# Getting Started with File Manager

> Upload your first files, create folders, and find your way around the File Manager.

Canonical: https://www.clubpal.app/docs/file-manager/getting-started
Section: File Manager

This guide will walk you through the basics of uploading files and creating folders in the ClubPal File Manager.

## Uploading Files

There are two main ways to upload files to ClubPal:

### Method 1: Drag and Drop (Recommended)

The easiest way to upload files is by dragging them directly onto the File Manager page:

1. Open a file browser window on your computer (Finder on Mac, File Explorer on Windows)
2. Navigate to the files you want to upload
3. Select one or more files (or even an entire folder)
4. Drag the files onto the File Manager page
5. Release to start uploading

**Benefits of drag-and-drop:**
- Upload multiple files at once
- Upload entire folders with their structure preserved
- Fast and intuitive

> **Tip**: When you drag a folder onto the page, all files within will be uploaded while preserving the folder structure. This is perfect for uploading organized collections of documents.

### Method 2: Upload Button

Alternatively, you can use the Upload button:

1. Click the **Upload Files** button in the toolbar
2. A file picker dialog will open
3. Select the file(s) you want to upload
4. Click **Open** to start the upload

### Upload Progress

While files are uploading, you'll see:
- A progress indicator showing the upload status
- The file name being uploaded
- A percentage complete indicator
- For large files, a visual progress bar

Files over 2 MB are automatically split into 2 MB chunks, so a brief interruption to your connection does not mean starting the whole upload again.

### Upload Restrictions

- **Maximum file size**: 1 GB per file
- **File types**: Most common file types are supported (documents, images, videos, PDFs, spreadsheets, etc.)
- **Storage quota**: Uploads that would exceed your quota will be blocked with an error message

## Creating Folders

Organize your files by creating folders:

1. Navigate to the location where you want to create a folder
2. Click the **New Folder** button in the toolbar
3. A dialog box will appear
4. Enter a name for your folder (e.g., "Training Materials", "Meeting Minutes")
5. Click **Save**

![The Create Folder dialog with a name box, Cancel and Save](https://www.clubpal.app/img/docs/file-manager-new-folder.png)

The new folder will appear in your file list and you can immediately start organizing files into it.

### Folder Naming Guidelines

- Use descriptive names that clearly indicate the folder's contents
- Avoid special characters that might cause issues (stick to letters, numbers, spaces, hyphens, and underscores)
- Consider creating a consistent naming structure for your club (e.g., "2025 - Committee Meeting Minutes")

### Creating Nested Folders

You can create folders inside other folders to build a hierarchical structure:

1. Click on a folder to open it
2. Click **New Folder** to create a subfolder
3. Name your subfolder
4. Continue nesting as needed

**Example folder structure:**
```
Files/
├── Coaching/
│   ├── Training Plans/
│   └── Session Notes/
├── Committee/
│   ├── Meeting Minutes/
│   │   ├── 2024/
│   │   └── 2025/
│   └── Reports/
├── Policies/
│   ├── Health & Safety/
│   └── Code of Conduct/
```

## Navigating Folders

Move through your folder structure using:

### Breadcrumb Navigation
At the top of the file list, breadcrumb links show your current location:
- Click any folder name in the breadcrumbs to jump directly to that folder
- Example: `Files > Coaching > Training Plans`: click "Coaching" to go back to that folder

### Opening a Folder
- Click any folder in the list to open it
- Use your browser's back button or the breadcrumbs to go back

## First Steps Checklist

Here's a recommended workflow for setting up your File Manager:

- [ ] Create main category folders (e.g., Coaching, Committee, Policies, Events)
- [ ] Upload your most frequently accessed documents
- [ ] Create subfolders for better organization
- [ ] Test uploading a large file to see chunked uploads in action
- [ ] Learn about file sharing to distribute documents to your members

## Next Steps

Now that you know the basics, explore these topics:

- **[Organizing Files](https://www.clubpal.app/docs/file-manager/organizing)** - Learn to move, rename, search, and manage your files
- **[Viewing Files](https://www.clubpal.app/docs/file-manager/viewing)** - Discover file previews and the file details page
- **[Sharing Files](https://www.clubpal.app/docs/file-manager/sharing)** - Share files with your club members