# Expand files

**Category:** Function

**Version:** 1.0

**Last updated:** Januari 9, 2026

**Author:** Any2Info

***

### Description

The **Expand Files** node is used to process and transform columns that contain file data within a dataflow.

The Data hub provides two special data types for handling files:

* **File** – Represents a single file, containing both the content (Base64-encoded) and the filename.
* **MultipleFiles** – Similar to *File*, but contains multiple files within a single record.

The Expand Files node can perform two main operations:

1. Expand MultipleFiles to individual File rows

When a column contains multiple files (type MultipleFiles), this node can “expand” those files into separate rows.

Each resulting row will contain a single file.

For example, if one record contains three files, the result will be three records — each containing one file.

2. Split File into content and filename columns

The node can further decompose file data into two separate columns:

*FileContent* – The Base64-encoded file content.

*FileName* – The file name as a text value.

This can be done for both File and MultipleFiles inputs.

The node also exposes a Files connector, which can be used by subsequent nodes to process only the rows that contain file data.<br>

***

### Property Options

| Setting                                                                                                               | Type   | Required | Description                                                                                                         |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------ | -------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Source column**                                                                                                     | Select | Yes      | Select the source column from the input that contains file data. This column must be of type File or MultipleFiles. |
| **Output type**                                                                                                       | Select | Yes      | <p>Defines how the data should be expanded:                                                                         |
| <br>• File – Expands a MultipleFiles column into multiple rows, each containing one File.                             |        |          |                                                                                                                     |
| <br>• Base64 + Filename – Splits each file into two separate columns: FileContent (base64) and FileName (string).</p> |        |          |                                                                                                                     |

***

### Tips & best practices

* **Use the Files connector when a following node expects file input.**\
  Some nodes — such as **Export to OneDrive**, or other file output nodes — only process rows that contain actual files.\
  By connecting those nodes to the **Files** connector of the Expand Files node, you automatically pass only the rows that include files.

***

### Changelog

| Version | Date            | Change                               |
| ------- | --------------- | ------------------------------------ |
| **1.0** | Januari 9, 2026 | Initial documentation version added. |