List the files people need to choose between
Start with the assets used in actual work: logos, color references, typefaces, photographs, icons, templates and guidelines. Give variants separate rows when format, background or intended use differs.
Record the exact filename and a location the intended team can open. Do not put credentials in a broadly shared index. The files can stay in the client's portal, design library or existing project folder.
Record who confirmed the use
For each asset, name the person or source that supports its use, such as a brand guide or written client confirmation. Describe the documented use in plain language: a website header on a light background, for example.
Use statuses such as approved current, reference only, needs confirmation and retired. Record usage rights only when the source actually states them, and ask the client or supplier when they are unclear.
- Open the file and check its artwork and format against the guidance.
- Link the source that supports its intended use.
- Record who checked it and identify any file it replaces.
Three fictional wordmark entries
For the fictional LarkField brand, the primary SVG wordmark is recorded as current for a light website header, with a reference to the fictional brand guide. A white PNG may suit a dark background, but that use still needs confirmation.
An earlier emblem is marked retired and linked to the current replacement. The sample files, permissions and owners are fictional; the original index preserves the full entries.
Keep the index close to the work
Store the index beside the assets or link it from the project home. Assign someone to update it when the client changes guidance, approves a variant or retires a file. A thumbnail or filename alone is not an approval record.
A reusable brand index helps people choose assets during ongoing work. A final handoff index serves a different purpose: it lists the files delivered at project close.
Prepare an index with Areinum
Ask Areinum Assistant to organize the filenames, source notes and intended uses you provide into a draft index. A brand owner still confirms permissions and the right asset for the job.
See the example
Client brand asset index
All organizations, assets, file names, dates, and owners in the worked example are fictional.
| Asset ID | Asset and variant | Location | Intended use | Status | Source of authority | Owner and last checked | Replaces or notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BR-01 | Primary wordmark, SVG | Fictional team folder / Brand / LarkField_Wordmark_Primary.svg | Website header on light background | Approved current | Fictional client brand guide, section 2 | Fictional brand owner, 2026-06-03 | Current approved vector |
| BR-02 | Primary wordmark, white PNG | Fictional team folder / Brand / LarkField_Wordmark_White.png | Proposed dark-background use; confirmation pending | Needs confirmation | Fictional email reference, 2026-04-11 | Fictional designer, 2026-06-03 | Confirm background and export size |
| BR-03 | Earlier emblem file, SVG | Fictional archive / emblem-2024.svg | Historical project reference | Retired | Fictional client email, 2026-05-22 | Fictional brand owner, 2026-05-22 | Replaced by BR-01 |
- Create a row for each variant a teammate might choose differently. Include enough of its filename and location to find the actual asset.
- Use Intended use and Status to guide selection. Needs confirmation means the entry should not be treated as approval.
- Link the source that supports the entry, record who checked it and when, and identify any file it replaces.
- All organizations, files, uses, and dates are fictional. Confirm access and usage rights with the relevant owner before use.
Limits of this method
- The Google documentation supports a possible team file location. The asset-index workflow is a practical proposal based on selected adjacent evidence.
- The index depends on accurate client approval and usage records. It does not establish licensing rights or replace confirmation from the brand owner.
Questions you may have
Can I mark an asset approved because it is in the folder?
Use the brand guide or another confirmation from the client or supplier. If the use is unclear, mark it for confirmation.
Do all logo formats need separate rows?
Use separate rows when the choice of format, background or intended use would change the instruction to the designer.
Does the index grant image or font rights?
No. Record rights supported by the source and confirm uncertain uses with the appropriate owner.
Sources and further reading
- What are shared drives? Google Workspace Learning Center
Google describes team ownership of shared-drive files and access governed by membership and settings. The brand index is a separate practical method.
The page does not establish brand permissions or a particular client's access.
Google documents that shared-drive files belong to the team and that membership and settings determine access.
This is Google product documentation about shared drives, not a guide to brand asset management. Organization settings and Workspace availability vary, and the page does not establish whether a particular client or team can use this arrangement.
2026-10-18
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