I'd like to have several folders that I can store word docs or spreadsheets in. Can this be done and how?
Thanks. The Photog Jon
The basic iPad operating system, iOS, does not support 'folders' for the storage of documents and email attachments in the way that we have come to understand for the Mac or PC. So email attachments can only be 'opened' by a compatible application and are then stored in the local file storage area of that specific application.
So, for example, if someone emails you a Word document (.doc) then that will be displayed by the iPad's native Mail app when you open (tap on) the attachment. If you press and hold the opened attachment when it's displayed, you'll get the option to open it in any compatible application or applications. So, if you had the (optional) Apple 'Pages' app that can read Word documents, when you touch and hold the opened attachment in Mail it will prompt with 'Open in Pages?'. If you select that option, the iPad will open Pages and that attachment will be displayed there, where it can be edited or printed, and it will be stored in the 'My Documents' local file storage area associated with Pages.
As the last poster pointed out, though, you can use third-party apps to 'circumvent' these 'problems'. 'GoodReader' is the 'Swiss Army Knife' app that is consistently voted the No 1 'Must Have' app for the iPad. It has a comprehensive file management capability, including the ability to organise files in folders. Once there, they can be opened by a compatible app.
GoodReader also enables you to transfer files iPad<->PC/Mac using USB or WiFi without the need to use iTunes. It is very reasonably priced, gets consistently good reviews (check its reviews in the Apple App Store), is well supported and frequently updated with new features that users have requested. It also has a comprehensive PDF reader that's great at reading very large PDF documents and can annotate these too.
I should add the usual disclaimer that I have no association with the developers of GoodReader, other than being a satisfied customer.
Tim
Scotland