When building your accreditation files, attachments are where your written directives and proofs of compliance come to life.
They are the backbone of your standards — showing not only what your agency says it does, but the evidence that it actually does it.
There are four ways to add attachments to a standard in PowerDMS.
In this tip, we’ll focus on the two main ways that apply to documents:
Upload File and 
PowerDMS Document.
Inside your assessment, open the standard where you want to add your document.
On the right side of the screen, you’ll see three tabs:
Tasks
Statuses
Attachments
Click on the Attachments tab.
At the top, click the 
icon labeled “Add New Attachment.”
This opens the attachment window, where you’ll find a dropdown menu labeled Type.
This menu lists the four options:
Upload File
PowerDMS Document
Simple Note
New Rich Text
The Upload File method is used for documents that were created or scanned outside of PowerDMS.
To attach using Upload File:
From the Type dropdown, choose Upload File.
In the Standard section, link the attachment to the correct part of the standard by checking the appropriate box (either the main statement or a specific bullet point).
Each standard varies in how many boxes appear.
I recommend linking to only one — no more than two — and selecting the one that most accurately relates to the attached document.
In the *Upload Files section, either drag and drop a document from your computer here or click the Select button to navigate to the document on your computer.
Enter a clear, descriptive attachment name in the *Notes field — ideally matching the document title or using language from the standard.
Click Save.
Once saved, the file appears in the attachment list for that standard, displayed with a blue and white paper icon next to it. For a quick video to see this process, click here: Upload File attachment
Note: If the file needs to be updated later, it cannot be replaced directly. You’ll need to delete the attachment and re-upload the revised file.
This is one reason why the next option — PowerDMS Document — is my preferred method.
If your written directive or proof already exists in PowerDMS — or can be uploaded there first — this is the recommended way to attach it.
To attach using PowerDMS Document:
From the Type dropdown, choose PowerDMS Document.
In the Standard section, link the attachment to the correct part of the standard by checking the box for the most relevant section or bullet point.
Begin typing the document’s name in the *Attach a Document field.
Select the correct document from the results list.
Click Save.
The attachment will appear in the list with a black and white paper icon, and you can click it anytime to view or update it. For a quick video to see this process, click here: Upload PowerDMS Document
Choosing this option keeps your files clean, flexible, and version-controlled.
When a PowerDMS document is updated, that change automatically flows into any standard where it’s attached — no re-uploading needed.
It also reduces duplication and ensures assessors always see the most current version.
This method works beautifully for both written directives and proofs of compliance, especially when you need to reuse the same proof across multiple standards or assessments.
For an example of how powerful this approach can be, check out my Helpful Tip called “Proofs on Steroids.”
Step one of that process shows exactly how this setup streamlines long-term file management.
When naming a written directive attachment, use the document name whenever possible. Most written directives are already clearly identified by their title, and keeping it consistent across your assessment files makes searching, reviewing, and updating much easier.
When naming proofs of compliance other than a written directive, I recommend using language directly from the standard itself. Use one or two words from the specific section the document proves compliance for. This keeps the attachment list clean and simple and not cluttered.
The Upload File and PowerDMS Document options are the two main ways to attach written directives and proofs to your standards in PowerDMS.
Start by locating the Attachments tab in each standard, choose your method, and be intentional about linking your documents to the most relevant part of the standard.
And whenever possible, make your documents PowerDMS documents — your future self (and maybe your assessors too) will thank you for it.
Who do you know that could benefit from these accreditation-friendly tips and resources? Consider sharing this link with a colleague so they can sign up:https://www.accreditationacademy.net/signup
Areaka P. Jewell
Accreditation Academy
areaka@accreditationacademy.net
(305) 360-1075