Understanding transforms
When you download an asset, you are usually offered several formats and sizes to choose from. These download options are called transforms. This page explains where transforms come from, what determines the options available, and why they mean you rarely need the original file.
One master, many outputs
An asset is uploaded to the DAM once, typically as a single high-resolution master file. You do not upload a separate file for every size or format you might need.
Instead, the platform generates the other versions on demand. When you request a download, background processing produces the formats and sizes you select from that single master. This keeps the library free of duplicate copies and ensures every version derives from the same approved original.
What determines the available transforms
The transforms offered for an asset depend on its asset type. An image asset offers image formats, such as PNG, while a video asset offers video formats, such as MP4.
Because asset type controls the available formats, it is set when an asset is uploaded. The same asset type also acts as a filter in the All Assets view, so the file type you filter by is the same property that determines your download options.
When you download more than one format, or more than one asset, the platform delivers them together as a single zipped folder.
Why transforms matter
Transforms mean you can always take the right size and format for a specific use without handling the master file. A social post, a print layout, and a web banner can all come from the same uploaded asset, each in a suitable format.
This has practical benefits:
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You do not need to know or request the original high-resolution file.
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You avoid resizing or converting assets yourself, which keeps output consistent.
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Teams reuse one approved master rather than circulating many slightly different copies.
Transforms are sometimes called derivatives.