What is 'Box Metadata' and what fields should I include?

Note: Box does not include the metadata feature in all of their plans. For example, if you have either of the FREE plans you do not have the ability to add additional metadata to your documents. Before going any farther, make sure the plan you are on with Box will display the metadata or not.

Questions about integrations in general? Read our other Help topic.

What is "metadata"?

Metadata as defined by Box.com is: "Metadata allows users and applications to define and store custom data associated with their files in Box. This custom data can serve many different use cases and can be set either within the Box web application or programmatically via the API."

With this functionality we provide, we are setting this for you programmatically via the Box API. "Metadata" in the case of GoCanvas are the field labels and the field values associated with your GoCanvas app and the associated PDF Godocument that is to be stored in Box. As an example, if you have a field in your app called "Customer Name" and your mobile user enters "Jane Doe" into this field then that information will be passed to Box as metadata if you include the screen that field is on.

Setting it up

We allow you to choose which screens (and therefore which fields) in your GoCanvas app has the information you want to pass along to Box as metadata. Some of the data on some screens may not help you much, like a signature screen or a screen filled with static text. So you don't have to include those screens.

1. Hit the "Add Screen" button.
2. Choose a screen for your app that has the fields you need. (Repeat steps 1 and 2 as appropriate.)
3. Hit the "Save" button

Viewing in Box

Now go to Box's website and login to your account. Find the folder (If you are putting submissions in a folder) where you are storing GoCanvas PDFs. In the example below I put them in a folder called GoCanvas.

Click on the Submission you just sent across so you can view it in Box. To the right of your document, click on "Info". You will find your metadata under the "CUSTOM METADATA" section. You have a scroll bar on the right so you can scroll down to see everything.

Can I use Box's "metadata templates"?

Not at this time, no. The template would have to be modified each time you edited your GoCanvas App. At this time it cannot be updated dynamically if you were to add a field or edit a field on a screen you have chosen to pass metadata from. We are working very closely with Box on this and there is future Box functionality on their roadmap to address this.

Still need help? Submit a ticket.