Attach files to inbound work
Add PDF references such as purchase orders, drawings, and specs to an inbound document, open them from the document workspace, and manage them while editable.
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The Inbound area turns incoming purchase orders, drawings, and specifications into work you can plan and run. An inbound document is one such record. As you enter its line items, it helps to keep the original paperwork right next to your work, so attachments let you pin one or more PDFs to the document. Bulk calls these reference PDFs: they travel with the document, appear in the document workspace, and are visible to anyone who later picks up the document.
This guide covers attaching PDFs when you create an inbound document and adding, viewing, downloading, or removing them afterwards. Attachments are PDF only, up to 25 MB each.
Before you start
Two conditions must be met to add or remove attachments:
- The "Edit inbound documents" permission. In Bulk, a permission is the right to perform a specific action. Attaching and removing files uses Edit inbound documents (
inbound_documents.update). By default this belongs to the Entity admin, Manager, and Operator roles. Without it, you can still open a document and view its attachments, but the upload and delete controls do not appear. - The document must be editable. You can only change attachments while a document is in Draft or In progress, the states where it is still being built. Once it is submitted for approval, approved, completed, cancelled, or on hold, its attachments become read-only: you can still view and download them, but upload and remove controls disappear. A locked document is read-only for the same reason.
A reference PDF may be required
Your site can require at least one PDF on every inbound document before it can be created. An admin controls this at Settings → Operating rules with the toggle Require PDF before creating inbound documents ("Require at least one PDF attachment before a draft can be created"). When it is on and no PDF is attached, Bulk blocks creation and shows "Attach at least one reference PDF before creating this document."
Attach PDFs while creating a document
When you start a new inbound document (Inbound → New document), the form includes a Reference PDFs card for purchase orders, drawings, and specifications. These files remain available during item entry and to people who pick up the document later. You have two ways to add files:
- Upload from your computer. Drag PDFs onto the dashed drop area, or select Click to upload to pick them. Each PDF can be up to 25 MB; this card holds up to 10 files.
- Browse files in library. Select Browse files in library to open the Attach from file library picker. This lets you reuse a PDF that is already stored in your workspace ("Browse files already uploaded to this workspace and attach them to this document"). Search by name, select the files, and attach them.
Each attached file shows as a card. To take one off, use its remove control and confirm in the Remove reference PDF? dialog. A file you attached from the library stays in your library and can be reattached later; only the link to this document is removed.
Add, view, and remove PDFs on an existing document
Open a document from Inbound → Documents. Attachments appear near the top of the current document workspace, where you can upload files or open an existing PDF in the viewer.
When you can edit the document, the Attachments card includes a Click to upload drop area. Use it to pick PDFs or drop files onto it. A read-only document with no files shows No attachments.
When attachments exist, each file appears as a card showing its name, size, source, and upload time. Select a card to open a preview dialog. Close the preview to return to the document and choose another file. To add more PDFs, use the upload drop area in the Attachments card.
The preview uses your browser's PDF viewer, so its page, zoom, and download controls depend on your browser. Open original PDF opens the file directly.
To remove an attachment, use the file card's remove control and confirm in Remove attachment?. Bulk removes the attachment from this document and records the change in its history. A submission that is running or has incomplete cleanup can also block removal.
Keep a copy before removing an attachment
The document has no undo action for attachment removal. If the attachment came from the file library, the original remains in the library and can be reattached. Download any file you may need before removing it.
Example: a drive housing order at Gotham Applied Sciences
Gotham Rail Works sends Wayne Corp a purchase order and drawing for drive housings. Bruce opens Inbound → New document, enters the customer and order references, and uploads GRW-260104.pdf and Drive Housing Rev B.pdf in the Reference PDFs card. These files satisfy the site's required-PDF rule.
When the revised drawing arrives, Bruce opens the editable document and uploads Drive Housing Rev C.pdf through the Attachments card. He opens the new file to check the revision, then removes the superseded attachment after keeping a copy. The purchase order and current drawing remain attached for the next person working on the document.
Expected result
After attaching files:
- Each PDF appears as a file card in the document workspace and on the create form, in the order you added it.
- You see a "PDF uploaded" / "N PDFs uploaded" confirmation for uploads, or a "PDF attached" confirmation when you attach from the library.
- Any teammate who opens the document sees the same attachments and can open their previews or original files.
- Each change is recorded in the document's history (for example "Added 1 attachment" or "Deleted attachment <name>").
Limits and feature state
Attaching files to inbound work is a generally available part of Bulk. Keep these limits in mind:
- PDF only. Only PDF files are accepted. Other file types are rejected before they attach.
- Size: 25 MB per file, checked as you add files and again on the server.
- Count when creating: the create form's Reference PDFs card holds up to 10 files. An open document can hold at most 50 attachments in total.
- Editable documents only. Add and remove are available while a document is in Draft or In progress and unlocked. Submitted, approved, completed, cancelled, on-hold, or locked documents are view-and-download only.
Troubleshooting
- No upload or remove controls. You either lack the Edit inbound documents permission, or the document is no longer editable (it has moved past In progress, or it is locked). Check the document's status; ask an admin for the permission if you need it.
- "Only PDF files are supported." The file is not a PDF. Convert or export it to PDF and try again. On the create card, non-PDF files are skipped with a "Some files were not added" note.
- "Maximum file size is 25MB." The PDF is too large. Compress or split it, then re-add it.
- "Document was modified by another user. Please refresh and try again." Someone else changed the document while you were working. Refresh the page to load the latest version, then re-add or remove the attachment.
- Cannot create a document without a PDF. Your site requires a reference PDF ("Attach at least one reference PDF before creating this document"). Attach at least one PDF, or ask an admin to review the Require PDF before creating inbound documents rule under Settings → Operating rules.
Related
- Create an inbound document: start a document and attach its first reference PDFs.
- Edit an inbound document: change items and details while a document is editable.
- Update inbound custom fields: capture extra data that some documents require.
- Submit or cancel inbound approval: the step after which attachments become read-only.
- Inbound: overview of the Inbound area.
Manage inbound services and items
Add line items to an inbound document and attach billable catalogue services to build the document's quote.
Update inbound custom fields
Fill in and change customer-specific custom field values on an in-progress inbound document and its line items, from the Custom fields card and items sheet.