This article explains how to add attached files to documents in Document Management libraries. Documents in Document Management libraries can have no attached files, one attached file or several attached files.

Learn more about how to manage attached files in Document Management libraries. 

Attached files in Document Management libraries can be stored in any of the compatible storage platforms. Learn more: What are attached files?

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Note: You can also:
– upload non-Google attached files in libraries using Google Drive
– preview attached files
– download attached files

Access the Add attached file feature

1. Open a document in a Document Management library.

2. Either:

• click Add attached file in the Properties tab
• scroll down to the Attached files section and click Add attached file – you have to click Edit first if your document doesn't yet have any attached files

Tip: You don't have to enter edit mode to add attached files: you can access the Add attached files button in view mode either from the Properties tab or from the Attached files section (if your document already has one or more attached files).

Select files to add in libraries using Google Cloud Storage or Azure Blob Storage

Select local files to add to your AODocs documents.

1. Click Attach. Your device's file picker opens.

2. Select a file and click Open. The file is uploaded to your document.

If required, repeat these steps to add more files.

Select files to add in libraries using Google Drive

Google users can select one of these options:

• Attach — to upload files from your device or import files from Google Drive
• Upload and convert — to upload Microsoft Office files as attached files
• Upload using virtru (available only if Virtru is activated on your domain and in this library) — to encrypt and upload a file
• Create — to create Google files from scratch

Upload files from your device or import files from Google Drive

Important: You can't upload files from your device if you're using the Files feature on a Chromebook. You must select your files from Google Drive instead.

1. Select Attach in the Add attached file dialog. The Google Drive file picker opens where you can:

• drag and drop files from your device
• select files from your device
• select files stored in your Google Drive

Notes:
When you upload a file from your device:
– the file is first uploaded to your Google Drive - you are the owner
– then ownership of the file is transferred to the AODocs storage account of the library

When you import a file from Google Drive:
– you can only select files you own in the Google Drive file picker
– as these files are already uploaded in your Google Drive, you will only import files to AODocs and give the ownership of your files to the AODocs storage account of the library

2. Choose one or more files and click Upload. The files are uploaded to your document.

Upload Microsoft Office files as attached files in libraries using Google Drive

1. Select Upload and convert in the Add attached file dialog. Your device's file picker opens.

2. Select a Microsoft Office file to upload and click Open.

The Microsoft file is converted to the corresponding Google file format and attached to the document.

Note: When you upload a Microsoft file from your device:
– the file is first uploaded to your Google Drive – you are the owner
– then ownership of the file is transferred to the AODocs storage account of the library

Encrypt and upload files using Virtru

1. Select Upload using Virtru in the Add attached file dialog.

2. Follow the procedure described in the Virtru User Guide.

Create Google files from scratch

1. Select Create in the Add attached file dialog.

2. In the Create a file dialog, select the type of file to create:

• Google Docs
• Google Sheets
• Google Slides
• Google Drawings

3. Enter the name of your new file.

4. Click Create.

5. The Google file appears as an attached file in your document.

Note: When you create a new Google file:
– the file is first created in your Google Drive - you are the owner
– then ownership of the file is transferred to the storage account of the library

Add attached files by drag and drop in Document Management libraries

1. Open a document in a Document Management library using Google Drive.

2. Open the Properties tab.

3. Drag and drop a non-Google file into the Properties tab.

Note: You can only drag and drop one file at the time. If you select multiple items, the first one you selected will be the only one added.

The file is added directly as an attached file if:

• your document has no attached files
• the selected file has a different name from existing attached files

If your file has the same name as an existing attached file, the upload dialog box opens. You can replace the existing attached file.