A Collection Process is a set of Fileboxes that all use the same file structure, one for each department, entity, region or other part of your business. Use it when you need the same file from many people, such as a budget template that every department fills in.

The thing that separates one Filebox from the next is called the dimension. If the dimension is Department, the Collection Process has one Filebox for Sales, one for Marketing, one for Finance, and so on. Each Filebox keeps its own versions, and all of them share the same tags and settings.

Why use a Collection Process

• Collect the same file from many people. Everyone works from one template, so every submission arrives in the same structure and can be combined without rework.
• See who has submitted. The Collection Process lists every Filebox with its last submission and who made it, so missing submissions are easy to spot.
• Set it up once. Tags, status and Auto-Calculate are set on the Collection Process and apply to every Filebox in it. You don't configure each one separately.
• Give each owner only their own file. Share a single Filebox with the person responsible for it. They see and update their own department, and nobody else's.
• Act on all of them at once. Upload up to 50 files in one go, or calculate a new version for every Filebox with one click.
• Grow as the business does. Adding a department or entity is adding one more Filebox.

When to use a Collection Process or a single Filebox

All the Fileboxes in a Collection Process share one type: Manual input, Model or Report. See Filebox overview for more information on Fileboxes.

Create a new Collection Process

1. In the Workspace, click + New and select New collection process.

   

2. In the New Collection Process window, fill in the details:

   Field	What to enter
   Collection process name	A name for the whole set, such as "Department budgets".
   Fileboxes type	Manual input, Model or Report. Every Filebox in the Collection Process gets this type.
   Scenario	Actuals, Budget or Forecast. If you choose Budget, also set the Budget Cycle.
   Date	How often the files are submitted, such as monthly or yearly.
   File Status	Turn this on to mark versions as Draft or Final.
   Dimension name	What separates the Fileboxes, such as Department or Entity.
   Dimension values	One value for each Filebox you want, such as Sales, Marketing and Finance. Press Enter after each value.

   

3. Click Create.

Open an existing Collection Process

In the Workspace, a Collection Process has its own icon. Click its name to open it and see its Fileboxes.

Add Fileboxes to a Collection Process

Adding a Filebox is how you add a new dimension value, for example a new department.

1. Open the Collection Process. Click + New and select New FileBoxes.

   

2. In the Create new filebox window, enter the name of the new dimension value under Filebox name. To add more than one, click Add filebox.

   

3. Click Create to add empty Fileboxes. To give each new Filebox a starting file, click Create with template, add the file, and click Create.

Upload files to a Collection Process

You can upload files for several Fileboxes in one go, up to 50 files at a time.

1. Open the Collection Process, click Actions and select Upload files. From the Workspace, you can also click the ⋮ menu on the Collection Process's row and select Upload files.

   

2. In the Multiple File Upload window, drag your files into the box, or click browse.

   

3. For each file, choose the Filebox it belongs to and check its tag, such as the month or year.
4. Click Upload.

Each file is added as a new version in the Filebox you chose. To upload to a single Filebox instead, use the Upload icon on that Filebox's row, or the Excel add-in. See Filebox overview.

Update a Collection Process's settings

Tagging and calculation settings on a Collection Process apply to every Filebox in it.

1. Open the Collection Process, click Actions and select Settings. From the Workspace, you can also click the ⋮ menu on the Collection Process's row and select Settings.

   

2. In the Collection Process settings window, change what you need: the Collection Process name, Scenario, Date tag, Budget Cycle, Filebox status or Auto-Calculate.

   

3. Close the window. There is no Save button. Each setting is saved as soon as you change it.

Other Collection Process actions

Updated November 13, 2026 21:24