Purpose
Aspire allows you to attach images and documents to properties, opportunities, work tickets and emails. In this article, we'll explain image attachments, their size limits, and how to set a default attachment size in Administration.
The different file categorizations available for file uploads are:
- Design Plan,
- Document,
- Irrigation Map,
- Photo,
- Property Info, and
- Site Plan.
File Size
⚠️ The max upload size is 30 MB per attachment for both documents and image files.
To ensure your files get uploaded correctly, reference the sizing chart below to help decide what the best default image size should be when uploading to Aspire. This reference serves as a guide to ensure you are staying within the parameters for quality image uploads:
Small | Medium | Large | Actual | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
File Size (Kilobytes) | 12.9 KB | 44.6 KB | 247 KB | 3660KB (3.6 MB) |
Setting a Default Attachment Size in Administration
To set your Default Attachment Size in Aspire, we'll need to go to Administration.
- Click the Profile Icon in the side menu and select Administration.
- Click on Configuration in the right corner.
- It will default to the Application subsection. Scroll to the bottom to set your Default Attachment Upload Size.
- Pick your default size.
- Then, Save in the upper right corner to apply your changes:
Now, when uploading files to Aspire, your default preferences will be used across the system!
Sizes of Image Attachments
When images are attached, you can choose the image size as one of four values:
- Small
- Medium
- Large
- Actual Size
💡 It's a good idea to choose smaller image sizes that will still allow the image to be viewed. This is because smaller image sizes load faster on your devices when working in Aspire.
The maximum dimensions of a photo file are shown in the table below. The 'actual' size is the exact dimension of how the original photo was taken, so dimensions will vary.
File Size | Max Width X Max Height (pixels) |
|---|---|
SMALL | 320 X 240 |
MEDIUM | 640 X 480 |
LARGE | 1632 X 1224 |
ACTUAL SIZE | Determined by original |
📌 Note: When Aspire reduces the size of an image, the image is always reduced proportionally so that it is not stretched out (aspect ratio).
The example below shows the size of images saved as small, medium and large for an image whose original dimensions were 3024 pixels wide by 4032 pixels. The dimensions of the small image are 180 pixels wide by 240 pixels wide.
The new image will be as large as possible while still not going above the max width or the max height values shown in the chart above.
📌 Note: If you upload above the maximum recommendation for pixels per size, Aspire will shrink the image down to fit within the image guidelines you set during the upload.
- A good example would be an image that has more pixels than 320x240 size, but you choose to use the SMALL file size.
- You could lose image quality (images could appear blurry, or missing detail), which is why we recommend to stay within the recommended pixel guidelines listed above.
- In the example, to avoid this from happening, instead select the MEDIUM option and not SMALL before you upload.
Using the Upload Attachment Screen in Opportunities
The Upload Attachment screen allows you to locate attachments stored on the device that they may wish to include on the opportunity. The screen is available by selecting the Upload Files button on the Opportunity screen. It displays a device-specific window that enables you to select a file to attach.
The following table describes the screen elements on the Upload Attachment screen.
Screen Element | Description |
|---|---|
Choose Files | Select this button to locate and upload attachments stored on the device. |
Camera Icon | Select this button to take a photo directly within Aspire to attach. |
Type | Allows you to set the attachment type from a list defined on the Attachment Type screen in Administration. Default attachment types in Aspire are Photo, Document, Map, Site Map, and Contract. |
Name | By default, Aspire fills in the name based on the name of the file that you attach. This field allows you to update the name associated with the attachment if needed. |
Photo Size | If the attachment is a photo, Aspire can reduce the resolution of the attachment compared to the original to speed up the display of the image on the devices. |
Notes | Enter a note for the attachment to improve clarity and organization, making it easier to categorize, search, and document attachments. Note: There is a 500-character limit on the Notes field. |
Tags | Enter tag(s) to attachments to better categorize and improve searching and organizing. |
Expose to Crew | Allows you to make the attachment available to crew leaders in Aspire Mobile when they are doing work associated with the opportunity. |
Attach to Invoice | Set the attachment to be included with the invoice any time an invoice is emailed to the customer. |
Attach to Proposal | Select or deselect the checkbox in the Attach To Proposal box to include or exclude the attachment in the proposal that you send to your customers. |
Managing Attachments on Emails
The Manage Attachments screen displays the list of documents that are currently attached to an email. This screen is displayed by selecting the Attachments hyperlink from the Email screen or the Contacts, Properties, Opportunities, Work Tickets, Purchasing, or Equipment modules.
Select View All to open the Manage Attachments screen. Refer to the images below to see the list and the thumbnail views of the screen.
The following image is of the Manage Attachments screen in list view:
The following image is of the Manage Attachments screen in thumbnail view, with the side panel open.
| View and Manage Attachments | |
|---|---|
Search | Use this search bar for your quick keyword searches. You can search by attachment name. The results from your search will only contain an approximate match based on the string of characters you enter in the search bar. You can also select the Search tab from the top menu to search and upload attachments that already exist across Aspire. |
| Attachment Type | Allows you to set the attachment type from a list defined on the Attachment Type screen in Administration. Default attachment types in Aspire are Photo, Document, Map, Site Map, and Contract. |
| Attachment Tag | Enter tag(s) to attachments to improve clarity and organization, making it easier to categorize, search, and document attachments. For more information on creating Tags, read this article! |
Display Options  | Select the three-line menu to view your attachments in a list view, or choose the thumbnail icon for a gallery view. You can display all attachment types or filter by images or files. |
Select | In the file display view, select the first checkbox at the top of the list to the left of the filter categories to act on all listed attachments. In the gallery view, check the Select All checkbox.
|
| Bulk Actions Menu | The Bulk Actions menu enables you to make the exact change to one or more attachments simultaneously.
|
More Actions Menu | Select the three dot menu to reveal more options.
|
Save or Cancel | You will be prompted to save any unsaved changes. Your option to Cancel or Save changes is at the bottom of the manage attachments modal. |
Manage Attachments Fields
Select the Search tab to search, sort, and display your attachment search lists using the below-listed fields. A search and checkbox prompt will then appear so that you can configure your search. Select directly on the field's name to sort the order of your search or select and drag the field names to reorganize the fields or set row groups.
Name of Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Attachment Type | The file format of the attachment. The most common attachment types are documents and images. Select here for more information about Attachment Type. |
| Attachment Name | The file name of the saved attachment. When you use the name filter, you will only see search results containing characters you type. |
| Notes | Enter a note for the attachment to improve clarity and organization, making it easier to categorize, search, and document attachments. |
| Attachment Tag | Enter tag(s) to attachments to improve clarity and organization, making it easier to categorize, search, and document attachments. |
| Upload Date | The upload date marks the date that the attachment was uploaded to Aspire. |
Manage Attachments Side Panel
Select an attachment in the Manage Attachments thumbnail view to open the side panel. The side panel displays details about the attachment, such as its name, upload date, associated Property, Opportunity, Contact, or Work Ticket information, notes, tags, and attachment type.
Depending on the module, it also includes check boxes for options like Expose to Crew, Attach to Proposal, and Attach to Invoice. For more information on side panel elements, refer to the above tables.