Manage Files | How to use Manage Files tool in Brightspace

Every Brightspace course page includes Manage Files sections. The Manage Files tool is a file management system for your course. You can use this tool to organise and upload files associated with your course offering. It is recommended that you organise your files into folders, creating a folder for each module of Content.

This article will explain:

Where to find Manage Files?

Navigate to your Brightspace course page. Then,

1. Click Course Tools

2. From the drop-down list click Manage Files

Click Course Tools, then click Manage Files

This will take you to a the page of the Manage Files tool.

When you have an empty Brightspace course page you will only see:

  • Main course folder (/content/enforced/[course-code]/) - the general folder of your course. Within this folder you can find:
    • Folder Course information - this folder is created by default with your course page
    • Image - the default image used as banner in all courses
Manage files tool page

Manage Files tool

In the Manage Files tool page you will see all the files you uploaded to your Brightspace course page. Also, images added to your Brightspace Assessments (Quiz, Assignment, Survey, Self-Assessment) and HTML pages created in Brightspace will end up in Manage Files page.

From here you can manage your files - copy, delete, upload, and download.

The content below is broken down into section to explain the different views and functions available in this page.

Manage Files tool page

1. Location of file

Manage Files Location of folder and files information

This space informs you where your file is located. The ending updates as you click on different folders in your Folder tree or on a specific file within a folder.

Location: content > enforced > [course page name] > [Manage Files folder name] > [file name]

2. Quick menu

Manage Files Location of folder and files information
2.1. Hide Tree

Hides the Folder Tree structure from view in the Manage Files page.

2.2. New File

Allows you to create a Brightspace HTML file in Manage Files. This file will not automatically appear in Content.

To add it, in Content select the [module], then click the blue button Upload/Create. From the drop-down menu select Add from Manage Files.

2.3. New Folder

Allows you to create a new folder in Manage Files.

For steps visit: How to create a folder in Manage Files tool

2.4. Paste (#)

Allows you to paste copied files within Manage Files, from one folder to another. Number in brackets will indicate how many files are you pasting.

2.5. Upload

Allows you to upload files to Manage Files.

When clicked a window pops up where you can either Drag & Drop files, or search for files to be uploaded via the button Upload.

3. Folder tree

Manage Files - Folder tree

The Manage Files Folder Tree will show the folders (and subfolders) created in your Brightspace course page.  It will not show the individual files in the folders.

3.1. Main course folder

The first folder (/content/enforced/[course_code]/), on the top of the Folder tree view, is a general folder of your whole Brightspace course.

Any files added to the course via modules in Content, where modules do not have a Default Path set, will end up in this Main course folder. Read here How to set up a Default Path for a Content module.

3.2. Course information folder

By default your course page (if new and not copied from previous year or period) will only contain this folder. The folder is already linked to the module Course information in the Content using the Set Default Path function.

3.3. Sub-folders

By default, the subfolders, if existing, are hidden from the Folder Tree view. To show them click the plus icon in front of the folder title.

For more information on creating folders please visit How to create a folder in Manage Files tool.

4. Multi-action functions of file management

4.1. Selectbox

Helps to select all files and subfolders in the given folder for further actions.

4.2. Cut button

Allows you to cut selected files (folders) from one folder in Manage files for later pasting into another folder.

4.3. Copy button

Allows you to copy the selected files (folders) within Manage Files tool page.

4.4. Bin button

Allows you to delete the selected files (folders) from Manage Files.

4.5. Download button

Allows you to download selected file(s). If more than 1 file is selected, the system will offer the option to download as a zip file.

If you select the Main course folder,  you can download the whole folder tree  (structure and content) of your Brightspace course page to your computer as a zip file.

4.6. Zip button

Allows you to zip into one file, selected files in the Manage files.

4.7. Add Content Topics button

Allows you to add selected file(s) to a module (which you select in a next step) in your Content view.

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To use one of the functions, first click on the [folder name] in the Folder Tree (left panel) to show the Folder content. Then, click the Selectbox in front of the [file name]. Now you can execute the desired action by clicking on one of the icons explained above.

5. Folder content view

The folder content view, located right to the Folder Tree, presents the files and folders in a Manage Files folder in a form of a table. You can sort the view by clicking the title of the column (Name, Size, Type, Last Modified Date).

Manage Files folder content view
5.1. Selectbox

Allows you to select files and/or folders for further actions (Multi-action functions of file management)

5.2. Name

Shows the name of the folder and the real name of the uploaded file.

The file you upload to Brightspace course page to a module in Content will be stored in Manage Files with the original name. If you rename the file in the module in Content it will not rename the file in Manage Files. The action does not have any effect on the the link between the file in Manage Files and how it is visible in the Content module. Likewise, renaming the file in Manage Files that is linked to a Content module will not break the link.

Renaming a folder in Manage Files that is linked to a Content module will break the link. So, you will need to reset the Default path 

5.3. Size

Indicates the size of the uploaded file.

5.4. Type

Indicates the type of the file.

For more on supported files please visit Which files are supported by Brightspace?

5.5. Last Modified Date

Indicates the date and time when the file was last modified.

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You now know about Manage Files tool in Brightspace!