Folders

In this module, you will learn about Folders in Optimizely CMS. Folders are a fundamental organizational tool that allows for robust and flexible management of both content and digital assets. Folders in theAssets panel of Optimizely CMS let you organize media files (images, videos, and documents) and blocks. Note that the Media and Blocks share the same folder structure. If you create a folder under Media, the same folder is also created under Blocks.​

​After completing this module, you should be able to:​

• Distinguish between different types of folders and its purpose.​

• Manage folders (create, rename, move, delete).​

• Set access rights on folders and understand inheritance.​

• Understand how folders interact with languages and shared content.

Predefined Folders​

Depending on your implementation, you may have the following predefined folders:​

• For All Sites – This is called a global folder. Its content is available to all pages and blocks for all websites in a multi-site installation. They are ideal for storing common assets or content blocks that need to be reused globally (e.g., company logos, universal disclaimers, global navigation elements).​

• Content – This is called a site-specific folder. Its content is available only on the current website (regardless of it is a single or multi-site installation). Content stored here is only available for use on that website, making them suitable for site-specific media, blocks, or pages.​

• For This Page or For This Block – This is called a local folder. Its content is available only for a specific page or block and cannot be accessed from other pages or blocks. It is useful, for example, if you have images for a specific purpose which must only be used for a one page or block.

Folder Management​

Optimizely CMS provides intuitive ways to manage folders:​

• Creation: To create a new folder, you typically select the desired parent folder in the assets panel and choose a "New Folder" option from the context menu, then provide a name.​

• Renaming: Folders can be renamed through their context menu. Renaming a folder within the CMS does not break internal content links.​

• Moving: Folders can be moved using drag-and-drop functionality or cut-and-paste operations. Similar to renaming, moving a folder internally does not break existing content links on your website.​

• Deletion: Folders can be deleted by moving them to the "Trash." When a folder is deleted, its contents (both media and blocks) are also moved to the Trash, from where they can be restored. The system will issue a warning if there are existing references to the content within the folder before allowing deletion, helping to prevent accidental data loss. Local folders, however, cannot be deleted directly.​

​Access Rights for Folders​

Access control is granular and can be applied at the folder level:​

• Local folders inherit access rights from their associated page or block.​

• Access rights can be defined from the CMS admin view. This process is similar to setting access rights for pages in the page tree structure, allowing for precise control over who can access or modify content within specific folders.​

• Global folder is generally accessible to all users by default, providing a baseline for shared resources.

Manage folders in multiple languages​

Folder structures are not language-specific. The same folder tree is visible across all languages under a site. You cannot create language variants of a folder. If needed, you can include a language code in the folder name (e.g. Images_EN, Images_FR) as a naming convention to distinguish content.​

Try It Yourself​

To get better idea on how to use folders, check out the demo: