> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://fusiondocs.finchai.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Uploading Documents

> How to add documents to your project for AI analysis

# Uploading Documents

Documents are the foundation of your research in Finch Fusion. Upload your source materials and the AI will process them for analysis, search, and report generation.

## Upload Methods

You can add documents to your project in three ways:

### Drag and Drop

1. Open your project in Finch Fusion
2. Locate the files on your computer
3. Drag the files directly into the document area or sidebar
4. Drop them to begin the upload

### Upload Button

1. Click the **Upload** button in the sidebar or document area
2. A file picker dialog will open
3. Navigate to and select your files
4. Click **Open** to start the upload

### Upload from Chat

You can also upload documents directly from the chat panel:

1. Click the **Upload** icon in the chat input area
2. Select files from your computer
3. The documents will be added to your project and processed

<Tip>
  You can select multiple files at once by holding Ctrl (Windows) or Cmd (Mac) while clicking. You can also add web content as a source -- see [Web Sources](/documents/web-sources) for details.
</Tip>

## Upload Process

When you upload a document, Finch Fusion performs several processing steps:

<Steps>
  <Step title="File Upload">
    The document is securely uploaded to the platform.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Text Extraction">
    Text content is extracted from the document, including from PDFs and images using OCR when needed.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Content Processing">
    The text is split into searchable chunks for efficient AI retrieval.
  </Step>

  <Step title="AI Indexing">
    The content is indexed using AI embeddings, enabling semantic search and analysis.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Processing Status

Each document shows its current processing status:

| Status         | Meaning                                           |
| -------------- | ------------------------------------------------- |
| **Uploading**  | File is being transferred to the server           |
| **Processing** | Content is being extracted and indexed            |
| **Ready**      | Document is fully processed and available for use |
| **Error**      | Processing failed (see troubleshooting)           |

You can check the detailed processing status of any document by viewing its details in the sidebar.

<Info>
  Processing time depends on document size and complexity. Most documents complete within a few minutes. You can cancel an in-progress processing job if needed.
</Info>

## Best Practices

### File Preparation

Before uploading, consider:

* **Text quality** - Ensure scanned documents have clear, readable text
* **File size** - Large files take longer to process
* **Relevance** - Only upload documents relevant to your research

### Batch Uploads

When uploading multiple related documents:

* Upload them all at once if possible
* Wait for processing to complete before generating reports
* Verify all documents show "Ready" status

### Document Naming

Use clear, descriptive filenames:

* `Apple_10K_2025.pdf` instead of `document1.pdf`
* `Industry_Report_Q4.docx` instead of `report.docx`

## Upload Limits

Depending on your subscription plan:

| Limit Type    | Description                          |
| ------------- | ------------------------------------ |
| File Size     | Maximum size per individual file     |
| Total Storage | Combined storage across all projects |
| File Count    | Number of documents per project      |

Check your [subscription plan](/billing/subscription-plans) for specific limits.

## What Happens After Upload

Once documents are processed, you can:

* **Search** - Find specific information across all documents
* **Generate Reports** - Create AI-powered reports using the content
* **Chat** - Ask the AI questions about your documents
* **View Entities** - See automatically extracted organizations, people, and dates
* **Build Knowledge Graphs** - Visualize relationships between entities

## Troubleshooting

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Upload is stuck or taking too long">
    Large files can take several minutes to process. If an upload appears stuck for more than 10 minutes, try refreshing the page and re-uploading.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Document shows Error status">
    The file may be corrupted or in an unsupported format. Try opening it on your computer to verify it's readable, then re-upload.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Text isn't being extracted correctly">
    For scanned PDFs, ensure the scan quality is high. Low-resolution scans may result in poor text extraction.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="I've reached my storage limit">
    Delete unused documents from other projects, or consider upgrading your subscription plan for more storage.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>