A repeatable workflow needs a clear answer to three questions: where are the originals, which files are approved, and has the intended recipient received them?
This walkthrough uses an illustrative small client shoot. Adapt its folder names to your work; it is not a report of a customer project or measured productivity gains. Download the project checklist and keep a copy with the shoot.
1. Separate originals, working files, and delivery files
Create this folder structure before you start editing:
2026-09-18_Coffee-Shop/
01_Originals/
02_Working/
03_Delivery/
04_Notes/
Copy the camera files into 01_Originals. Keep their original names if those names connect them to capture records or earlier backups. Use clear names for exports, such as Coffee-Shop_Window-Cup_v01.jpg; create v02 when a client revision needs to remain distinguishable.
Put the brief and your delivery checklist in 04_Notes. Record the agreed file formats, crops, deadline, and recipient there rather than trying to reconstruct them from a chat later.
2. Verify a second copy before reusing the card
Make a second copy on separate storage. Use your backup tool's verification facility and open a sample of the copied files. A cloud upload can be an additional copy, but don't treat it as verified while it is queued or still transferring. Keep camera originals until the copies you depend on have been checked.
For 5AM, confirm that uploaded files appear in the intended album and can be opened. Unsupported camera formats may need conversion or a different backup destination; Camera to Cloud has its own supported-format limits.
3. Make edits without losing the source
Put working exports in 02_Working. In the photo editor, compare an edit with the original before saving a copy. A local editable draft stays on that device; it is different from an uploaded delivery image.
Move only approved exports into 03_Delivery. This makes the upload step easier to reason about: a folder named “Delivery” should not also contain rejected variations and private notes.
4. Repeat the upload with an explicit destination
If you prefer the web app, follow the first-album tutorial. For a folder you upload repeatedly, install the 5am CLI, sign in with a token that permits uploads, and create an album:
5am albums create --name "Coffee Shop — Delivery"
Copy the returned album ID into the next command, replacing YOUR_ALBUM_ID:
5am media upload ./2026-09-18_Coffee-Shop/03_Delivery -r \
--include '*.jpg,*.png' --album YOUR_ALBUM_ID --concurrency 4
Run this from the directory containing your project folder. Check the command's exit status and per-file results. If it reports a failure, confirm which files arrived before retrying; do not delete the local source merely because the command finished.
Uploading uses library storage. It does not by itself request AI editing or semantic indexing. See pricing for quotas and AI usage terms if you add those steps.
5. Finish with a recipient check
Open the album's sharing controls and choose the intended recipient and access. Sending the owner's album URL alone does not necessarily grant access. If you enable a public link, review its visibility and any token settings before sending it.
Ask the recipient to confirm that the album opens and the expected files are present. Record that confirmation in the checklist. Keep the source and delivered versions according to the retention arrangement you made with the client.
The parts worth automating are the repetitive transfers and checks you can specify. Choosing approved work, granting access, and confirming delivery remain explicit decisions in this workflow.
