Is there way to have shortcuts (to files or folders)
What kind of files? What folders?
This is actually not a problem on my Note 4 or Note 10.1 2014 tablet, both running Kitkat and using the stock "My Files" explorer that come on the devices.
For instance... I created a Doc folder on my SD card, and inside the folder are documents... pdf, word, excel, etc. If I long press on any of the documents to select them (they get checked), then go to Menu settings... there is an option to create a shortcut to the document on the homescreen. I can do that for any of the files in my Doc folder. I can also long press on the Doc folder itself, go to Menu, and there is also an option to create a shortcut to the Doc folder on the homescreen.
If perhaps I want to add any file to the Doc folder on the homescreen, I simply create a shortcut to a file, like explained above, and simply hold/drag the shortcut into the Doc folder on the homescreen.
I'm not sure if this is what you want to do, but it is what I gather from your post.
EDIT... I had to edit my post because while I thought I remembered I could drag file shortcuts into a homescreen folder shortcut, it's not possible. However, if you create a new folder on the homescreen, you can drag file shortcuts into that folder.