5.3 Smart Folders

Smart Folders are dynamic categories in ImageBank X. Instead of manually adding assets to a category, you define rules and ImageBank automatically includes all assets that match those rules.

Smart Folders are useful when you want one always-updated view, for example:

• Campaign materials with specific tags
• Assets with certain metadata values
• Images with specific file type, orientation, or color

How Smart Folders work

A Smart Folder combines category navigation with Advanced Search filters.

• You open the Smart Folder from the category tree.
• ImageBank applies the folder’s saved rules automatically.
• Search results update as your DAM content changes.

This means Smart Folders do not duplicate assets. They show matching assets from your existing DAM content.

Create a Smart Folder from search results

If you already have active filters in search results, you can save that filter set as a Smart Folder:

1. Open search results and apply filters.
2. In Active filters, click Save as Smart Folder.
3. In the category modal, confirm Smart Folder is selected.
4. Enter category details (name, description, parent category, and other settings).
5. Review Dynamic rules and click Save.

Create or edit Smart Folders in Category Control

You can also create or convert a category in Control Panel -> Categories.

1. Open category settings from Category Control.
2. Select Smart Folder (instead of static category).
3. In Dynamic rules, click Configure rules.
4. Add one or more rule types.
5. Click Apply rules and then Save.

Available rule types

You can combine multiple rule types in one Smart Folder:

• Tags
• Metadata
• Categories
• Asset properties:
  • Color
  • Consent
  • File type
  • Has faces
  • Image orientation

You can also clear all rules and start again.

Preview and result count

In Smart Folder settings, ImageBank shows:

• A rule preview summary
• A live match count for how many assets currently match

This helps you validate rules before saving.

Permissions and visibility

Smart Folders follow normal category permission logic:

• Category visibility is controlled in Category permissions.
• Role-based read/write permissions still apply.
• A user must have category editing permissions to create or modify Smart Folders.

For category visibility setup, see 5.2 Category access permissions.

Tips for best results

• Use clear naming, for example “Brand images - Landscape”.
• Start with broad rules, then narrow down with metadata or tags.
• Check the live match count to avoid overly strict rules.
• Reuse existing taxonomy (tags, metadata, categories) for consistent results.