Asset Organization

​

Overview

• Folders
• Collections
• Catalogs

Folders in Athena provide a hierarchical structure for organizing your assets, similar to traditional file systems. They support parent-child relationships, allowing you to create nested folder structures that match your organizational needs.

​

Key Features

• Hierarchical Organization: Create nested folder structures to organize assets logically
• User Sandbox: Each user has a protected sandbox folder (sandbox/{username}/) for personal assets
• Sharing & Permissions: Control who can view and edit folder contents
• Asset Management: Move assets between folders with drag-and-drop or bulk operations

​

Creating Folders

1

Navigate to Spaces

Go to Spaces and find the location where you want to create a folder.

2

Create New Folder

Click the + icon and select New Folder from the menu. Give your folder a descriptive name.

3

Organize Assets

Drag and drop assets into your folder, or use the context menu to move multiple assets at once.

​

Folder Structure

Folders can contain:

• Assets: Documents, sheets, notebooks, and other file types
• Subfolders: Create nested hierarchies for complex organization
• Live Assets: Files from external providers like SharePoint or Google Drive

Your personal sandbox folder is automatically created and provides a private space for your assets. Other users cannot access your sandbox unless you explicitly share assets from it.

​

Use Cases

• Project Organization: Create a folder hierarchy for each project with subfolders for different phases or components
• Department Structure: Mirror your organization’s structure with folders for each team or department
• Document Classification: Organize documents by type, status, or security level
• Personal Workspace: Use your sandbox folder for work-in-progress or personal reference materials

Learn more about Athena’s capabilities with folders in Athena’s Visibility and Capabilities.

​

Comparison & Best Practices

​

When to Use Each System

​

Best Practices

• Create a consistent folder structure across your workspace
• Use descriptive names that reflect content or purpose
• Leverage the sandbox for work-in-progress before sharing
• Don’t nest too deeply - aim for 3-4 levels maximum

• Add clear descriptions explaining the collection’s purpose
• Use collections for temporary or project-specific groupings
• Create collections for frequently accessed asset combinations
• Update collections as projects evolve

• Connect only the catalogs you actively need
• Use database catalogs for real-time data analysis
• Use live asset catalogs to avoid data duplication
• Understand that catalog access requires active provider connections

​

Combining Systems

1. Folder + Collection: Organize assets in folders for structure, then create collections that span multiple folders for project views
2. Catalog + Collection: Add live assets from catalogs to collections alongside native Athena assets
3. All Three: Maintain folder structure for permanent organization, use collections for active projects, and connect catalogs for external data access

​

Related Documentation