# Upload documents BriefTech does not restrict uploads to a fixed list of file types — you can drop in almost any file. Every file is **indexed** so its text becomes searchable, and most files are also **converted to a PDF rendition** (used for on-screen viewing and court bundles) and **OCRed** where they contain scanned or image-based content. *** ## How common formats are handled The table below summarises how BriefTech handles the most common formats, based on testing against a representative document set. The three support columns map to the stages each file moves through: * **Converted to PDF** — BriefTech creates a PDF rendition of the file for on-screen viewing and inclusion in court bundles. * **OCRed** — optical character recognition extracts text from scanned pages or images so it is searchable and available to AI features. * **Indexed** — the file's text is extracted and added to the search index. This applies to **every** file, even when a PDF rendition or OCR is not produced. | Format family | Examples | Converted to PDF | OCRed | Indexed | | --------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------- | ----------------------------------- | ---------------------------------- | | Word processing & documents | `.doc`, `.docx`, `.odt`, `.rtf`, `.epub`, `.wpd`, `.wps`, `.sam` | Yes | Yes | Yes | | Spreadsheets & databases | `.xls`, `.xlsx`, `.csv`, `.tsv`, `.wks`, `.dbf`, `.wdb` | Yes | Yes | Yes | | Presentations | `.ppt`, `.pptx` | Yes | Yes | Yes | | PDF | `.pdf` | Already PDF | Yes | Yes | | Images | `.png`, `.jpg`, `.jpeg`, `.tif`, `.tiff`, `.bmp`, `.gif`, `.heic` | Yes | Yes | Yes | | Email | `.msg`, `.eml` | Yes | If attachments contain images | Yes | | Web, markup & plain text | `.txt`, `.md`, `.html`, `.xml`, `.rst` | Yes | Not usually needed¹ | Yes | | Vector & technical graphics | `.wpg`, `.pgl`, `.igs`, `.svg` | Yes | Yes | Yes | | CAD drawings | `.dwg`, `.dxf` | Usually² | If the drawing contains text labels | Yes | | Legacy raster images | `.pct` (PICT) | No | No | Yes (metadata only) | | Archives | `.zip` | No | No | Yes (contents extracted & indexed) | ¹ These formats already contain digital text, so OCR adds little — the text is indexed directly. ² Conversion and OCR outcomes depend on the file's contents. An empty or corrupt document, or a drawing with no embedded text, may be indexed without a PDF rendition or OCR text. > **Tip:** If a file cannot be converted or OCRed, it is still uploaded and indexed — you simply won't get a PDF rendition. See [Resolve processing errors](/tutorials/tutorials/set-1-upload/04-resolve-processing-errors.md) for the cases that fail outright (for example password-protected, empty, or unsupported files). *** ## Upload options ### Drag and drop 1. Drag one or more files onto the upload area (labelled **Drop files or folders here for upload**). 2. You can drop entire folders — BriefTech recreates the folder structure automatically. 3. Release to begin uploading. > **Tip:** If your files are on a network or shared drive, copy them to a local folder first. Direct uploads from network drives can be slow or interrupted. ### Select files 1. Click **Select files** (or anywhere on the upload area). 2. In your operating system's file picker, choose the files or folders you want. 3. Confirm to begin uploading. *** ## What happens after upload Each file moves through the processing pipeline automatically: | Status | Meaning | | ---------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Uploading | The file is being transferred to BriefTech. | | Processing | BriefTech is detecting the file type, converting to PDF, running OCR, and indexing the text. | | Completed | Processing is complete. The document is fully searchable. | | Error | Something prevented processing. See [Resolve processing errors](/tutorials/tutorials/set-1-upload/04-resolve-processing-errors.md). | Processing typically takes a few seconds per page. Large files (hundreds of pages) can take longer. *** ## Password-protected files BriefTech cannot process a file that is locked with a password — it has no way to enter the password for you. Affected files finish with an **Error** status and the reason **Password protected**. To bring a protected document in: 1. Open the original file in the application that created it and remove the password (or save an unprotected copy). 2. Re-upload the unprotected file. *** ## What's next? Once your documents are uploaded, organise them into folders and labels. Continue to [Organise with folders and labels](/tutorials/tutorials/set-1-upload/03-organise-folders-labels.md). *** ## Related resources * [Resolve processing errors](/tutorials/tutorials/set-1-upload/04-resolve-processing-errors.md) — troubleshooting — fix documents that failed to process * [Organise with folders and labels](/tutorials/tutorials/set-1-upload/03-organise-folders-labels.md) — how-to — organise after uploading * [Orientation to the Review tab](/tutorials/tutorials/set-2-review/01-review-tab-orientation.md) — concept — what comes after uploading --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://help.brieftech.ai/tutorials/tutorials/set-1-upload/02-upload-documents.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.