In Cumulus, each asset is represented by one record. Cumulus is able to catalog every sort of digital asset such as Photoshop® image files, video clips, sound clips, or QuarkXPress® page layouts. However, a digital asset can also be a spreadsheet file or even a data stream such as an entry in a data base that Cumulus is keeping track of for you. Records can contain a thumbnail image of the asset. Records can (and should) be categorized for easy maintenance and searching. (See “Categories”, for more information.)

Records are not actual copies of the asset. They merely "point" to the original file. This saves disk space and avoids confusion caused by maintaining multiple copies of an asset. Records contain information on the assets, which is called metadata. Using metadata makes it possible for Cumulus to track your assets and find their records at lightning-speed. A record is the sum of metadata stored on an asset. The metadata is kept in Record Fields.

All records contain at least some searchable information in their record fields on the asset file they represent. Generally, the range of information each record includes depends on the kind of asset represented.

However, Cumulus makes it possible to determine precisely what sort of information should be kept on assets. Remember, this can be defined differently for each catalog as each catalog has its own properties. It is the catalog settings that determine what information is stored on the assets in the record fields.

As it comes ‘out of the box,’ Cumulus has many record fields ready to be filled while cataloging, depending on the nature of the asset. Not all of the record fields that Cumulus supports are activated with Cumulus’ default settings.