# Digital asset management

A searchable source of truth for brand and marketing teams: structured metadata, powerful search, and events that keep the rest of your stack in sync.

![A digital asset management dashboard built on the Playbook API](/img/examples/dam.webp)

Live preview

**[Open the interactive preview →](/demos/digital-asset-management/index.html)**  ·  a self-contained `index.html` you can click through in your browser (open photos, favorite shots, switch tabs) or download.

## The flow[​](#the-flow "Direct link to The flow")

1. Define **custom fields** for your taxonomy (approval status, campaign, etc.).
2. Ingest assets and set their fields.
3. **Search and filter** across metadata and full text.
4. Fire **webhooks** so downstream systems stay current.

## 1. Define your taxonomy[​](#1-define-your-taxonomy "Direct link to 1. Define your taxonomy")

Create the fields your team files against. Here, an approval workflow:

```
curl -X POST "https://api.playbook.com/v1/$ORG/custom_fields" \

  -H "Authorization: Bearer $PLAYBOOK_TOKEN" \

  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \

  -d '{

    "field": {

      "name": "Approval Status",

      "options": ["Draft", "In Review", "Approved", "Rejected"]

    }

  }'
```

See [Custom Fields](/docs/guides/custom_fields.md) for field types and options.

## 2. Ingest and tag[​](#2-ingest-and-tag "Direct link to 2. Ingest and tag")

Ingest the asset into a board…

```
curl -X POST "https://api.playbook.com/v1/$ORG/assets" \

  -H "Authorization: Bearer $PLAYBOOK_TOKEN" \

  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \

  -d '{

    "asset": {

      "uri": "https://example.com/campaign/hero.jpg",

      "title": "Spring hero",

      "collection_token": "spring-campaign"

    }

  }'
```

…then set (and later change) its custom fields as it moves through review:

```
curl -X PATCH "https://api.playbook.com/v1/$ORG/assets/spring-hero/update" \

  -H "Authorization: Bearer $PLAYBOOK_TOKEN" \

  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \

  -d '{ "asset": { "fields": { "Approval Status": "Approved" } } }'
```

## 3. Search across your library[​](#3-search-across-your-library "Direct link to 3. Search across your library")

Filter on media type and board at the API boundary. Asset payloads include their custom-field values, so this example applies the approval value after retrieval:

dam-search.ts

```
const ORG = "your-org";

const TOKEN = process.env.PLAYBOOK_TOKEN!;



async function search(query: string, filters: Record<string, string> = {}) {

  const params = new URLSearchParams({ query });

  for (const [key, value] of Object.entries(filters)) {

    params.append(key, value);

  }

  const res = await fetch(

    `https://api.playbook.com/v1/${ORG}/search?${params}`,

    { headers: { Authorization: `Bearer ${TOKEN}` } },

  );

  const { data } = await res.json();

  return data;

}



// Approved images in the spring campaign. `filters[statuses][]` matches custom-field

// option names, so the filtering happens server-side rather than page by page.

const results = await search("", {

  "filters[media_type]": "image/jpeg",

  "filters[boards][]": "spring-campaign",

  "filters[statuses][]": "Approved",

});
```

For semantic, natural-language queries ("moody product shots on a dark background"), swap `search` for [AI Search](/docs/guides/ai_search.md).

## 4. Stay in sync with webhooks[​](#4-stay-in-sync-with-webhooks "Direct link to 4. Stay in sync with webhooks")

Register a trigger so your DAM dashboard, Slack, or data warehouse updates the moment assets change:

```
curl -X POST "https://api.playbook.com/v1/trigger" \

  -H "Authorization: Bearer $PLAYBOOK_TOKEN" \

  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \

  -d '{ "hook_url": "https://your-server.com/webhooks/playbook" }'
```

Your endpoint receives asset create/update events (including the asset payload and its `display_url`). See [Webhooks](/docs/guides/webhooks.md) for the event schema and signature verification.

## Related[​](#related "Direct link to Related")

* [Custom Fields](/docs/guides/custom_fields.md)
* [Search](/docs/guides/search.md) · [AI Search](/docs/guides/ai_search.md)
* [Webhooks](/docs/guides/webhooks.md)
* [Asset Management](/docs/guides/asset_management.md)