Folder Management
Folders in LabKey provide a way to organize data, applications, and permissions within a project. Each folder can contain its own set of data, configurations, and settings. Using folders effectively helps maintain structure and supports better data management, especially in larger environments with multiple projects and teams.
Folders can also include subfolders, allowing you to create a hierarchy that presents each collaborating team with precisely the subset of LabKey tools and data they need.
Folder Types
LabKey provides several folder types, each tailored for specific kinds of data and workflows. Whether you’re running complex studies, managing assay data, or collaborating on scientific research, selecting the right folder type lays the foundation for an efficient project setup.
Once you’ve chosen the appropriate folder type, you can further customize your folders to match your team’s workflow, control access, and design the layout that best fits your needs.
Additional information
To explore all available folder types and understand which is right for your project, please visit: Folder Types Documentation
Creating and Managing Folders and Subfolders
Folders and subfolders in LabKey help structure your projects, control access, and organize data and tools. When creating a folder, you define its name, select an appropriate folder type, and set initial permission levels. Optionally, you can also create folders from templates to reuse predefined layouts and configurations.
Managing folders involves maintaining this structure as your work evolves. LabKey provides options to move folders within the hierarchy, rename them, or adjust their display order to improve navigation. Folders can also be hidden from view while remaining accessible via direct links, based on user permissions. These management actions help keep your environment organized and aligned with project needs.
Additional information
For detailed instructions on creating and managing folders, refer to the following links: Create a Folder and Manage a Folder
Exporting and Importing Folders
LabKey Server enables administrators to export and import folder contents using archives, facilitating data migration, backup, and replication of folder structures across environments.
Info
Archives from newer LabKey versions cannot be imported into older versions.
Folder archives are .folder.zip files or collections of individual files adhering to LabKey’s folder description conventions. They are useful for:
- Migrating work between servers.
- Standardizing folder structures using templates.
- Sharing subsets of data, such as excluding protected health information.
For detailed step-by-step instructions on exporting and importing folders, please refer to the official LabKey documentation on importing/exporting a folder
Warning
If you are importing into an already existing folder, the existing data in that folder will be deleted and replaced by the imported data. This action is irreversible, and it is not possible to recover the overwritten data. To prevent data loss, create a backup of the existing folder by exporting its contents to a zip file before proceeding with the import.