Files
Upload documents directly to your project in PDF, Word, Excel, and other formats.
tip
Uploaded files remain private—your chatbot won't expose file links as sources to users.
When to use file uploads
Use file uploads for:
- Internal documents (handbooks, policies, procedures)
- Offline content not published on the web
- Legacy formats (PDF manuals, Word documents, spreadsheets)
- Confidential content that needs to stay private
Supported formats
| Format | Extensions | Description |
|---|---|---|
.pdf | Portable Document Format files | |
| Markdown | .md, .markdown | Markdown text files |
| Text | .txt | Plain text files |
| Word | .docx, .doc | Microsoft Word documents |
| Excel | .xlsx, .xls | Microsoft Excel spreadsheets |
| CSV | .csv | Comma-separated values files |
Requirements
- Maximum file size: 10 MB per file.
- Files must contain searchable text (not scanned images).
- Up to 20 files per upload.
Upload files
- In the Biel.ai dashboard, select your project.
- Go to Settings > Sources > Files.
- Drag files into the upload area, or click to browse.
- Click Save.
Manage files
To update a file, delete the old version and upload the new one. Content is re-indexed automatically.
To remove a file, click the delete button next to it in Settings > Sources > Files.
File type notes
| Format | Notes |
|---|---|
| Text-based PDFs work best. Scanned PDFs have limited searchability. | |
| Word | .docx works better than legacy .doc. |
| Excel | Each sheet is processed separately. |
| CSV | Include clear column headers. |
Troubleshooting
Upload failures
- Check file size is under 10 MB.
- Verify the file format is supported.
- Try uploading fewer files at once.
Content not indexing
- Wait 5-10 minutes for processing.
- Ensure files contain searchable text (not scanned images).
- Check the file isn't corrupted or password-protected.