---
title: "Import Metadata with an Asset in a FTP Watch Folder"
url: "https://support.sardius.media/knowledge-base/import-metadata-with-an-asset-in-a-ftp-watch-folder"
category: "Watch Folders"
updated: 2026-10-30
summary: "Managing an asset's metadata can be time-intensive. Thankfully, our FTP Watch Folders allow you to automate populating (or pre-tag) metadata for single assets or a whole group of assets. It takes a little bit more work on the front end, but even people without access to the Control Panel now have…"
---

# Import Metadata with an Asset in a FTP Watch Folder

Managing an asset's metadata can be time-intensive. Thankfully, our FTP Watch Folders allow you to automate populating (or pre-tag) metadata for single assets or a whole group of assets.  It takes a little bit more work on the front end, but even people without access to the Control Panel now have the ability to add the metadata with a simple text editing program. The metadata is added to the asset upon import through an accompanying JSON file.

### Import Metadata for a Single Asset

All files that are uploaded to the bucket will have a filename. The accompanying JSON simply needs to carry the same file name, and the system will connect them. Once a JSON is found, any metadata fields found inside the JSON will auto-populate to the asset. 

**Example:**

- File to be imported is named **myFile._mp4_** 
- Accompanying JSON file is named **myFile._json_** 
- myFile.json has the following content inside of it:

```
{
   "title": "My Custom Title",
   "pid": "alphaNumeric123",
   "description": "My Custom description",
   "series": "My Custom Series",
   "categories": ["Category 1", "Category 2"],
   "topics": ["Topic 1", "Topic 2"],
   "speakers": ["Speaker 1", "Speaker 2"],
   "tags": ["Tag 1", "Tag 2"],
   "airDate": "2023-06-01T00:00:00Z",
   "approved": true
}
```

#### **Accepted Metadata fields:**

- **title** - the asset title
- **pid** - the unique asset PID for players to reference
- **description** - an appropriate description of the asset
- **series** - if the asset is part of a Series, that Series title will go here
- **categories** - If you are utilizing Categories within the Control Panel (i.e. for a VOD or SimLive feed), the Category will be put here. Multiple Categories are allowed, separated by commas
- **topics** - if you are utilizing Topics within your metadata, place them here. Multiple topics are allowed, separated by commas.
- **speakers** - if you are utilizing Speakers within your metadata, place them here. Multiple speakers are allowed, separated by commas.
- **tags** - If you are utilizing Tags within the Control Panel, the Tag will be put here. Multiple Tags are allowed, separated by commas
- **airDate** - The date that the asset aired. Any valid date format can be used here.
- **approved** - If you want the asset to be approved and immediately included into a feed, this is where you would indicate that. The value here should read either _true_ or _false._

An exception to the Metadata is the ability to link a new Asset to an existing that is already in the system. This metadata field is only read using the **Import** option (not available when transcoding), and if this field is present, the system will ignore any other metadata in favor of this one.

- **existingAssetId** - This must be a valid asset ID obtained from an existing SCP asset (not PID) in order to work

![CleanShot 2026-08-06 at 16.45.14](https://support.sardius.media/kb-media/12dcfb5aa5d02c10.png)

The other special-use Metadata field is the Media Profile. If using custom folder names, rather than folders named after a Media Profile, you will need to tell the system which Media Profile to use.

- **publishProfile** - Must be a valid value from the Accepted Media Profiles list:
  - `audio` - Creates an MP3
  - `hls` - Transcodes using our HLS profile
  - `mp4` - Transcodes using our MP4 profile
  - `hls-enhanced` - Transcodes using our HLS (enhanced) profile
  - `mp4-enhanced` - Transcodes using our MP4 (enhanced) profile

> **Tip:** Upload your JSON file before your video / audio file to ensure your file doesn’t get processed before your JSON is uploaded. Only valid JSON is going to work, to double check your file, you can use a **[](https://jsonlint.com/)[](https://jsonlint.com/)[free online JSON validator](https://jsonlint.com/)[](https://jsonlint.com/)[](https://jsonlint.com/)**.

### Import Metadata for a Multiple Assets via a Custom Folder

We support the ability to create any folder name you want. With a settings.json file in it, you can choose all the metadata for all files that get uploaded to that folder. 

To create a custom folder, create any folder name you want. Example: _My Custom Profile_. This folder **MUST** be placed at the same level as the standard folders in your account (hls, import, etc.)

> **Note:** If you place a folder inside an existing folder, any files you load into that folder will be ignored.

Inside of that folder, upload a settings.json file with any values found from the Per File Settings point on this page. **publishProfile** is a **required field** for this file or else no jobs will be processed.

Any future files that are uploaded to this folder will now use the settings.json metadata for it. 

**Example:**

Settings.json has the following content:

```
{ 
   "series": "My Custom Series",
   "categories": ["Category 1",],
   "approved": true,
   "publishProfile": "mp4"
}
```

With these settings in place, uploading a file called myFile.mp4 to the _My Custom Profile_ folder, will create an asset with the series _My Custom Series_ , a category called _Category 1_ , it will be auto approved, and it will use the mp4 media profile to create this asset. The title will be _myFile_.

> **Note:** settings.json files also work in any default Media Profile folder as well.