DEFINITION
Information that describes a file, such as its title, type, date or tags. When a document arrives, Clivio suggests a clear title, a type out of 34, a two- or three-sentence summary, five to ten tags and its date. That’s what lets you find it again later.
An example: one invoice and its metadata
Metadata is everything that describes a document without being the document itself. Take a monthly hosting invoice from Lumen Hébergement. The invoice is the content. Its metadata reads: type Invoice, number FA-88231, date October 1, 2026, total €28.80 including €4.80 of VAT, paid by direct debit, plus a few tags such as “hosting”.
With that, the invoice can be found by type, date, supplier or amount, even once you’ve forgotten its file name.
What Clivio records, and what you can change
When a document arrives, Clivio suggests a title, picks a type out of 34, writes a short summary, adds five to ten tags and notes the date. On an invoice it adds the amount, the VAT, the due date and the supplier. You can correct the title, type, date and tags at any time. The amount, the due date and the organizations can’t be edited by hand: if one is wrong, run “Re-analyze”.
This metadata drives the rest. Smart folders filter on it, and search understands a type, an amount or a period because each one is stored as its own field.
The metadata hidden inside files
Files also carry metadata of their own, written by the software or device that made them. A PDF can record its author and the program that created it. A phone photo can store the date, the phone model and, if location is turned on, where it was taken. Before you share a sensitive file, remember that this information may travel with it.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between data and metadata?
Data is the content itself, such as the text and figures of an invoice. Metadata describes it: its type, date, title or tags.
Can I keep my own file names in Clivio?
Yes. You choose between the title the AI suggests, the original file name, or a naming convention of your own, which you can set per document type.