File Sharing

File Sharing lets your church distribute documents, media, and other files to members. Organize files in folders, control who can access them, and set expiration dates for time-sensitive content.

Overview

With File Sharing, you can:

1. Upload files — PDFs, documents, images, videos, audio, and more

2. Organize with folders — Group related files together

3. Control visibility — Restrict access to specific audiences

4. Set expiration dates — Automatically hide outdated content

5. Share publicly — Make files available on your Lightpost website

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Creating Files

Uploading a New File

1. Go to Files in the admin panel

2. Click New File

3. Complete the form:

   • Title — Display name for the file

   • Upload File — Select the file from your computer

   • Type — Choose the file category (PDF, Document, Image, Video, Audio, Other)

   • Folder — (Optional) Select a folder to organize the file

   • Expire Date — (Optional) When the file should no longer be visible

4. Set visibility options (see Visibility Settings below)

5. Click Create File

Supported File Types

Type	Common Extensions
PDF	.pdf
Document	.doc, .docx, .xls, .xlsx, .ppt, .pptx, .txt
Image	.jpg, .jpeg, .png, .gif, .webp
Video	.mp4, .mov, .avi, .wmv
Audio	.mp3, .wav, .m4a, .aac
Other	Any other file type

Editing Files

1. Click the pencil icon next to any file

2. Update the title, type, folder, expiration, or visibility

3. Click Save Changes

Note: To replace the actual file, delete the existing one and upload a new file.

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Creating Folders

Folders help organize your files into logical groups.

Creating a New Folder

1. Go to Files in the admin panel

2. Click New Folder

3. Enter the folder details:

   • Title — The folder name

   • Expire Date — (Optional) When the folder should no longer be visible

   • Subfolder of — (Optional) Place inside another folder

4. Set visibility options

5. Click Create Folder

Folder Nesting

Folders can be nested one level deep. This means:

• You can create folders at the root level

• You can create subfolders inside root-level folders

• You cannot create folders inside subfolders

Example structure:

Ministry Resources/         ← Root folder
├── Worship Team/           ← Subfolder (allowed)
│   └── Song Charts.pdf     ← File in subfolder
├── Small Groups/           ← Subfolder (allowed)
└── Leadership/             ← Subfolder (allowed)

Navigating Folders

In the admin panel:

• Click any folder to view its contents

• Use the breadcrumb navigation to go back to parent folders

• The file count and folder count are shown for each level

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Visibility Settings

Control who can see your files and folders with these visibility options.

Visibility Options

Setting	Who Can See	Use Case
Default	All logged-in members	General church resources
Hidden	Admins only	Draft files, internal documents
Public	Anyone via Lightpost website	Public resources, visitor info
Men Only	Male members only	Men's ministry resources
Women Only	Female members only	Women's ministry resources

How Visibility Works

• Hidden files appear in the admin panel but not in the member app

• Public files are accessible on your Lightpost website (if enabled)

• Men/Women Only files filter based on the member's gender in their profile

• Visibility settings on folders apply to viewing the folder itself; files inside inherit their own settings

Visibility Badges

In the admin file list, visibility is indicated by colored badges:

• Hidden — Gray badge

• Public — Blue badge

• Men Only — Blue badge

• Women Only — Pink badge

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File Expiration

Set expiration dates to automatically hide time-sensitive content.

Setting an Expiration Date

When creating or editing a file or folder:

1. Click the Expire Date field

2. Select the date when the content should expire

3. Save your changes

What Happens When Content Expires

• Expired files and folders no longer appear in the member app

• Expired content remains in the admin panel (marked as expired)

• You can extend or remove the expiration date at any time

Use Cases for Expiration

• Event handouts that are only relevant for a short time

• Seasonal resources (VBS materials, Christmas programs)

• Temporary announcements or bulletins

• Time-limited study materials

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Organizing Files

Moving Files to Folders

When editing a file:

1. Select the destination folder from the Folder dropdown

2. Save changes

To remove a file from a folder, select "None" from the folder dropdown.

Sorting Files and Folders

Files and folders can be reordered using drag-and-drop:

1. In the admin file list, hover over the drag handle (⋮⋮) on the left side of any row

2. Drag the item to its new position

3. The new order is saved automatically

Storage Usage

The admin panel displays your current storage usage, showing how much space your uploaded files occupy. Monitor this to manage your account's storage capacity.

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Member Access

Viewing Shared Files

Members access files through Shared Files in the member app:

1. Open the member app

2. Navigate to Shared Files

3. Browse folders and files

4. Click any file to download

What Members See

Members only see files and folders that:

• Are not hidden

• Are not expired

• Match their gender (for Men/Women Only content)

• They have permission to access based on their role

Downloading Files

When a member clicks a file:

1. A secure, temporary download link is generated

2. The file downloads to their device

3. The link expires after a few hours for security

Note: Download links are personalized and time-limited. Members cannot share download links with non-members.

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Public Files

Make files accessible to anyone through your Lightpost website.

Making a File Public

1. Edit the file or folder

2. Check Public

3. Save changes

Where Public Files Appear

Public files can be displayed on your Lightpost website if your website template includes a files section. Contact your administrator to enable public file display on your website.

Public vs. Member Files

Aspect	Member Files	Public Files
Access	Login required	No login needed
Visibility	Member app only	Website + member app
Best for	Internal resources	Visitor resources, public downloads

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Best Practices

Organizing Your Files

• Use descriptive titles — "2024 VBS Registration Form" is better than "Form"

• Group related files — Keep all small group materials in one folder

• Set expirations — Don't let outdated content clutter your file list

• Review regularly — Archive or delete files that are no longer needed

Managing Visibility

• Start with default visibility — Only restrict when necessary

• Use Hidden for drafts — Upload files early, make visible when ready

• Consider your audience — Use gender-specific folders for appropriate content

File Naming

• Include dates in titles for recurring content: "Weekly Bulletin - January 15, 2024"

• Use consistent naming patterns across similar files

• Avoid special characters that may cause download issues

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do I replace a file without changing the link? Currently, you need to delete the old file and upload a new one. The download link will change.

Can members upload files? No, only administrators with file management permissions can upload files.

What's the maximum file size? This depends on your account settings. Contact support if you need to upload very large files.

Why can't a member see a file I uploaded? Check that the file is not hidden, not expired, and that visibility settings (Men/Women Only) match the member's profile.

Can I create more than two levels of folders? No, folders are limited to one level deep. You can have root folders and one level of subfolders.

Do expired files get deleted? No, expired files remain in the system but are hidden from members. You can extend the expiration or delete them manually.

How secure are the download links? Download links are temporary and personalized. They expire after a few hours and cannot be shared with others.

Can I see who downloaded a file? Currently, individual download tracking is not available.