# Files

The **Files** screen in the **Messaging** area lists the files uploaded to your account for
messaging, such as the Word templates used to [generate letters](/docs/reminders/generating-letters/).
It is where you upload a file ahead of time, download a copy, and remove files you no longer need.

Files here are separate from the files held against a client record. For those, see
[Client files](/docs/clients/client-files/).

## Why this matters

Letter templates are the wording your clients actually read. Keeping them in one place, with who
uploaded each one and when, makes it clear which version is in use and stops a template that a
reminder setting depends on from being deleted by mistake.

## Steps

1. Open the **Messaging** area and select **Files**.

The list shows each file's **Name**, when it was **Uploaded**, the **User** who uploaded it, its
**Type**, whether it is **Pinned**, when it **Expires**, and whether it is **In Use**.

### Uploading a file

1. Select **Upload File** on the toolbar.
2. Drag and drop a file onto the window, or choose one or more files. Each file can be up to 5MB.
3. Select **Close** when the upload has finished.

Files uploaded from this screen are pinned, so they do not expire.

### Downloading files

1. Tick the files you want.
2. Select **Download**.

### Deleting files

1. Tick the files you want to remove.
2. Select **Delete**, then confirm. This can't be undone.

## What to watch for

**Delete Not Possible**

A file used by a reminder setting is marked **In Use** and can't be deleted. Hover over the
**In Use** marker to see which reminder settings use it. Remove the letter from those reminder
settings first, then delete the file.

**A file has disappeared**

Files that are not pinned are removed after their **Expires** date. Pinned files have no expiry.

<!-- NEEDS CAPTURE: which files are not pinned (e.g. templates or spreadsheets uploaded from the
     Generate Letter or Send SMS windows) and how long they are kept before they expire -->

**The upload is refused**

The limit is 5MB per file, and a file name can be no longer than 120 characters.

## Related

- [Generating letters](/docs/reminders/generating-letters/)
- [Letter reminders](/docs/reminders/letter-reminders/)
- [Client files](/docs/clients/client-files/)

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Source: https://diarybook.com/docs/reminders/files/