Fixing upload issues

Resolve errors shown in the upload monitor when files fail to upload to BriefTech.

If a file fails to upload, the upload monitor shows it with an badge (or a badge). This page covers issues during upload — to fix problems that happen after a file has finished uploading and is being processed, see Reprocess a failed document.

Find the error message

BriefTech shows upload errors in one of two places, depending on when they happen:

• A pop-up notification. Storage-limit and path-length problems appear as a pop-up message the moment you start the upload — and they stop the upload before any file reaches the monitor. Read the message in the pop-up, then find it below.
• A red Error badge in the upload monitor. A file that started uploading but did not finish shows up on a failed row:

  1. Click the button in the top bar to open the upload monitor.
  2. Switch to the tab to see only files that errored.
  3. Hover the badge on the failing row to read the message in the tooltip.

Either way, find the message below and follow the steps.

"This upload would exceed your storage limit"

The total size of the files you tried to upload is bigger than the space remaining in your account. The upload is blocked before any file is sent.

1. Check the Current usage, Upload size, and Total limit shown in the message.
2. Free up space — delete files you no longer need. Deleting is a two-step action:

   1. Move the files to the bin.
   2. Open the view and delete them there for good (see the warning below).

   There is no way to delete a whole matter.
3. Or contact BriefTech support to arrange a higher storage allowance.
4. Re-open the Upload Manager and start the upload again.

Deleting is permanent — the Delete action removes files for good and cannot be undone. It is also the only thing that frees up space: Move to bin keeps files recoverable, but binned files still count towards your storage. Only delete files you are sure you no longer need.

See File size and storage limits for your storage allowance and what counts towards it.

"Cannot add more files as it would exceed your storage limit"

Adding this file would push the combined size of the files you have already staged past your remaining storage allowance. Your allowance is set for your whole account — there is no separate per-matter limit. This is the check BriefTech runs on each file as you stage it; the This upload would exceed your storage limit message is the same allowance applied to the whole batch at once. BriefTech stops as soon as a file would take you over: that file, and any files after it in the batch, are skipped.

1. Free up space (see above), or contact BriefTech support to arrange a higher allowance.
2. Re-open the Upload Manager and add the skipped files again.

"…exceeds the 260-character path limit"

This check applies when you drag and drop files or folders into BriefTech. It rejects any item whose path is longer than 260 characters before the upload starts. The button does not apply this check.

There are two common causes, and each needs a different fix:

The path inside the folder you dragged is too long. BriefTech measures the path from the item you dragged, not from where it sits on your computer — so moving the folder to a shorter place on your drive makes no difference.

1. Shorten the folder and file names inside the folder you are dragging, or drag from further down the folder tree so there is less path above the files.

Windows cannot open the file because its full path is too long. This is Windows' own 260-character limit on the whole path, starting C:\Users\....

1. In Windows Explorer, move the file or its enclosing folder closer to the root of the drive — for example, from C:\Users\...\Documents\Cases\2024\... to C:\Cases\.
2. Then drag the file into BriefTech again.

If neither fix applies, add the files with the button instead — it does not apply this check.

"You are not allowed to upload files. Check your limits. (storage/unauthorized)"

Your sign-in session is no longer authorised to write to storage, or your account has hit a hard limit.

1. Sign out of BriefTech and sign back in.
2. Try the upload again from the tab using .
3. If it still fails, check your account storage and credit limits on the Usage/Billing page (in the left sidebar).
4. If everything looks within limits, contact support at [e-mail] with the file name and the time of the error.

"Upload failed"

A generic transfer failure — usually a network drop, a browser tab going to sleep, or a transient server issue.

1. Check that your internet connection is stable.
2. In the upload monitor, click on the failed row, or to retry every Error row at once.
3. If the same file fails repeatedly, try uploading it on its own to isolate the problem.
4. If it still fails, contact support with the file name and the exact error message.

Cancelled upload

Not a failure — someone (or something) cancelled the upload before it finished, so it stopped partway. A cancelled file shows a badge (not an badge) and has no error message or tooltip to read.

• Open the tab in the upload monitor and click on the row to re-queue the file.

Related

Upload monitor

Status badges, filter tabs, and actions in the upload monitor.

Upload documents

Add documents to a matter from the Files tab.

File size and storage limits

Per-file and per-account upload limits.

Reprocess a failed document

Fix a document that uploaded successfully but failed during processing.