You can attach many files to a FileMaker record in one step. Out of the box, FileMaker inserts one file per action. Kyo Logic’s free Multi-File Uploader add-on adds a drag-and-drop window, so users can drop photos, PDFs, spreadsheets, and drawings onto a record together, then preview, download, or delete them from a portal.

Here is the moment it exists for. A field technician comes back from a site visit with 14 photos and a signed checklist. Attaching them one container at a time takes a dozen clicks per file, so the photos end up in an email thread instead of on the job record. Three months later, nobody can find the picture of the damaged panel.

What does the add-on do?

• Upload many files at once to the record you are viewing: a customer, order, project, or ticket.
• Preview, download, or delete uploaded files from a simple portal below the button.
• Store files where you want. Files go into the included uploaderFiles table by default, or you can point storage at your own Documents or Files table.
• Drop it onto any layout and link it to that layout’s primary key.

Day to day, it works like this:

Requirements and setup

The add-on needs FileMaker 19 or later, which is when Claris introduced add-ons. It works in hosted and local files. Setup takes about five minutes:

1. Create the add-on. Open the downloaded file, click Create Add-on, and when the script finishes, close FileMaker.
2. Install it. Reopen FileMaker and open the file you want to enhance. In Layout mode, open the Add-ons tab in the left pane, click the + button, and choose the uploader add-on. Drag its icon onto your layout.
3. Tie uploads to your record. In the uploader_Upload File script, set the $id variable to the primary key of the layout’s base table, for example Customers::CustomerID or Jobs::JobID.
4. Choose where files are stored. Keep the included uploaderFiles table, or update the storage steps in uploader_Upload File to target your own table and fields.

These steps are examples. Update layout names, table occurrences, field names, and privileges to match your solution, and test on a copy of your file before rolling it out.

How it fits real workflows

• Field service and inspections: drop in the photos and checklist from a visit, no extra steps.
• Sales and account records: keep proposals, statements of work, and change orders with the customer.
• Operations and projects: store drawings, packaging specs, or vendor certifications on the job.
• Quality checks: attach inspection photos and test reports to the lot or order they belong to.
• Support tickets: attach screenshots and logs to speed up resolution.

Security, styling, and troubleshooting

Apply privilege sets so only the right roles can upload or delete files, and if you change the storage table, confirm accounts have the right record and field access. Restyle the button and portal to match your theme.

If something looks wrong, it is almost always one of four things:

• Add-on not visible: confirm you ran Create Add-on and restarted FileMaker before installing.
• Files linking to the wrong record: recheck the $id assignment in uploader_Upload File.
• Files missing from your table: if you pointed storage at a custom table, recheck the storage steps and field mappings.
• Portal looks empty: make sure the portal uses the correct related table occurrence and a relationship on your record’s primary key.

For power users: add a server-side cleanup routine for orphaned files when a record is deleted, add a counter to file names if you need versions, show a busy indicator for large uploads, or adapt the storage steps to write to S3 or Azure with signed download links. If you need to push files back out on a schedule, the Data File script steps handle that side, and the Rich Text Editor covers the notes that usually sit next to the attachments.

A thank-you

The Multi-File Uploader would not exist without Jason Wood’s work at Define Database. Jason originally built this tool for use with S3, and we adapted it for storage in FileMaker. Thank you, Jason.

What this could look like in your solution

The payoff is that documents stop living in inboxes. When attaching a file is as easy as dropping it on the record, people do it, and the record becomes the place to look. That matters most where proof is required later: inspections, deliveries, quality checks, and change orders.

Kyo Logic builds custom Claris FileMaker and manufacturing software for businesses across New England and beyond. If you want help dropping the add-on onto a layout, pointing it at your primary key, or moving storage into your existing documents table, a short working session is often enough. Reach out.

Frequently asked questions

Can FileMaker upload multiple files at once?

Not natively. FileMaker inserts one file per action. The free Multi-File Uploader add-on adds a drag-and-drop window so users can attach many files to a record in one step.

Which FileMaker version does the Multi-File Uploader need?

FileMaker 19 or later, since it is packaged as a FileMaker add-on. It works in hosted and local files.

Where are the uploaded files stored?

By default in the included uploaderFiles table. You can point storage at your own Documents or Files table by updating the storage steps in the uploader_Upload File script.

Why are my files attaching to the wrong record?

Check the $id variable in the uploader_Upload File script. It must use the primary key of the layout’s base table, such as Customers::CustomerID.

Quick takeaways

• Pick the record type where people email files instead of attaching them, and start there.
• Set $id to the primary key of the layout’s base table before anything else.
• Decide whether files belong in the included table or your existing documents table.
• Install on a copy of your file, test uploads and deletes with each privilege set, then roll out.