The Tag Structure module is the heart of CORE's metadata management. This is where you define the metadata (aka tag) structures that will determine how your Files are categorized. Some people refer to tag structure in different ways. Comparable terms to tag structure are taxonomy, tag schema, or metadata infrastructure.

In this article:

5th Kind’s CORE does not use traditional folder structures for organizing, categorizing, and controlling access to Files. Instead, those tasks are based solely on how Files are tagged. The Tag Structure module is where system Administrators define how users will categorize files on upload. As an Admin, you’ll create the hierarchy of your metadata, the content of Tag Fields, and the details about them.

In this section, you will learn the different parts of the Tag Structure Module.

In CORE, to access the Tag Structure Module, you must be an Admin level user.

In Tag Structure, there are two primary work areas:

Left Tag Types Panel

The Left Tag Types Panel contains your list of Domains, the button that creates Domains, and the list of Tag Groups and their respective Tag Fields associated with the Domains.

Each Tag Group is identified by the tag icon and a bold title name.

Tags Area

To the right of the Left Tag Types Panel, is the Tags Area where Fields and Values are defined. There are essentially two tabs or sections to this part of the module:

In the Tag Fields section, is the Tag Hierarchy or Tag Tree, the Tag Field Domain Options, and to their right, the Descriptive Tags section. Descriptive Tags are a type of Tag Group often defined as metadata about metadata. We’ll detail that more below.

In the Tag Values section, you can manage values for a selected Tag Field. There’s the Domain dropdown to select the Domain that you will use for that Tag Field, the Tag Value Boxes where Tag Values for that Tag Field are listed. The Tag Value Input Field is found below the boxes. Here users can add, edit, and delete Tag Values.

In the case of Descriptive tags, data and status color associations can also be added here just below the Tag Value Input.

In CORE, a Domain is essentially a top-level category that lets you decide what metadata fields will apply to what type of content. Said a different way, it’s a type of workflow that defines the structure in which files are organized.

When a User uploads Files, they select a Domain. That Domain has a specifically organized tag structure called a taxonomy, as well as other associated tags that help make the files searchable. When the files are uploaded, the user tags them according to the structure defined by the Domain.

Domains allow Files for different project types to be categorized into different groups. These groups are defined by their tags, also known as metadata. For example, television shows need an organizational structure that includes Season and Episode, while feature films do not. Because their organizational needs are different, these two media formats are represented in separate Domains.

In this section you’ll learn how Domains can be used for Permission-ing and DAM organization.

Users are often given access to CORE based on a Domain.

For example, a company that has TV, Film and Online content might have a unique Domain for each. Certain users would have access to one Domain based on their position at the company, but wouldn’t have access to any content in another Domain.

So think of Domains as having far reaching permission capabilities as well as a unique tagging structure.

Every industry is different, and while Domains are helpful in reflecting and complementing workflows, they’re also useful for organizing the DAM itself. Domains can be organized by industry, client type, or company departments. For instance, a company that has different divisions, such as Home Electronics, Personal Electronics, Phones, and Media Solutions, might have a domain for each. Or, let’s say a company’s clients’ industries vary from Automotive to Shoes to Dog Food and Accessories. The company would create a Domain for each industry respectively.

Domains are an organizing tool that enable companies to organize their materials according to their own organization.

To create a Domain

You’ve now completed the first step in building a taxonomy.

Filtering by your desired Domain shows only the metadata fields that apply to it. When creating new Domains, Groups, and Fields, check your work by filtering to the updated Domain.

No Tag Groups are associated with a new Domain. They must be added or connected. So when you filter by a new Domain, there will be no Tag Groups shown in the Tag Groups list except for File Info.

To see all fields again, set Domain to All. For new Domains, you now can build out your taxonomy by adding existing or new Tag Groups and Tag Fields to it.

A Tag Group is a set of metadata fields that are grouped together. They are often determined by a common set of values, such as subject matter or use, and their names typically define the set of characteristics that make up a Tag Group, i.e. Structure, Status, Game, etc.

A Tag Group can contain a simple list of tags or have tags with a hierarchical relationship to each other.

A hierarchical relationship is based on levels - Tag Fields that are level(s) above another—and subordination—Tag Fields that are level(s) below another. In this relationship, the superordinate Tag Field represents a class or a group type, in which the subordinate Tag Fields are its members or parts.

For the tag groups with a hierarchy structure, when users chose one Tag Field at a certain level, the below level Tag Fields’ tag values will adjust to show different values. These Tag Values are defined by Parent Tag Values in the Domains Options setting.

Tag Groups are customizable to contain as few or as many Tag Fields that are relevant to that group and domain. To filter the Tag Groups you see, select a Domain for your desired view.

In CORE, there are four different types of Tag Groups:

Structural - The Structural Tag Group is the type that defines the tag structure for all asset groups and files. It’s the core categorization method for CORE.

Associated - Associated Tag Groups are Tag Groups providing additional data around files. They are defined by a common set of values. Examples of Associated Tag Groups are Production, Status, and Project Info.

Inherited - Inherited Tag Groups automatically import metadata when a file is uploaded, because it is data inherited from the files themselves. Examples of Inherited Tag Groups are File Info and Camera.

Descriptive - The Descriptive Tag Groups are often described as metadata about metadata. They are a second layer related to existing data found in Tag Fields by providing additional information and color status options. Descriptive Tags can literally be about anything. This section can be used to build out entire databases around a specific Tag Field.

For instance, if you had a field named "Car Manufacturer," you could add associated fields such as “Number of Dealerships,” "Address," and "Phone Number" to it. Or, if it were a movie, you could associate “Genre” and “Director” with the Tag Field “Production.” Or if you had a “Brand Website” Tag Field you could associate whether or not it was “A/B Tested.”

When you first arrive in the Tag Structure Module, the default view in the Left Tag Types Panel is a complete list of All Tag Groups and Tags.

It’s currently not possible to change the order of the Tag Groups. When a new Tag Group is added, it appears at the bottom of the list above the File Info Tag Group.

To create a new Tag Group, click the New Tag Group button at the top of the Left Tag Types Panel.

Then enter the Group name and click Save.

Tag Group Names cannot be edited or deleted at this time.

File Info is the default Tag Group for all metadata automatically imported from your files. File Info cannot be changed or added to by a user. All other Tag Groups, however, can be edited.

To edit the contents of an existing Tag Group, users can do any of the following:

For more detailed instructions about how to perform these actions, please read through the remainder of the Tag Structure chapter.

Tag Fields are the Fields a User will choose from when uploading and tagging assets. They are used to organize files and are the main categories for your project, such as Production Name, Department or Asset Type.

The fields also appear in File Search Filters and in the Asset Details Panel of the Asset Viewer.

File Search - Filter Tab - Structural Tag Fields

Asset Viewer - Asset Details - Tag Fields

Tag Field Section Overview

Elements of the Tag Tree

The Tag Tree is where Admins can create and edit a Tag Field.

These settings control how the Tag Field will behave. You’ll know which Tag Field you’re editing by the Editing “Tag Field Name” at the top of the box.

These elements operate the editing and creation of a Descriptive Tag Field.

Click on any metadata field in a Tag Group to view and edit it. In the Tags Area, the Tag Tree will update to show the selected Tag Group’s Tag Fields. Below is an example of what you’ll see:

The field you selected to edit is now a text field.

After any change, hit Save. Then continue.

In addition to editing the field directly, you can also edit other aspects of the Tag Field, including the following. (Click on the list item to be directed to that instruction):

This section shows you how to create and modify the Tag Fields you will use to categorize your Files, including creating hierarchical relationships between them.

To Create a New Tag Field follow these instructions:

CORE Tip: Select Single Value Inputs for Structural Tags When you set up a new Tag Field, you are required to enter the way the User will select or input data. In the case of structural tags, because each field is like a folder name, only one value can be selected for each Tag Field. The methods that allow a single value input are the Dropdown menu, Input field, Radio, and Date.

Only single value entry methods are accepted for structural tags. Dropdowns are the most commonly used method.

Tag Field Domain Options are a required element of a new Tag Field. Once a new Tag Field is created, the Tag Field Domain Options can be modified at any time.

To remove or change your Domain, select to remove, or go to the dropdown to change it.

Domain Options can be modified at any time; however, there are a few things to note:

To add a Nested or Child Tag Field to an existing field:

To change the order of a field, click and drag the handle next to it, then drop it in the desired position. There are some rules and limitations to the re-ordering Tag Fields:

To delete a field, click the (trash) icon next to it. Note that you cannot delete a field that is currently being used to categorize Files. You must first re-categorize any Files using the field before deleting it.

In this section, you’ll learn

In the Tag Tree, the order of your Fields and whether they are nested or listed top down affects how they appear in the Structural Name of an Asset Group and in the Asset Details.

Mixed Nested and Listed Structural Hierarchy

Mixed Structural Tags Make Up Asset Group Name and Appear in Asset Details

Left Browser Panel Shows Nested Structural Tags, but not Listed Tags.
​If hierarchy was listed only, listed structure would appear in Left Browser Panel.

Tag Fields live on two axes:

The hierarchy for a Tag Group can be a combination of Tag Fields that is both nested and listed top down.

What an Admin sees in the Tag Structure Module for Tag Groups and the Tag Field Hierarchy is different from what a user sees in the Browser and Filter tabs. Where the Admin sees the Tag Fields, the user sees the Tag Values associated with files. The Browser lists all Tag Values listed in the Tag Field Productions which are associated with files. The Tag Values selected from the tag’s hierarchy can be opened with the below it.

Follow the step-by-step guide for creating your own tag structures: How to Build Your Tag Taxonomy: A Step-by-Step Guide.