Manual Upload
Use Manual Upload for signed documents, approved snapshots, exports, and files without a supported live provider. It creates a processed copy in Siesta AI and does not remain linked to the file on the user's computer.
Before You Start
- Put files with the same audience and purpose in one collection.
- Remove secrets, private keys, credential exports, and material outside the collection audience.
- Resolve obsolete or contradictory versions before upload.
- Use a synchronized connector instead when the source changes regularly.
Configure the Source
- Open Data, select a collection, and choose Add data source → Manual Upload.
- Enter a durable Name, for example
Support policies — 2026 Q3. - Use Description for owner, version, scope, and replacement policy.
- Add at least one file under Upload files.
- Review processing options only when you have a retrieval test.
- Confirm, wait for processing, then inspect representative files and chunks.
Manual Upload keeps the files and the searchable-content settings in one configuration form.
| Field | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Name | A recognizable snapshot or release name |
| Description | Owner, approval date, scope, and expected replacement |
| Upload files | One or more local files; at least one is required |
| Retriever | Keep the defaults unless a measured retrieval test justifies changing query rewrite, ranking, or result count |
| Processing | Expand to review extraction and file-processing options; change them only against representative documents |
Processing can expose file classes and JSON metadata or feature settings. The current UI supports JSON, Text, PDF, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Markdown, and Other file classes. File extension support does not guarantee good extraction: scanned PDFs, embedded spreadsheets, and image-heavy presentations must be checked after processing. See Processing, Sync, and Troubleshooting before changing Retriever or Processing defaults.
User Guidance
Use Manual Upload when you deliberately control change. Include the version in the source name and ask the owner what to do with the previous source when a replacement arrives. Two conflicting versions are a common cause of inconsistent answers.
Admin Guidance
Define Data Upload Limits, collection access, retention, and who may delete or replace a source. A successful upload does not make the content safe to share. Review both the upstream document classification and the collection audience.
Verification
Open Files and confirm expected names, Indexed and Readable state, and extracted text. Test one fact that exists, one that is absent, and one that would expose a stale version.