# Working with Content Placeholders

Content placeholders are documents without an attached source file. Many document actions are associated with source files and are not available on content placeholders, including **Create Draft**, **Check Out**, and **Upload New Version**.

## How to Create Placeholders

To create a new content placeholder:

  1. Choose **Create > Document** from the menu bar.
  2. Select **Placeholder** from the _Create Document_ menu and click **Continue**.
  3. Select a document type using the <a href="/en/gr/25787/">document type selector</a>.
  4. Click **Next**.
  5. Fill in document fields. Fields highlighted in yellow are required and must be populated before continuing.
  6. Click **Save**.

## How to Associate Content

Once a placeholder exists, you can associate content with the placeholder object by uploading a source file. There are <a href="/en/gr/15085/#Source_File_Limits">limits for source files</a>.



To add content:

  1. From the Library or Doc Info page, click the **Upload File** button. This icon appears where the **Download Document** button appears for documents with associated content.
  2. Optional: Enter information about the new source file in the **Notes** field.
  3. Click the upload icon and select the source file or drag and drop files from your computer into the area within the dotted border. If your Vault uses the <a href="/en/gr/73813/">Google Drive integration</a>, select one of the icons.
  4. Click **OK**.
  5. Click **Upload** to upload the file. You cannot upload files larger than 4 GB.
  5. If <a href="/en/gr/21893/">duplicate content detection</a> is enabled, Vault checks whether the same file already exists and notifies you.
  6. Once upload is complete, Vault generates a viewable rendition, as long as the source file uses a supported format.

## How to Add Attachments to Placeholders {#placeholderattachments}

Once enabled on a document type, Vault allows <a href="/en/gr/24287/">attachments</a> on content placeholders. A single content placeholder with attachments allows you to create an organized group of files for general sharing in much the same way as a folder in a traditional file system.

To add attachments to a content placeholder:

  1. Open the Doc Info page and expand the **Attachments** section in the Document Files panel.
  2. Drag and drop files from your computer into the area within the dotted border or click the **Upload** icon. You can upload multiple files at once; each becomes an individual attachment.
  3. Optional: Click **Add Description** to add a description for the attachment. When you include attachments in a search, Vault searches in the description, as well as the file name.

## How to Create a Placeholder from an EDL Item

<a href="/en/gr/32749/">_EDL Item_ records</a> represent a specific type of document that you expect to collect. Vault <a href="/en/gr/32749/#placeholders">defaults similar document fields</a> with values from the _EDL Item_ record. To create a placeholder from an _EDL Item_:

  1. Navigate to the individual _EDL Item_ record. Depending on your Vault, this may be in a custom tab or in **Business Admin > Objects**.
  2. From the Actions menu, click **Create Placeholder**.
  3. The _Create Placeholder (Step 1)_ page opens. Vault automatically selects the same document type as the EDL item uses. Click **Next**.
  4. Fill in any other fields needed and click **Save**. Vault auto-populates the _Study_, _Study Country_, and _Study Site_ fields based on the _EDL Item_ (eTMF & Study Startup only).
  5. The Doc Info page opens for your placeholder. You can now associate content with your placeholder.

You can also create placeholders for multiple _EDL Items_ using the **Create Placeholders** <a href="/en/gr/33725/#placeholders">bulk action</a>.

## Placeholders & Renditions

Vault prevents you from uploading renditions, including a Viewable Rendition, to placeholder documents. You must upload a source file before you are able to work with renditions for the document.

## Placeholders & Workflows

There is no restriction preventing you from starting a workflow for a placeholder document. However, administrators may restrict this functionality through configuration.