Welcome, from the Customer Success team at Dash! 👋
We've put together this guide to help you get started, whether you're setting up your asset library from scratch or moving content over from another platform.
The sections below cover the main things you'll likely want to set up in Dash initially.
You don't need to follow them in a particular order — for example, you might want to invite colleagues first if they'll be helping upload or organise content.
Add your content | Give others access | Organise your content |
Upload your first assets or migrate an existing library into Dash. | Invite people to Dash and set the right permissions for them | Use Dash's special features to make your content easy to find |
💡 Good to know: You don't need to upload your entire library before you start using Dash. You can just add a few assets to get going, then continue building and organising your library as you go.
🟨 Add your content into Dash
[graphic from Lucy]
Whether you're starting from scratch or migrating from another platform, there are a few ways to bring your assets into Dash.
Need hands-on assistance with your migration? Some providers might require more support from us. We've included a link to request this from us for the providers that this applies to.
Please select the location where your assets are currently stored for instructions on how to migrate:
Local files
Local files
Log in to your Dash account.
Click + Add files in the top-right corner, or drag files directly from your computer into your Dash browser window.
Select the files you'd like to upload.
Choose where you'd like to store them and add any relevant information, such as tags or descriptions, using your existing fields.
When you're happy with your files and information, select Put live (or Send for approval, if your account requires approval).
Want to keep your existing folder structure?
If your files are already organised into folders on your computer, you can bring that structure into Dash too.
Locate the main folder containing the files and subfolders you'd like to upload.
Drag the entire folder into Dash in your browser.
Choose the option to recreate the folder structure.
Select where you'd like the folders to sit within your Dash.
Complete the upload.
Note: You'll need admin access to create folders during upload. We recommend Google Chrome for uploading folder structures.
For more information, see our dedicated guides:
Google Drive or Dropbox
Google Drive or Dropbox
You can use Dash's built-in integrations to import your assets directly, without needing to download them to your computer first.
In Dash, click + Add files.
Select Google Drive or Dropbox from the sidebar.
Click Connect your account and follow the steps to authorise access.
Select the files or folders you'd like to import.
Choose to preserve your existing folder structure, if you'd like to.
Start the import into Dash.
For more detailed instructions:
Sharepoint/OneDrive
Sharepoint/OneDrive
If your assets are currently stored in SharePoint, our team can arrange the migration for you.
Decide which folders you'd like to bring into Dash.
Complete our migration request form below.
We'll guide you through connecting your SharePoint account to our migration tool and arrange the transfer.
Other providers
Other providers
If you're moving from another DAM or storage provider, you'll usually need to export your assets into an Amazon S3 bucket , a secure cloud storage location that allows large numbers of files and their folder structure to be transferred into Dash.
First, ask your current provider whether they can export your assets and folder structure into an Amazon S3 bucket.
Then choose how you'd like to proceed:
Option 1: Let us help with your migration(available to Small-team, Growing and Established plans only) | Option 2: Import your content yourself |
Got an S3 export but would still like our help? Or is your provider unable to provide one? Either way, complete our migration form and we'll help you work out the next steps. | Got your S3 export and happy to take it from here? You can import your assets from S3 directly into Dash yourself in the "Admin" section in Dash. Just go to Admin > Import & Export and follow the instructions below. |
Bringing over your existing metadata (tags, descriptions, etc)
As well as your assets and folders, you may want to bring over information like tags, descriptions or product details. This is known as metadata.
Unlike folders, which can often be preserved during migration, other metadata usually needs to be imported separately using a CSV spreadsheet.
If you've requested a migration with us, we can handle this for you.
Otherwise, here's a quick overview of how the process works if you'd like to do it yourself.
How does it work?
Export metadata CSV from previous system → | Create the fields in Dash that you want to replicate → | Format the spreadsheet correctly → | Import the CSV into Dash → | Assets should now be updated! |
For step-by-step instructions, including how to prepare your spreadsheet, see:
🟩 Give your team and others access
[graphic from Lucy]
You can invite people to Dash at any stage - whether that's before uploading your assets, so colleagues can help with the setup, or once everything is ready.
There are a few ways to give people access, depending on what you'd like them to see and do.
Inviting people as internal Dash users
Inviting people as internal Dash users
Please watch the short video above, or read our guide below.
When inviting someone to Dash, you can choose what they're able to see and do by giving them one of three permission levels:
Admin: Full access to Dash, including managing users and settings.
Contributor: Can upload and edit assets in the folders they have access to.
Basic: Can view, download and share assets in the folders they have access to.
How are these permissions assigned?
You can make a user an Admin when you're adding them as a user. To make someone a Basic or Contributor user, you'll assign them to one or more groups.
Groups control both their permission level and which folders they can access.
Dash already includes two default groups:
Basic all folders
Contributor all folders
As their names suggest, both give access to all folders in Dash.
If these work for your team, you can go straight to inviting your users below!
How to invite someone
Go to Admin:
Go to Users & Groups.
Select + New users.
Enter their email addresses. You can copy and paste from a list or spreadsheet into the box too:
Choose whether they should be an Admin or belong to one or more groups.
Follow the remaining prompts and select Send invite(s).
Need to give someone access to specific folders only?
If you want to limit what certain users can access, you'll need to create a custom group before inviting them.
For example, you might create a Photographers group with Contributor permissions, but only give it access to your Photography folder.
To create a custom group:
Go to Admin > Users & Groups > Groups.
Select + New group.
Give your group a name and choose Basic or Contributor permissions.
Choose whether the group can access all folders or only selected folders.
Save your group.
You can now assign users to this group when inviting them, or add existing users to it later.
Giving access without a Dash login
Giving access without a Dash login
If you just want to share content with customers, retailers, or even people from your organisation that would prefer not to have to set up an account, you don't necessarily need to invite them as users.
Instead, you can share assets via one of our various sharing methods:
| Quick share link | Collection | Portal |
Use it for | Quick ad-hoc shares of individual assets | Curated selection of assets to be shared with external users | Permanent browsable view of chosen folders for retailers, partners etc |
Recipients can search and filter | No | No | Yes |
Includes folders? | No - flat view | No - flat view | Yes - organised by folders |
Able to add new assets to existing share? | No | Yes - link always shows assets in Collection | Yes - assets/folders match what is in your Dash |
Learn more! |
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🔎 Tip: Explore this portal to see an example of how a brand can share assets with a retailer on an ongoing basis.
🟦 Organise your content
[graphic from Lucy]
One of the great things about Dash is that you don't have to rely on folders alone to organise your content. You can also use fields, which give you a much more flexible way to organise and find your assets.
So, what's the difference?
Folders help you separate your assets into different areas, such as marketing, sales or content for external partners. You can also control who has access to each folder.
Fields let you add information about your assets, such as their colour, product type, campaign or usage rights. Your team can then use this information to search and filter assets, no matter which folder they're in.
For example, imagine you're looking for all your Black Friday product images. Instead of searching through lots of different folders, you could simply filter by Campaign: Black Friday and Asset type: Product photography to find them all in one place.
By using folders and fields together, you can keep your content organised without creating endless subfolders - and make it much easier for your team to find what they need!
Not sure where to start? Ask our AI!
You don't have to figure out the best structure on your own.
Our AI assistant can suggest how to set up your folders and fields based on your business, the type of content you store and how your team plans to use Dash.
It's a great starting point if you're setting up your library for the first time, so give it a go by clicking the purple bubble on the bottom of your Dash page and going to Messages > Send us a message > I have a general question about Dash:
You can start chatting away immediately, paste a screenshot of your current structure, or read our guide below for some suggested prompts:
Prefer to explore the options yourself?
These guides explain how folders and fields work and how to set them up:
Where to get help
If you have any questions while setting up Dash, we're happy to help.
Reach out through the in-app chat or email us at help@dash.app.
⏱️ Our target response time is 15 mins during UK working hours (9am - 5pm, Monday - Friday GMT)
ℹ️ Tip: If you're a new customer, your Customer Success Manager can also help you arrange a welcome call. You should've received an email with a link to book this, but if you haven't, please get in touch via one of the methods above and we'll arrange that.