> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://help.brieftech.ai/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://help.brieftech.ai/reference/folders-labels-and-collections.md).
# Folders, labels, and collections
BriefTech offers three independent ways to organise documents within a matter.
## Folders
Folders mirror the folder structure of the files you upload. When you upload a folder tree, BriefTech preserves the source directory for each document, and you can browse and filter by folder. When you **drag and drop** files or folders in, an item whose path is longer than **260 characters** is rejected before the upload starts; the button does not apply this check. See [File size and storage limits](/reference/file-size-and-storage-limits.md#path-length).
Folders start out mirroring your uploads, but you can also manage them yourself. From the folder list you can create a new folder, rename a folder, or remove a folder, and you can drag documents or folders between folders to reorganise them. A folder name cannot contain a forward slash (`/`).
In the Document Index, open the menu and choose **Generate index headings →** . BriefTech then creates a Document Index section heading for each uploaded folder and groups the documents in that folder under the heading that matches it.
## Labels
Labels are colour-coded markers you create and apply to documents — for example to mark relevance or privilege.
> You can apply a label by dragging documents onto it in the Review or Files sidebar; see [Apply labels to documents](/how-to-guides/organise/apply-labels-to-documents.md) for the other ways to apply one.
| Attribute | Detail |
| ------------ | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Name | Up to **50 characters**. |
| Colour | A 6-digit hex value, for example `#004bc5`. |
| Per document | A document can carry more than one label. |
| Scope | Per matter — a new matter starts with no labels; create them from the **Labels** section of the left sidebar as you need them. |
| Managed from | The **Manage labels** dialog, reached from the **Manage labels** link at the bottom of any label picker (for example the **Labels** cell on a document in the Review tab, or the bulk label menu) — rename, recolour, or delete a label there. |
| Deletion | A label can only be deleted once it is no longer applied to any document. |
To filter the matter to documents carrying a label, tick that label in the Review panel sidebar (see *Filtering by folder or label* below).
## Collections
A collection is a named subset of the documents in a matter. Collections let you segment a large document set and act on one segment at a time — for example, to run AI analysis, build a Document Index, or generate a court bundle for just that subset.
| Attribute | Detail |
| ------------ | ------------------------------------------------------- |
| Name | Up to **50 characters**. |
| Per document | A document can belong to more than one collection. |
| Created from | The left sidebar. |
| Actions | Rename, clone (start a new one from a copy), or delete. |
> You add documents to a collection from the bulk-action toolbar; see [Group documents into a collection](/how-to-guides/organise/group-documents-into-collection.md).
Once a collection exists, you can also add documents to it these ways:
* **Right-click** one or more selected documents and choose **Edit Collections** to open the same collection dialog as the toolbar button.
* **From a document's properties** — select a document, open its properties, and set its collections under the **Organisation** heading.
* **By dragging** — select one or more documents and drag them onto a collection in the left **Collections** sidebar, then confirm.
## Filtering by folder or label
In the Review panel, the folder and label lists in the left sidebar are tick-box filters. Tick a folder to show its documents, tick a parent folder to include everything nested inside it (a parent with only some subfolders ticked shows as partly ticked), and tick more than one folder to combine them.
Labels filter the same way — tick one or more labels to narrow the view to documents carrying any of them. Under each folder, a **\[FILES]** entry lets you tick just the documents held directly in that folder, excluding its subfolders.
The same sidebar also filters by collection and by document class. Your ticked filters combine in two ways:
* **Within one list, ticks widen the view** — any ticked folder, any ticked label, or any ticked class matches. (Only one collection can be active at a time.)
* **Across lists, they narrow it** — a document must match your folder selection **and** your label selection **and** your class selection, within the collection you have active.
Collections are described above; document classes are covered in [Document metadata fields](/reference/document-metadata-fields.md).
Each folder shows a count of the documents it contains, and with nothing ticked every document is shown; untick your selections to clear the filter.
In the Files panel the sidebar is a single-select tree instead. It groups its entries under **Views** (document-status groups such as All, Exceptions and Processing), your **Folders**, and your **Collections**; clicking one entry shows just that view. The Document Index sidebar is a separate single-select tree and is not a tick-box filter either.
## Related
Document metadata fields
The document fields you can edit in the tab and their accepted values.
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