Uploading Multiple Files to Cascade CMS

This guide explains how to upload multiple files to Cascade CMS by using a .zip archive. It walks through navigating to the correct folder, uploading and extracting the archive, and reviewing the uploaded files. The article also includes important naming convention requirements, accessibility reminders, and guidance for removing unnecessary system-generated folders that may appear when creating .zip files on a Mac.

File Naming Conventions

Before uploading files to Cascade CMS, please ensure that file names follow CWU’s naming conventions. Consistent file naming helps improve organization, accessibility, and search engine readability.

File names should:

Be all lowercase
Use dashes (-) instead of spaces
Avoid punctuation and special characters
Avoid dates whenever possible
Be descriptive and concise

Good Examples

student-resources-guide.pdf
financial-aid-checklist.docx
campus-map.jpg

Avoid

Student Resources Guide FINAL 2026!.pdf
Campus Map (Updated).jpg

Accessibility Reminders

All files uploaded to the website should meet accessibility requirements before publishing.

Please review files for:

Proper heading structure
Sufficient color contrast
Meaningful link text
Accessible tables
Tagged PDFs
Alternative text for meaningful images
Readable document structure

Additional Reminders

Files should be optimized for the web whenever possible.
Individual file uploads should remain under 2 MB whenever feasible.
Avoid uploading scanned PDFs that are not OCR-readable.
Remove unnecessary or duplicate files before uploading.

For additional guidance, please review CWU’s digital accessibility resources and training materials.

Note:

Before starting, you must log in at https://cwu.cascadecms.com using your CWU credentials.

After logging in, select the CWU site from the “Go to a Site” drop down in the upper-left corner.

Step 1

Compress all the files you would like to upload into a single .zip archive file.

In Cascade, navigate to the folder where you would like the files uploaded.
To enter a folder, hover over the folder name and click the View Folder arrow.

Step 2

Confirm that you are in the correct location by checking the breadcrumb trail in the upper-left corner of the dashboard.

Step 3

Click Add Content in the upper-left corner of the dashboard.

Step 4

Click Default, then Click File.

Step 5

In the upload window, click the word choose in the sentence:

Drop a file here or choose one from your computer

Step 6

Select the .zip file from your computer and click Open or Choose (the wording may vary depending on your operating system).

Step 7

By default, Cascade uploads the .zip file as a compressed archive. To automatically extract all files into the current folder:

Locate the setting:

Would you like to extract and save all the contents into the current directory?

Change the selection from No to Yes.
After changing the setting to Yes, additional fields may be hidden. Click Unpack in the upper-right corner of the upload window.

Cascade will display a Zip Archive Report. Click Close.

Refresh your browser. The extracted files should now appear in the current folder.

Important Note

When creating .zip files on a Mac, your computer may automatically include hidden system folders that were not visible before compression.

One common example is:

_MACOSX

This folder is unnecessary and should be deleted after extraction, as it is system-generated clutter and not part of your actual website files.

Updating...