Metadata
Every document in Locker has metadata, structured information about the document itself, like its name, category, owner, and tags. These fields are what make your library searchable and filterable at scale. Without good metadata, documents are hard to find.
There are two kinds of metadata fields: built-in fields (automatically present on every document) and custom fields (organization-defined, coming soon in the UI).
Screenshot: locker-metadata-panel, screenshot of the metadata side panel showing built-in and custom fields on an open document
Built-In Fields
Every document in Locker automatically has these fields:
| Field | Editable | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Yes | The display name shown in the document list. Set at upload; can be updated via API. |
| Category | Yes | One of eight fixed types. Set at upload; can be updated via API. See Organizing for the full list. |
| Owner | Yes | The team member responsible for this document. Defaults to the uploader. Can be reassigned via API. |
| Tags | Yes | Freeform labels for filtering and search. Can be added and removed via API. See Organizing for tagging conventions. |
| Upload Date | No | Set when the document is first uploaded. Cannot be changed. |
| Last Modified | No | Updated automatically when the document record changes. |
| Status | No | The document's current lifecycle state, managed by Locker, not set directly. See Terminology for status definitions. |
| Version | No | Increments automatically each time a new version is uploaded. |
| Source | No | How the document entered Locker, uploaded manually, completed from Sign, or imported. |
Editing Metadata
You can set a document's name, category, and tags when you upload it. Editing metadata on an existing document is not yet available in the UI, use the Locker API to update fields after upload.
Set categories and tags at upload time via the API to avoid a manual catch-up pass later. See Importing Existing Documents for migration strategies.
Tags Reference
Tags are the most flexible way to add context beyond the built-in fields. Use a consistent key: value format across your team so filters are predictable:
| Pattern | Example | Use when |
|---|---|---|
key: value | vendor: acme | Categorical labels with a known set of values |
key: value | region: EMEA | Filterable attributes |
| Plain label | pending-renewal | State flags that don't need a value |
| Date | renewal: 2027-03-01 | Key dates you want to filter by |
A few things to know:
- Tags are case-sensitive,
Vendor: Acmeandvendor: acmeare treated as different tags - Use consistent spacing around the colon across your team
- There is no predefined tag schema, any team member with upload access can create new tags
Tags introduced inconsistently across a large library are hard to clean up. Decide on your schema before the first file goes in. See Importing Existing Documents.
Custom Fields
Custom metadata fields, admin-defined fields such as "Contract Value," "Counterparty," "Governing Law," or "Renewal Date", are not yet available in the UI.
When released, admins will define custom field schemas at Organization → Locker → Metadata Fields. Custom fields will appear in the metadata panel, be available as search filters, and be queryable via the API.
Related
- Organizing Documents: Categories and tags in depth
- Search Filters: Filtering by metadata fields
- API Integration: Editing metadata today via API
- Importing Existing Documents: Setting metadata during large-scale imports
- Terminology: Definitions for all field values and statuses