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Learning objectives

Understand what an orphaned asset is.

Know how to identify orphaned assets in Quable.

Learn how to manage these assets efficiently.

Overview

In Quable, an orphaned asset refers to a media file (image, video, PDF document, etc.) that is not linked to any product sheet. These files can accumulate over time in the DAM, which may impact data quality and create confusion for end users.

Why retrieve the list of orphaned assets?

Getting the list of orphaned assets allows you to clean up the DAM to maintain a clear and efficient working environment, and link valid assets to product sheets and variants if needed.

This action is useful for data quality management and is an integral part of good content governance within the PIM.

How to proceed?

There are three methods to retrieve the list of orphaned assets:

via the PIM interface, from the advanced search page,
via cross-data exports,
via the API.

1. From Advanced Search

Go to the Advanced Search page
Fill in the following criteria in the filter section: Object type = Asset Filter = Links Operation = is empty
The results will display all assets not linked to a product or a variant.

Optimize result analysis to make identification and decision-making easier:

Customize the column display (name, type, date, size, etc.)
Then sort the results (e.g., by import date to identify older assets)
Finally, use additional filters if needed (e.g., file type)

Assets without any link information should be handled quickly.

Link orphan assets

Select the asset: Either one by one, or in bulk via “Select all results”
Launch the bulk action Link Choose the link type: Product → Asset, or Variant → Asset
Specify the target: product or variant name or code

Delete orphan assets

Select the orphan asset: Either one by one, or in bulk via “Select all results”
Launch the delete action

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Warning

Deletion is irreversible: there is no recycle bin or restore history for deleted assets.

2. Using cross-data exports (advanced option)

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Prerequisite
You need to be familiar with data flows to use cross-data exports. For more information, see the course Download and bulk update large amounts of information.

Export all assets from the PIM.
Then export the images - document links.
Cross-reference the two files (e.g., in Excel or Google Sheets) to identify asset codes present in the first export but absent in the second.

Assets that appear in only one file are not linked to any document: they are orphaned.

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Good to know

Access to exports may be restricted depending on user role in the PIM: contact the account administrator if necessary.

Cross-analysis using exports requires precision: formula or sorting errors can skew the results.

3. Using the API (expert option)

Use the endpoint:
GET /api/assets
Filter the results to keep only those not linked to a product sheet.

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Good to know

This method requires technical skills in API usage and is generally not used by non-technical profiles.

Best practices

Favor direct links from product sheets, via the Assets tab, to avoid omissions and specify the type of link to be used.
Regularly review the assets in the DAM to prevent the accumulation of orphaned assets.
Use multiple tabs in your browser to make orphan management easier: one with the DAM, one with the product sheets, one with the orphaned assets page.
Check relevance before deleting: an orphaned asset may still be useful but simply not yet linked to a product sheet.

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In summary

An orphaned asset is a file not linked to a product sheet or variant.

It can be identified via:

the PIM interface, on the Advanced Search page,

cross-data exports,

the API.

From the interface, you can link or delete orphaned assets.

It is recommended to regularly review hosted assets in the DAM to maintain high product data quality.

Next Chapter

Now that you know how to Identify orphan assets, let’s discover how to download and export assets in bulk.