Metadata instances (Files) resources

A metadata instance describes the relation between a template and a file, including the values that are assigned for every field.

Metadata instance

An instance of a metadata template, which has been applied to a file or folder.

Attributes and example

Property	Type	Required	Description
`$parent`	`string`	No	The identifier of the item that this metadata instance has been attached to. This combines the `type` and the `id` of the parent in the form `{type}_{id}`.
`$template`	`string`	No	The name of the template.
`$scope`	`string`	No	An ID for the scope in which this template has been applied. This will be `enterprise_{enterprise_id}` for templates defined for use in this enterprise, and `global` for general templates that are available to all enterprises using Box.
`$version`	`integer`	No	The version of the metadata instance. This version starts at 0 and increases every time a user-defined property is modified.

Example

{
  "$parent": "folder_59449484661,",
  "$template": "marketingCollateral",
  "$scope": "enterprise_27335",
  "$version": 1
}

Metadata instance (Base)

The base representation of a metadata instance.

Attributes and example

Property	Type	Required	Description
`$parent`	`string`	No	The identifier of the item that this metadata instance has been attached to. This combines the `type` and the `id` of the parent in the form `{type}_{id}`.
`$template`	`string`	No	The name of the template.
`$scope`	`string`	No	An ID for the scope in which this template has been applied. This will be `enterprise_{enterprise_id}` for templates defined for use in this enterprise, and `global` for general templates that are available to all enterprises using Box.
`$version`	`integer`	No	The version of the metadata instance. This version starts at 0 and increases every time a user-defined property is modified.

Example

{
  "$parent": "folder_59449484661,",
  "$template": "marketingCollateral",
  "$scope": "enterprise_27335",
  "$version": 1
}

Metadata instance (Full)

An instance of a metadata template, which has been applied to a file or folder.

Attributes and example

Property	Type	Required	Description
`$parent`	`string`	No	The identifier of the item that this metadata instance has been attached to. This combines the `type` and the `id` of the parent in the form `{type}_{id}`.
`$template`	`string`	No	The name of the template.
`$scope`	`string`	No	An ID for the scope in which this template has been applied. This will be `enterprise_{enterprise_id}` for templates defined for use in this enterprise, and `global` for general templates that are available to all enterprises using Box.
`$version`	`integer`	No	The version of the metadata instance. This version starts at 0 and increases every time a user-defined property is modified.
`$canEdit`	`boolean`	No	Whether the user can edit this metadata instance.
`$id`	`string`	No	A UUID to identify the metadata instance.
`$type`	`string`	No	A unique identifier for the “type” of this instance. This is an internal system property and should not be used by a client application.
`$typeVersion`	`integer`	No	The last-known version of the template of the object. This is an internal system property and should not be used by a client application.

Example

{
  "$parent": "folder_59449484661,",
  "$template": "marketingCollateral",
  "$scope": "enterprise_27335",
  "$version": 1,
  "$canEdit": true,
  "$id": "01234500-12f1-1234-aa12-b1d234cb567e",
  "$type": "properties-6bcba49f-ca6d-4d2a-a758-57fe6edf44d0",
  "$typeVersion": 2
}

Metadata instances

A list of metadata instances that have been applied to a file or folder.

Attributes and example

Property	Type	Required	Description
`entries`	array of Metadata instance	No	A list of metadata instances, as applied to this file or folder.
`limit`	`integer`	No	The limit that was used for this page of results.

Example

{
  "entries": [
    {
      "$parent": "folder_59449484661,",
      "$template": "marketingCollateral",
      "$scope": "enterprise_27335",
      "$version": 1
    }
  ],
  "limit": 100
}

v2025.0

v2026.0

Metadata instances (Files) resources

Metadata instance

Metadata instance (Base)

Metadata instance (Full)

Metadata instances

​Metadata instance

​Metadata instance (Base)

​Metadata instance (Full)

​Metadata instances

Metadata instance

Metadata instance (Base)

Metadata instance (Full)

Metadata instances