Metadata is a feature that enhances the functionality of files in Pibox by adding additional data to them. Each Team has one metadata template, and while each file within the Team shares the same template, the data can be customized for each individual file. This guide will walk you through how to open, work with, and manage metadata effectively.
š½ļø Watch the video explainer below to see how it works:
How to open metadata
Metadata can be accessed in several ways:
File tab: Open metadata directly through the File tab.
File manager: Access it from the File Manager view.
Playlists: View each fileās metadata in your playlists.
Inside the file: On each page, youāll find a Metadata button that will open the metadata for the file.
Please note that Guests cannot view metadata, but all other roles will have access to it.
Navigating the metadata interface
Upon opening metadata, you'll encounter several features and tabs. Hereās a breakdown of the metadata interface:
Metadata header
At the top of the Metadata view, you'll see the following:
File name: The name of the file being edited.
Navigation arrows: Use the arrows to switch between files metadata.
The arrows allow you to navigate to the next or previous fileās metadata.
Clicking on any file in the File tab or File Manager will also switch the metadata to that file.
If youāre in a file with no others in the project, the arrows will be inactive.
Close button: Click the āXā to exit the metadata.
Metadata panel
Below the Metadata header, you'll see the main Metadata panel, with the following tabs and features:
General tab - Create and edit templates that apply across all files within your Team.
People tab - Manage author information and contributions.
File info tab - View file-specific data like duration and format.
Copy/paste options - Copy metadata fields to other files.
Lock editing - Prevent further changes to a fileās metadata.
Download Excel - Export metadata to an Excel file.
Understanding the General tab
The General tab is where metadata templates are created. Templates are shared across files in the same Team, but individual fields in the template can be filled out separately for each file.
To create or edit a metadata template:
Enter edit mode: Click the Edit button to start editing.
Save automatically: Changes are saved automatically to the template and applied to all files in the Team.
Done button: Once you're done editing, click Done to exit edit mode.
Note: Only Administrators can create or edit templates.
Creating and editing metadata fields
In edit mode, click the Add new button to create a new field. A dropdown will appear with different types of fields you can add:
Text - For free-form text input (e.g., track author)
Number - For numerical input (e.g., number of edits)
Select - A dropdown list where you can pre-define values (e.g., select album)
Date - For date selection (e.g., due date)
Toggle - A switch to toggle between options (e.g., show tags)
Field settings
Each field type has additional settings:
Visibility to members: Controls whether the field is visible to Members. By default, itās on, meaning all roles can see the field. Turn it off to limit visibility to Admins and Owners only.
Only Admins can edit: Prevent Members from editing the fieldās value.
Include in metadata export: By default, this is on. Turn it off to exclude the field from exports.
Note: Each field type requires a header, which is mandatory for both creation and editing. The header must be between 2 and 90 characters in length.
Step-by-step example of creating a select-type field
Hereās a step-by-step guide on creating a Select field:
Select field type: Choose the Select field from the dropdown.
Enter field name: Name the field (e.g., āAlbumā).
Add options: Click the āAdd newā button to create options. You can reorder these options via drag-and-drop.
Set default value: Choose a default value for the field.
Save: Click Create to add the field to your template.
After following these simple steps, you will have a ready-made template field.
Editing existing metadata fields
To edit any metadata field you've created, first click the Edit button to enter edit mode, then click the gear icon next to the field's name.
In the edit window, you can rename the field and adjust additional settings, including visibility to other members, edit permissions, and whether the field should be included in the file's metadata. You can also delete the field in this modal window.
You can easily reorder existing metadata fields by dragging and dropping them into your preferred arrangement.
Note: Thereās a helpful feature located to the right of the field. Hovering the tooltip will display information about the person who last made changes.
People tab
In the People tab, you can add contributor information, like authorship and percentage splits. This tab is file-specific, meaning you need to create new lines for each file.
Add new line: Click Add new to create a row for contributor details.
Enter percentages: In the "Split %" field, enter numeric data. The total must equal 100%, or it will turn red.
Delete line: Click the cross icon next to a row to remove it.
File info tab
The File info tab displays static information about the file, such as:
Video/track duration
File type
File size
AI tagging with Harmix integration (for audio files)
AI tagging with Harmix integration
Pibox now supports AI tagging powered by Harmix to automatically analyze uploaded audio files and provide metadata like:
Key (e.g., D minor)
BPM (e.g., 81 BPM)
Genres (e.g., Electronic, Hip Hop, Blues)
Moods (e.g., Chill, Confident)
Instruments (e.g., Synthesizer, Percussion, Piano, Guitar)
To use the Harmix AI tagging:
Select the file.
Click the three-dots menu above the file list.
Choose run AI tagging.
Wait for processing (up to 1 hour).
The AI results will appear in the File info tab.
Note: Access to AI analysis of tracks is provided to a limited number of users. If you do not have this feature, please contact Pibox support for more information.
Copy/paste buttons
The copy/paste functionality allows you to copy metadata from one file to another:
Copy selected: Copy specific metadata fields.
Credits: Copy all entries in the People tab.
General fields: Copy fields from the General tab.
After copying, the Paste button becomes active. Click Paste to apply the copied data to another file.
Lock button
The Lock button restricts metadata editing for a file. No one, including Admins, can write or edit anything until the fileās metadata is unlocked by an Admin or Owner. To unlock, simply click the lock icon.
Download Excel button
Clicking this button will export all data from every Metadata tab of the current file in .xlsx format. If some data is missing from the export, it may be because the fieldās participation in the export has been disabled in the settings.
