An attachment is a file kept with the record it belongs to — a signed form, a letter, a photo, a receipt, or similar. Instead of hunting through email or a shared drive, the file lives with the client, donor, visit, request, or other record you attached it to.
Where to look: There is no separate Attachments tab on a person or case record. After you upload a file, open that same record and go to the Activity tab. Attachments show on the activity timeline next to notes, calls, tasks, and correspondence.
Find a document after you upload or download it
1. Open the same record the file was uploaded to (for example the client, donor, visit, request, class registration, or contribution).
2. Select the Activity tab.
3. Find the attachment on the timeline (file name / paperclip row). Newest items are usually at the top.
4. Open the row to view or download the file.
If you do not see it
Confirm you are on the record you uploaded to, not a related record you expected to inherit the file.
Use Filter above the timeline and make sure Attachments is not hidden. The button may say something like “Attachments hidden.” Choose Show all to bring every activity type back.
Filters are remembered per record. Clearing filters on one client does not change another.
Some activity types can be restricted by user group. If a teammate can open a file and you cannot, ask an administrator to check Activity Type access under Settings → Security → User Groups.
Add an attachment
1. Open the record the file should live on.
2. Choose Create Attachment (from that record’s create or actions menu — exact placement can vary by module).
3. Upload the file and give it a clear name so teammates know what it is without opening it.
4. Save.
5. Open the Activity tab on that same record to confirm the file is on the timeline.
While a file is uploading, CoolFocus shows a small progress indicator naming the file so you can see the upload is still working, especially for a large file or a batch of several files. Keep the page open until it finishes; if you try to close or reload the page during an upload, your browser will ask you to confirm, since leaving too soon cancels the upload. You cannot start another attachment upload until the current one finishes.
Size limits and plan cost
Per file: up to 100 MB
Per upload: up to 10 files at a time
Organization storage: there is no overall storage quota for record attachments
Billing: uploading documents to records does not change your plan cost. CoolFocus does not bill by storage used for these files
Uploading files on a visit works a little differently. In a visit's Files tab (this includes ultrasound images), each file you select uploads on its own instead of as one batch. That means the 10-file count above does not limit how many files or images you can add to a visit in one selection. Every file still has to be under the 100 MB per-file limit.
Executable or script file types (for example .exe, .bat, .js) are blocked for security.
Inbox message attachments are different. Images or video sent with Inbox text or secure messages are limited to 5 MB per file (carrier MMS rules), and message sending may count toward usage billing. See Message Attachments.
Who an attachment is about
Every attachment has a Person field showing who it belongs to. CoolFocus fills this in automatically from the record you added the file on (a person, a request, a service received record, a contribution, a conversation, a visit, and similar), so the file stays tied to the right person even when you upload from a related record. You can change Person by hand if needed.
Activity Type
Every attachment can have an Activity Type — the same shared label used on notes, calls, and tasks. Use it to tag what kind of document this is.
If your organization restricts a particular activity type, only user groups granted access to it can see, upload, or edit attachments tagged with that type. See User Groups and Permissions.
Organizations set up for Love INC: Community Assistance do not see the Activity Type field on attachments. The default Activity Type values are geared toward pregnancy center medical contexts, so CoolFocus hides the field for those organizations. No setup is needed on your end.
Lists, contact columns, and export
When you work from an Attachments list or export (for reporting across many people), CoolFocus can include the linked person’s contact details as their own columns: Contact First Name, Contact Last Name, Contact Email, and Contact Phone. Those values come from the attachment’s Person field so you can filter or export by client without opening each file. They are display-only and do not appear as import fields.
Day-to-day “where is the file I just uploaded?” still starts on the record → Activity tab, not a separate Attachments tab on the person record.
What to attach
Documents that belong to the record’s history (agreements, forms, correspondence)
Files a teammate would need without having to ask you for them
Photos or receipts tied to a specific interaction
Good habits
Use a clear, descriptive file name
Only attach what belongs on the record; follow your organization’s privacy policy for sensitive documents
Replace outdated versions rather than leaving stale files behind
After upload, glance at Activity so you know teammates will find it in the same place