where folders and files are stored in the library, you can see the asset’s wayfinder. This asset path may be clickable, depending on your permissions, and can be found at the top of the details panel.
To view the details of the asset’s history, click on the History tab. This will display when files or folders were created, modified, or deleted, and by whom.
If configured, a library file may contain a required item, which is another file in the library, such as copyright guidelines. The required item will automatically be bundled with the main file when it is downloaded or published.
Managing Files
If you have permissions to manage files, you will be able to perform some actions, such as rename, move or delete a file. See Library Security for more information on library permissions.
Editing a file
To edit a file’s properties, click on the edit icon in the details tab. Based on your system settings, you will be able to edit certain fields in the Edit Asset dialog.
Name. When an asset is renamed in the asset library and then that file is downloaded, the updated file name is used. The updated file name is also shown in online proofing when opened from BLUE and in online proofing reports (in the file name as well as within the report).
However, there are some limitations with renaming assets:
– The updated filename is not used when the file is shared from a project and then viewed or downloaded from online proofing, or when the approval candidate in a project has its name changed.
Number. If your system allows editing asset numbers, you will be able to edit the file’s Number field. The Number must be a unique numerical value. This is a required field and cannot be left blank.
Status. You can select the status of the file from the drop-down menu. The drop-down menu will show statuses based on the file type selected.
Expiry Date. You can add, modify or remove the expiry date for a file. See Asset Expiry for more information.
Expiry Status. This is a required field if you have selected an expiry date for the file. Choose what status the file should be changed to once the file reaches the expiry date. See Asset Expiry for more information
Attributes. If your file type has attributes, you can change the values for the attributes. Required fields must contain a value to save the file and are marked with a *.
Move a file
To keep files organized, you may have to move a file to a different location in the library hierarchy. To move a file, click on the details panel of the file.
Click on the More Options “…” icon to view the actions available for the file. Click on the option to “Move Asset.”
The “Move Asset” window will display. Select a Parent Type for the list of eligible locations. Select a Parent Folder from the list that matches the Parent Type. The original file will be moved to the new folder, but the original file’s permission settings will not change.
Click “OK” to move the file you selected. Confirm the move by clicking “Move” in the confirmation window.
The file will be moved to the new location.
Delete a file
If a file is no longer needed, and you have the permissions to delete it, you can remove the file from the library.
Note: the file must not have any reference links or additional locations to be eligible to be deleted.
Click on the More Options “…” icon to view the actions available for the file. Click on the option to “Delete Asset.”
The “Delete Asset” confirmation window will display. Click “OK” to confirm the deletion. You will not be able to recover the file once it is deleted.
Multi-select assets for batch operations
The asset library allows you to check and uncheck files to group them for batch operations, such as edit, download, convert, publish, add to file collection, or compare. Once you select the files you want to group, it will display them as checked and you will see the files in the right panel. You can clear the ones you want to remove by clicking on the checked items.
See File Collections for more information on grouping and sharing files in a collection.
Batch Edit
You can also select multiple assets of the same type and batch change their status, expiry date, expiry status, and attribute values. When you have multiple assets selected, click on ‘Edit’ to modify them all at once.
Downloading Assets
If you have the appropriate permissions, you can download files and save copies to your desktop. Once you have selected a file you want to download, click “Download.” If you have selected more than one file, you can download them all at once.
Depending on your site configuration, you may be required to provide a reason for downloading the file or files. You will be prompted with a list of reasons from which you can choose only one.
Batch Conversion
If you have permission to download files, you will also have an option to covert the files to another format. See File Conversion for more information.
Viewing Approved Files
Files that have been approved through projects in BLUE will appear in the Library with an approval icon on the file’s thumbnail image. The project link will also appear in the details of the file under “Project Visibility.”
Comparing Files
Select two or more files that you would like to compare and click “Compare.” These files will open in the online proofing’s compare view. For more information about using online proofing, see the BLUE Proofing Guide.
Publishing Files
Publishing files makes them accessible to others. When publishing files you will specify a list of one or more people who will be allowed to access the files, including external users. Once published, the recipient will receive an email which contains a link to download the files. The recipient will be able to download the files for 48 hours.
Asset References
Additional Locations
Although an asset (folder or file) has a physical location in the Asset Library, you may need to reference the asset in additional locations. For example, if another user who needs to view the asset does not have the proper permissions to view it in its original location, you can create an additional reference in a location that they do have rights to view.
To create an additional location reference, select a folder or file to see its details panel. In the asset’s properties you will see the “Additional Locations” area, with the option to edit.
For additional information about additional locations and versioning, see References and Additional Locations.
Click “Edit” to add a new location. The options for Reference Types are based on the administration settings for creating references. Once you select a reference type, you can choose from a list of folders of that type. Note: you can only add folders as additional locations.
Click “OK” to complete the reference to the additional location. The new location reference will appear on the asset. You can add or remove additional locations using the “Edit” link.
References
You may need to link files to other files by creating references. To view or add a reference from one file to another file, select a file in the library and view the “References” area.
For additional information about file to file references and versioning, see References and Additional Locations.
To add a new file reference, click “Edit.” Depending on the file types associated to this file type, you will be able to select one or more files to create a reference link.
Click “OK” to complete the reference file selection. You will see the list of assets in the References area.
You can click on the reference link to view the other files. One file will list the reference files it is linked to. The reference file will show that it is referenced by another file.
To remove a file reference, hover over the file link to view the “Delete Reference” icon. Click on the icon to confirm the deletion of the reference.
Project Visibility: Projects and Sub-Processes
While viewing assets in the library, you may encounter assets that have references or links to projects and sub-processes. If an asset, like the one below, has projects and sub-processes listed in its details, then this particular asset is being used in those locations as a reference file, approval file, or base artwork file.
In the Project Visibility section, the names of the projects and sub-processes are listed with their status. Depending on your permissions, you may be able to view the details of those projects and sub-processes.
For more information on library-related topics, visit these links…
To set an expiry date on an asset in the library, see Asset Expiry more information.
For advanced search options in the asset library, see Library Search for more information.
To learn about how to save and share groups of files, see File Collections
For more information about asset versions, see Asset Versions.
For addition information about references and additional locations, see References and Additional Locations.
For information about converting files to other formats, see File Conversion.
For information about library security, see Asset Library Security.
For FAQs related to Asset Library, see FAQs.