Overview
Construction projects generate a lot of paperwork, drawings, specs, contracts, photos, submittals, permits, and more. Without a structured place to store it all, documents end up scattered across emails, personal drives, and text threads, and finding the right file at the right moment becomes its own time-consuming problem.
Structur's file management system gives every project a dedicated, organized digital filing cabinet. All your important project files live in one secure, easily accessible place, structured into folders, searchable, and available to your team without the need to dig through other platforms or chase down attachments.
Understanding Files
What It Does
Structur's Files feature allows you to:
Store all project documents in a centralized location tied directly to a specific project
Work within a default folder structure designed for common construction categories, like Documents, Drawings/Specs, and Photos/Videos
Upload files of various types, including Word documents, PDFs, spreadsheets, images, and videos
Create new folders and subfolders to customize the organization for your project's specific needs
Search across all project files quickly using the search bar
Set a default folder structure in Settings so your preferred organization applies automatically to every new project
Edit or delete folders within the Settings to keep your structure current and clean
When to Use It
Files are most valuable when you want to:
Give your entire team a single place to find every document related to a project
Organize drawings, specs, contracts, and photos by category so nothing gets mixed up
Stop sending files back and forth by email and instead share them from within the project
Ensure everyone is always working from the latest version of a document
Build a consistent folder structure across all your projects so your team always knows where to look
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Navigate to Files on a Project
From your Structur dashboard, click on the Projects tab in the sidebar menu
Select the project you want to manage files for
Click Project Management and then click on the Files option
You'll land on the file management page for that project.
2. Explore the Default Folder Structure
When you first open Files on a project, you'll see a default folder structure already in place. Structur provides pre-built folders for the most common construction document categories, including:
Documents - for contracts, permits, correspondence, and general project paperwork
Drawings/Specs - for architectural and engineering drawings, specifications, and design documents
Photos/Videos - for site photography, progress documentation, and video walkthroughs
These defaults give you a ready-to-use structure from day one, so you can start uploading immediately without having to build your organization from scratch.
3. Upload Files
Click Add New File
Select the file(s) you want to upload from your computer
Choose the folder where the file should be stored
Structur supports a wide range of file types, including Word documents, PDFs, spreadsheets, images and videos, covering virtually everything a construction project generates.
4. Create New Folders
If the default folder structure doesn't fully match your project's needs, you can add your own:
Navigate to the folder location where you want to create a subfolder
Create a new folder with a name that reflects the category of documents it will hold
Use folders and subfolders to build a hierarchy that makes sense for your project, for example, breaking Drawings/Specs into subfolders by trade, or organizing Photos/Videos by project phase.
5. Search for Files
Use the search bar within the Files tab to quickly locate any document by name. This is especially useful on larger projects where the file count grows over time and browsing through folders manually becomes inefficient.
6. Customize and Save a Default Folder Structure
If you want your customized folder structure to apply automatically to all future projects, you can save it as your default:
Click Settings within the Files tab
Add, edit, or delete folders to configure your preferred structure
Save the settings
Once saved, this folder structure will be applied to all new projects automatically, saving setup time and ensuring every project starts with a consistent, familiar organization.
Best Practices
Use the default folders from day one - Upload files into the pre-built categories as soon as the project is created. Starting organized is much easier than reorganizing a pile of files later.
Create a consistent folder structure and save it as your default - The more consistent your file organization is across projects, the less time your team spends figuring out where to look for something.
Name files clearly and descriptively - A file named "Floor Plan Rev 3 - 2026-03-01" is far more useful than "floor plan final FINAL." Good file names make search results meaningful and prevent version confusion.
Use subfolders for large document sets - If a project generates a lot of drawings or photos, break them into subfolders by trade, phase, or date so the folder doesn't become overwhelming to browse.
Store files in Structur instead of emailing them - When you need to share a document with a team member, point them to the Files tab instead of attaching it to an email. This keeps the project record complete and avoids version drift.
Keep your folder structure maintained - Delete or archive folders that are no longer relevant, and add new ones as the project evolves. A clean, current structure is much easier to navigate than one that's grown out of control.
Common Questions
Q: What file types can I upload to Structur?
A: Structur supports a wide variety of file types, including Word documents, PDFs, spreadsheets, images and videos, covering the full range of documents a construction project typically generates.
Q: Can I create my own folders, or am I limited to the default structure?
A: Both. Structur provides a default folder structure with common construction categories to get you started, but you can create additional folders and subfolders at any time to match your project's specific needs.
Q: Can I set up a custom folder structure that applies to all new projects automatically?
A: Yes. Go to Settings within the Files tab to add, edit, or delete folders. Once you've configured your preferred structure and saved it, it will apply to all new projects automatically as your default.
Q: How do I find a specific file quickly?
A: Use the search bar within the Files tab to locate any file by name. This is the fastest way to find a specific document without manually browsing through folders.
Q: Can I share files with team members through Structur?
A: Yes. Files stored in Structur can be shared with your team, giving everyone centralized access to the project's documents without needing to send attachments back and forth.
Q: Does Structur support version control for files?
A: Yes. Structur allows you to track file revisions, so you can ensure that everyone on your team is working with the most current version of a document.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
❌ Don't | ✅ Do |
Upload files without organizing them into folders | Choose the correct folder when uploading so files are easy to find later |
Use vague file names like "final" or "updated" | Name files clearly with descriptions and dates to avoid version confusion |
Build a custom folder structure on every new project from scratch | Save your preferred structure as the default in Settings so it applies automatically |
Send project documents by email instead of storing them in Structur | Store files in the project's Files tab so the full record lives in one place |
Let folders accumulate files without any subfolder organization | Create subfolders for large document sets to keep things browsable and manageable |
Skip the search bar and manually browse when looking for a file | Use the search bar to find files instantly by name |