Attachment Attribute
An Attachment attribute enables users to upload and retain supporting files directly against a business record. It keeps evidence, documents, images, videos, and other relevant material connected to the process or record they support.
The attribute can be placed on Create, Edit, and View layouts, allowing users to upload files during record creation, while completing work, or during review. Access to uploaded files can be governed through the record’s lifecycle permissions.
Key capabilities
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Capture files in record context Attach documents, images, videos, certificates, reports, drawings, inspection evidence, or other supporting material directly to the relevant business record.
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Restrict allowed file types Administrators can configure file patterns to control which formats the attribute accepts. This ensures each field is used only for its intended purpose.
For example:
Attachment purpose Allowed formats Site or inspection photographs .jpg,.jpeg,.pngVideo evidence .mp4,.mov,.aviCompliance or customer documents .pdf,.docx,.xlsxTechnical drawings .dwg,.dxf,.pdf -
Display a validation message for unsupported files When a user selects a file that does not meet the configured pattern, the platform can show a clear message explaining what is allowed.
Example: “Only JPG, JPEG, and PNG image files can be uploaded as inspection evidence.”
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Image preview Where image files are uploaded, the attachment can be presented as a visual preview or thumbnail in the record experience. This allows users and reviewers to quickly validate the submitted evidence without downloading every file.
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PDF preview PDF files open in a built-in viewer that supports zoom, page navigation, full screen, and printing, so documents can be read within the record instead of being downloaded and opened externally. See PDF preview.
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File-specific attachment fields Multiple Attachment attributes can be configured on the same record, each with a different file restriction. This separates evidence by purpose.
Example: A field-service ticket can include:
- Before Service Images — image files only.
- After Service Images — image files only.
- Service Report — PDF or DOCX files only.
- Video Evidence — approved video formats only.
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Lifecycle-based attachment control Configure the process so users can upload or replace files only in relevant lifecycle states. For instance, technicians can upload work evidence while the ticket is In Progress, while reviewers can access it in Submitted or Closed states.
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Use with validation and workflow Attachment presence can be included in business validation. This helps ensure required evidence is available before a record progresses to review, approval, or closure.
PDF preview
When a user opens a PDF stored in an Attachment attribute, the file is displayed in a built-in viewer instead of a fixed-size preview. Documents with small text, detailed tables, or drawings can therefore be read within the record, without downloading the file and opening it in an external application.
The viewer provides a toolbar below the document with the following controls:
- Zoom In and Zoom Out, with a slider to set any level between 100% and 800%. Ctrl + scroll (Cmd + scroll on macOS) zooms as well.
- Fit to Width, which sizes the document to the width of the available viewing area.
- Page navigation — first, previous, next, and last page, a Jump to box for a specific page number, and the left and right arrow keys.
- Full Screen, which expands the viewer to fill the screen and is exited using the same control or Esc.
Print and Download are available in the preview header, alongside the name of the file being viewed. Printing produces the complete document rather than only the page currently displayed.
Each page opens at its normal size, so a zoom level applied to one page does not carry over to the next. In the Protrak mobile app, Print and Full Screen are not offered, as the mobile view does not support them; zoom and page navigation are unaffected.
This is a generic attachment capability and requires no configuration, so it applies to every PDF attachment across the application.
Use case: Reviewing a supplier invoice
An accounts payable reviewer opens a scanned supplier invoice attached to a purchase order. The line items are small and the document runs to several pages.
The reviewer uses Fit to Width and Zoom In to read the tax lines, then moves to the payment terms on a later page using the Jump to box. The invoice can be printed for the approval file directly from the preview.
Example: A purchase order includes a scanned supplier invoice. The reviewer enlarges the totals section to confirm the tax amounts, checks the payment terms on the final page, and prints the complete invoice — without downloading the file.
Use case: Field-service completion evidence
A field engineer completes an on-site repair and must provide proof of work before the service ticket can be closed.
The ticket contains three attachment attributes:
- Before Service Images — accepts
.jpg,.jpeg, and.png. - After Service Images — accepts
.jpg,.jpeg, and.png. - Service Completion Report — accepts
.pdfand.docx.
The engineer uploads photographs before and after the repair. Image previews allow the dispatcher or supervisor to review the evidence directly from the ticket. The engineer also uploads a signed service report.
A validation rule can prevent the ticket from moving to Closed until the required after-service images and service report are available.
Use case: Quality inspection documentation
A quality-inspection record requires several evidence types: product photographs, inspection reports, and, where applicable, a short video of the observed issue.
Separate Attachment attributes can be configured to accept only the permitted formats for each evidence type. This prevents a user from uploading an unrelated document in the image-evidence field or an unsupported file into the record.
The reviewer can use image previews to quickly inspect visual evidence and open supporting reports only when a detailed review is required.