MetaVox

Structured metadata for Nextcloud documents

An open-source Nextcloud app developed by the University of Amsterdam. Enrich your documents with contextual information without modifying the files themselves.

Version: 1.4.7 License: AGPL-3.0 Nextcloud: 28 - 32
MetaVox Overview

Core Functionality

MetaVox provides structured and machine-readable metadata that is non-intrusive - the file content remains unchanged.

  • Metadata assignment to team folders and their contents
  • Role-based access control
  • Distinction between folder-level (read-only) and document-level (editable) metadata
  • JSON import/export for metadata definitions
  • Integration with Nextcloud's permission system
File Metadata

Field Types

Extensive choice of field types for every metadata need.

Basic Field Types

Text

Single line text input for short values like titles, authors and IDs.

Textarea

Multi-line input for descriptions, notes, summaries and comments.

Number

Accepts only numeric values for versions, counts and quantities.

Date

Date picker for publication dates, expiry dates and deadlines.

Checkbox

Boolean toggle for statuses like approval or confidentiality flags.

Select (Dropdown)

Single choice dropdown with comma-separated values in configuration.

Advanced Field Types

URL

URL input field with validation and clickable external link button.

User Picker

Select from Nextcloud user database with avatar display.

File Link

Native Nextcloud file picker integration for document linking.

Multi-select

Like Select, but allows multiple selections for tags and related topics.

File Link

Team Folder Metadata

Manage metadata definitions at team folder level for consistent classification.

  • Admin-only definition capabilities
  • Folder-level metadata automatically inherited by documents
  • Consistent classification for all files in a team folder
  • Easy management via admin interface
Team Folder Metadata

Metadata Management

Configure metadata fields easily via the admin interface.

  • Field name and label configuration
  • Field type selection
  • Description for users
  • Required/optional setting
  • Options for dropdown fields
Manage Team Metadata

Bulk Metadata Editor

Apply metadata to multiple files at once via the Bulk Metadata Editor in the Files app.

  • Select multiple files with checkboxes or Ctrl/Cmd+click
  • Overwrite existing values: replaces all existing values
  • Only fill empty fields: only updates empty fields
  • Clear All: removes all metadata
  • Export CSV: download metadata with timestamp
Bulk Edit Metadata
Bulk Edit Modal

Workflow Integration

Nextcloud Flow

Automate actions based on metadata values with Nextcloud Flow integration.

Conditional Rules

Use operators like "is", "contains" and regex matching for flexible rules.

Access Restrictions

Automatically restrict access based on metadata classification.

Notifications

Send automatic notifications when metadata has certain values.

Download Blocking

Block downloads for confidential documents based on metadata.

Automation

Link actions to metadata changes for automated workflows.

Use Cases

Curriculum Tagging

Tag educational materials with curriculum codes, grade level and subject area.

Policy Classification

Classify policy documents with status, version and approval information.

Research Annotation

Annotate research documents with methodology, datasets and citations.

Contract Management

Track contract dates, parties, amounts and expiration dates.

Document Archiving

Retention policies and archiving metadata for legal requirements.

Project Documentation

Organize project documents with phase, owner and status.

Target Audiences

Universities

Manage research documents, publications and datasets with extensive metadata for findability and compliance.

Governments

Document classification, retention policies and archiving metadata for legal requirements.

Knowledge Workers

Organize project documents, contracts and reports with structured metadata for quick retrieval.

Legal Departments

Track contract dates, parties, amounts and expiration dates. Automatic notifications via workflows.

Import & Export

JSON Import/Export

Export and import metadata definitions as JSON for backup or migration.

CSV Export

Download metadata as CSV file with timestamp, including file path and name.

Metadata Definitions

Share metadata schemas between installations via JSON export.

IntraVox Integration

News Filtering

Filter IntraVox news widgets by MetaVox metadata for targeted content.

Page Metadata

Add structured metadata to IntraVox intranet pages.

Searchable

Search intranet content based on MetaVox metadata tags.

Roadmap

Retention Policies

Automatic document retention and deletion based on metadata.

Versioning

Metadata version history for audit trails.

Audit Logging

Detailed logging of metadata changes.

Advanced Search

Searchable and filterable metadata in Nextcloud search.

Installation

  1. Open Nextcloud as administrator
  2. Go to AppsOffice & text apps
  3. Search for MetaVox
  4. Click Download and enable
  5. Configure metadata fields via Admin Settings → MetaVox
  6. Assign metadata definitions to team folders

Requirements

  • Nextcloud 28, 29, 30, 31 or 32
  • PHP 8.1 or higher
  • Database MySQL, MariaDB, PostgreSQL or SQLite
  • Team Folders App Recommended

Credits

MetaVox was originally developed by Sam Ditmeijer and Rik Dekker at the University of Amsterdam.

License

MetaVox is available under the AGPL-3.0 license. For commercial use with team folders and extended support, a commercial license is available.