Upload and use files
Use Files to manage documents that you reuse in chats, projects and agents. Uploads must be enabled on your instance. They are available in trials but may have tighter limits.
File library with type filters and processing states
Example instance with sample data. Available controls depend on your role and configuration.
Upload a file
- Open Files.
- Drop files into the upload area or select them.
- Wait for processing. Ready means the file can be opened and, where your instance processes files for retrieval, searched.
Your administrator sets the size limit. The interface accepts the document, spreadsheet, presentation, text, email and image formats enabled for your instance. A particular file can still be refused if it is encrypted, damaged or uses an unsupported subtype.
Find and open files
Search filters by filename. Use All, PDF, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Text, CSV and Images to narrow the list by type. Select a Ready file to open its preview. Preview support varies by format and browser; use the file action to download it.
Use a file in chat
Open the attachment menu in the composer. Upload a new file or choose an existing one. A message can stage at most ten files. An agent can search files only when it has the File search tool.
Use a precise request, for example:
Compare the termination periods in the two attached contracts.
Cite the file and location for every statement. Flag missing information.
For images, the active model must support image reading. Otherwise, the interface blocks sending and explains whether you can choose another offered model or must remove the images.
Processing status
Read the badge before relying on a file:
| Status | Meaning and next step |
|---|---|
| Uploading / Processing | Transfer or preparation is still running. Wait before asking questions about the content. |
| Ready | Search processing completed. Check citations against the original for important work. |
| Direct processing | The file follows the direct attachment path and is not indexed for document search. This can be intentional for integration uploads. |
| Partial | Some pages could not be read. The tooltip explains the missing pages; answers cannot cover those pages. |
| Truncated | Processing stopped at a limit. Pages after that point are missing from the indexed content. Ask your administrator to resolve the processing limit before treating the document as fully reviewed. |
| Error | Open the error details. A retry action appears only for errors that can be retried; a damaged or unsupported original may need replacing. |
Document search returns relevant passages rather than automatically reading the whole document. For important reviews, ask for citations and check the original. A successful answer is not proof that every page was processed.
Translate a file
For a ready file that is not already a translation, choose Translate and select DE, EN, FR, ES or IT. The result is saved as a new file linked to the source. Formatting and content fidelity vary with the source format, so review the result before sharing it.
Files in agents and projects
- Agent knowledge: available to document search in every conversation with that agent.
- Project file: available according to project type and member role.
- Chat attachment: attached to that conversation.
Attaching or assigning does not create another file copy. Remove a reference when it should disappear only from a chat, agent or project. Delete on the Files page removes the file itself and asks for confirmation.
Retention
Files can have an expiry set by your administrator. The interface indicates expired files or those approaching the end of retention. References explicitly protected by the system may be exempt from automatic deletion. Ask your administrator which period applies to your instance.
Troubleshooting
- Upload is absent: the feature switch or your trial access does not allow it.
- Processing does not finish: refresh; if it persists, give the filename and upload time to your administrator.
- Retry is absent: not every processing failure is retryable.
- Text is not found: check status, File search, and the correct chat, agent or project context.
- The file cannot be sent: check size, format and, for images, model capability.
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