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Uploading Documents

Uploading documents to RateScan is straightforward and supports multiple methods. This guide covers everything you need to know about file formats, upload methods, best practices, and troubleshooting.

Supported File Formats#

RateScan supports the following file formats for document processing:

PDF Files

  • Standard PDFs - Native PDF documents from scanners, printers, or digital sources
  • Scanned PDFs - PDFs created from scanned images (multi-page supported)
  • Image-based PDFs - PDFs containing embedded images
  • Text-based PDFs - PDFs with selectable text (processed faster)

Image Files

  • JPG/JPEG - Most common format for photos and scanned documents
  • PNG - Good for screenshots and high-quality scans
  • Maximum file size - Up to 50MB per file (larger files are automatically compressed)
  • Resolution - Higher resolution improves accuracy (recommended: 300 DPI or higher)
Format Recommendations: For best results, use PDF format for multi-page documents and high-resolution JPG/PNG (300+ DPI) for single-page scans. Text-based PDFs process faster than image-based PDFs.

Upload Methods#

Desktop Upload

The desktop upload method is ideal for processing existing digital documents:

Drag and Drop

  1. Navigate to Application → Upload
  2. Locate the upload area (indicated by a dashed border)
  3. Drag files from your file explorer directly into the upload area
  4. Release to start uploading
  5. Multiple files can be dragged at once for batch processing

File Picker

  1. Click the upload area or "Browse Files" button
  2. Select files from the file picker dialog
  3. Use Ctrl (Windows/Linux) or Cmd (Mac) to select multiple files
  4. Click "Open" to start uploading

Batch Upload

  • Upload multiple documents simultaneously
  • Each document is processed independently
  • Progress indicators show upload and processing status
  • Documents appear in your workspace as they complete

Mobile Upload

For mobile upload workflows, see the Mobile Uploading guide.

File Requirements and Best Practices#

Image Quality Guidelines

High-quality images significantly improve extraction accuracy:

  • Resolution - Minimum 200 DPI, recommended 300 DPI or higher
  • Clarity - Sharp, in-focus images without blur
  • Lighting - Even lighting without shadows or glare
  • Orientation - Documents should be right-side up and not rotated
  • Skew - Documents should be straight, not tilted or skewed
  • Contrast - Good contrast between text and background

Document Preparation

  • Flat Surface - Place documents on a flat surface when scanning
  • Full Frame - Ensure the entire document is visible in the frame
  • No Obstructions - Avoid fingers, shadows, or other objects covering text
  • Clean Documents - Remove staples, paper clips, or other obstructions
  • Single Page Focus - For multi-page documents, ensure each page is clearly separated

File Organization

  • One Document Per File - When possible, upload one rate con per file for best results
  • Consistent Naming - Use descriptive filenames to help identify documents later
  • Multi-Page Documents - PDFs with multiple pages are automatically handled
  • Batch Processing - Group similar documents together for efficient processing
Pro Tip: For documents with poor quality, try scanning at a higher resolution or using a document scanner app that includes automatic enhancement features.

Upload Process#

What Happens During Upload

  1. File Validation - RateScan checks file format and size
  2. Upload Progress - Progress bar shows upload status
  3. Processing Queue - Document enters the processing queue
  4. Extraction - AI extraction begins automatically
  5. Completion - Document appears in your workspace with extracted data

Processing Time

Typical processing times vary based on document complexity:

  • Simple Documents - 5-10 seconds
  • Complex Documents - 10-20 seconds
  • Multi-Page Documents - 15-30 seconds
  • Large Files - May take longer depending on file size

Status Indicators

  • Uploading - File is being uploaded to the server
  • Processing - Document is being analyzed and extracted
  • Complete - Extraction finished, ready for review
  • Error - An issue occurred; see error message for details

Multi-Page Documents#

RateScan intelligently handles multi-page documents:

PDF Multi-Page Support

  • All pages in a PDF are processed together
  • Information from multiple pages is intelligently merged
  • Duplicate information is automatically detected and consolidated
  • Each page is analyzed for relevant data

Image Sequences

  • Multiple images can be uploaded together
  • RateScan attempts to merge related information
  • For best results, upload related pages together
  • Use consistent naming to help identify related documents

Troubleshooting Upload Issues#

Upload Failures

File Too Large

  • Symptom - Upload fails with "file too large" error
  • Solution - Compress the image or PDF, or split into smaller files
  • Prevention - Use appropriate resolution (300 DPI is usually sufficient)

Unsupported Format

  • Symptom - "Unsupported file format" error
  • Solution - Convert to PDF, JPG, or PNG format
  • Tools - Use image editing software or online converters

Network Issues

  • Symptom - Upload stalls or fails
  • Solution - Check internet connection, try again
  • Prevention - Ensure stable internet connection before uploading

Processing Issues

Slow Processing

  • Possible Causes - Large file size, complex document, server load
  • Solution - Wait for processing to complete (can take up to 30 seconds)
  • Optimization - Use appropriate file sizes and resolutions

No Data Extracted

  • Possible Causes - Poor image quality, unsupported document type, blank pages
  • Solution - Re-upload with better quality image, check document content
  • Prevention - Follow image quality guidelines above

Security and Privacy#

RateScan takes security seriously:

  • Encrypted Upload - All uploads use HTTPS encryption
  • Secure Storage - Documents are encrypted at rest
  • Access Control - Only authorized users can access documents
  • Audit Logging - All uploads are logged for security auditing
Important: Never upload sensitive documents over unsecured networks. Always use HTTPS connections. For more information, see the Security Practices guide.

Advanced Tips#

Optimizing for Accuracy

  • Use consistent scanning settings for similar documents
  • Pre-process images to improve contrast if needed
  • Remove unnecessary borders or margins when possible
  • Ensure text is clearly readable before uploading

Workflow Optimization

  • Set up a consistent naming convention for uploaded files
  • Process documents in batches for efficiency
  • Review and export completed documents regularly
  • Use search and filter features to manage large document sets

Related Documentation#