---
title: "Material Metadata"
slug: "material-metadata"
description: "Configure materials in Slate to store associated metadata and make changes to that metadata directly from the Reader. "
updated: 2026-04-14T00:38:08Z
published: 2026-04-14T00:38:08Z
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://knowledge.technolutions.net/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Material Metadata

> [!NOTE]
> 📚 Part of the series **Application Building Phase I:**[**Core components**](https://knowledge.technolutions.net/docs/application-building-checklist#phase-1-core-components)

You can create a special form that appears on documents that lets you enter custom data about a material.

This data is also known as **material metadata**.

![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/cd8ea7a6-07f3-4846-a554-627ac016d3e3/Images/Documentation/Updating material metadata in Batch Acquire(1).png)

The fields of the form you create in this article appear on selected materials in Batch Acquire.

To set this up:

1. Create material-scoped fields
2. Create a material-scoped form with those (and other) fields
3. Associate the form with one or more materials

This process is useful when processing and performing data entry on incoming documents.

## Step 1: Creating material-scoped fields

Before you create a material-scoped form, you must create **material-scoped fields**to store the data to be collected on that form. These fields capture data about the particular material being uploaded.

The form can also collect data from fields with other scopes.

To create material-scoped fields:

1. Go to **Database → Fields.**
2. Select **New Field**.
3. Configure the following settings:
  - **Scope Category:** Related
  - **Scope:** Material
  - **ID:**Enter a unique, computer-friendly (all lowercase, no spaces, underscores only) ID
  - **Name**: Enter a human-friendly name
  - **Folder:**Select an existing folder, or select *Other*to create a new one.
  - **Category**: Select a category, or select *Other*to create a new one.
4. Select **Save**.

Repeat for as many field types as you want to collect on the form.

📖 Further reading: [Field settings](/v1/docs/fields-settings)

## Step 2: Creating a material-scoped form

Now that we have fields that can capture material-scoped data, we can add those fields to a material-scoped form. You can import a material-scoped form with Suitcase or create a new form:

#### Import a material-scoped form with Suitcase

Use [Suitcase](/docs/suitcase-import)to import our ready-made example material-scoped form:

```SuitcaseID
e40235d5-0fcb-4dc5-90b4-b66d05473c30:slate-examples
```

#### Create a form from scratch

To create your own material-scoped form:

1. Go to **Forms.**
2. Create a new form as you would any other form.
3. Edit the Form and click **Edit Properties**. An **Edit Properties** popup appears.
4. Change **Scope** to **Material**. The remaining properties automatically update to reflect a material-scoped form.
5. Modify the additional settings as desired.

[![Edit Form Properties](https://cdn.us.document360.io/cd8ea7a6-07f3-4846-a554-627ac016d3e3/Images/Documentation/9396092368539.png)](https://cdn.us.document360.io/cd8ea7a6-07f3-4846-a554-627ac016d3e3/Images/Documentation/9396092368539.png)

Add the relevant material-scoped fields to this form. Person-scoped and application-scoped fields can also be mapped on a material metadata form. You can only affect application-scoped fields if the material is associated with an application.

## Step 3: Associating the form with a material

Now that you have a material-scoped form, we must associate the material with the form:

1. Go to **Database → Materials.**
2. Select a material.
3. From the **Material Metadata** list, select the form you created or imported with Suitcase.

[![Edit Record Popup](https://cdn.us.document360.io/cd8ea7a6-07f3-4846-a554-627ac016d3e3/Images/Documentation/9395874317211.png)](https://cdn.us.document360.io/cd8ea7a6-07f3-4846-a554-627ac016d3e3/Images/Documentation/9395874317211.png)
4. Select **Save.**

**📖 Further reading:**See [Materials settings](/docs/creating-materials#material-settings) for descriptions of all settings.

## Collecting material metadata

With the above steps completed, you can access the form you’ve associated with a material or materials when you access that material in Batch Acquire, or directly on the record.

Material metadata can be collected on a**record**, through the **Batch Acquire**tool, or from the **Reader**.

#### Using Batch Acquire

With Batch Acquire, Slate displays a material metadata form when the corresponding material is selected.

**📖 Further reading:** [Batch Acquire](/v1/docs/batch-acquire)

#### On the record

When viewing the material from the **Materials** tab of a record, the material metadata can be found on the **Metadata** tab.

Selecting **Edit** from this view opens the material metadata form in the batch acquire interface for editing as desired.

#### From the Reader

You can set a workflow bin’s settings to access material-scoped forms so that you can view material metadata in the Reader.

**📖 Further reading:**[Workflow Bin Settings → Processing](/docs/workflow-bin-settings#processing)

## ➡️ Up next: Caching application data upon submission

We have one last stop to make in the world of materials: using them to store a record of submitted application data on the student record.

> [!NOTE]
> 📚 **Next article in this series:**[Caching application data upon submission](/v1/docs/caching-application-data-upon-submission)