Licensed to be used in conjunction with basebox, only.
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Supported file formats
What can you upload to basebox?
basebox can analyze various file types – from documents and spreadsheets to images and audio files. The AI recognizes the content and makes it searchable and analyzable for you.
Maximum file size – differs by context:
- In the chat: 10 MB per file
- In an app's knowledge base: considerably more files and considerably larger ones – the exact ceiling is set by your organization
The values that apply to you are stated in the app's upload area itself, for example „Legen Sie hier bis zu 5000 Dateien mit einer maximalen Größe von 1,000 MB ab" (drop up to 5000 files of at most 1,000 MB here). Administrators can adjust these limits per organization.
Entire folders and knowledge base
You can add entire folders to a knowledge base by drag & drop or from the file dialog. The document pipeline has been improved – faster and more accurate – and all files in a knowledge base are searched, not only the first ten.
All supported file formats at a glance
Documents
Text-based files for analysis and summarization:
- PDF – Reports, contracts, presentations
- DOCX / DOC – Word documents (newer and older format)
- TXT – Plain text files
- PPT / PPTX – PowerPoint presentations
- EML – E-mail messages
Images
Read via text recognition (OCR):
- JPG – Photos and scans
- PNG – Screenshots and graphics
- TIFF – Scans from document scanners
- HEIC – Photos from Apple devices
- GIF – Graphics and simple images
You can upload images directly as a standalone file – there's no need to embed them in a PDF or Word document first.
Graphics
- SVG – Vector graphics
- EMF – Windows metafiles
Spreadsheets
Data analysis and calculations:
- XLSX – Excel files (recommended format)
- XLS – Older Excel files
Audio
Transcribed when you ask for it:
- MP3 – Compressed audio files
- WAV – Uncompressed audio files
- M4A – Apple audio format
- FLAC – Lossless compression
- OGG – Open-source audio format
What happens after uploading?
Processing by file type:
Documents (PDF, DOCX, DOC, TXT, PPT, EML):
- Text is extracted and made analyzable
- You can ask questions about the content
- Summaries and analyses are possible
Spreadsheets (XLSX, XLS):
- Data is captured in a structured way
- Calculations and data analysis are possible
- Charts and trends can be identified
Images (JPG, PNG, TIFF, HEIC, GIF):
- Any text they contain is read via text recognition (OCR)
- Afterward, it can be analyzed like a text document
Audio (MP3, WAV, M4A, FLAC, OGG):
- Transcribed when you ask for it (e.g. "Transcribe this recording")
- Afterward, it can be analyzed like a text document
- Details under Using speech-to-text
Scanned documents and photos (text recognition/OCR)
Scans, photos, standalone image files, and image-only Word files are read via text recognition (OCR). Where a GPU is available, recognition runs GPU-accelerated; otherwise it automatically falls back to the CPU.
Text recognition works the same way in both cases – whether you upload a file directly to the chat or store it in an app's knowledge base.
Common issues and solutions
PDF files
Problem: "Text cannot be read" Cause: The file is corrupted or password-protected Solution:
- Check whether the file opens in another program
- Remove any password protection
- Scanned PDFs without selectable text are not a problem: their content is read via text recognition (OCR)
Excel files
Problem: File is not processed correctly Recommendation:
- Use XLSX (works better than XLS)
- Remove empty rows and columns
- Save old XLS files as XLSX
Password-protected files
Problem: "File cannot be opened" Cause: basebox cannot process encrypted files Solution:
- Remove password protection before uploading
- Or copy the content into a new, unprotected file
Audio files
Problem: Inaccurate transcription Tips for better results:
- Use good audio quality
- Speak clearly and not too fast
- Reduce background noise
Unsupported formats
These file types currently do not work:
- Videos (e.g. MP4, AVI) – can neither be uploaded nor read; extract the audio track if you need it
- Archives (ZIP, RAR) – must be unpacked
- Special formats (CAD, design files)
A note on images
Images are read via text recognition. An image without text (for example, a purely graphical illustration) therefore yields no text content for basebox to work with.
Workaround: Convert files to a supported format or extract the text manually.
Tips for optimal results
Before uploading, check:
- File size – under 10 MB in the chat; for an app's knowledge base, the value stated in its upload area applies
- Supported format
- No password protection
If you run into problems:
- Read the error message – basebox shows specific hints
- Convert the format – Save in another supported format
- Split the file – Use several smaller uploads for files that are too large
- Just try it – When in doubt, upload the file and see what happens
For more help with failed uploads: Solving upload problems
Frequently asked questions
Can I upload multiple files at once? Yes, you can use multiple files in one chat.
What happens to my uploaded files? They are processed temporarily and automatically deleted after the chat.
Why isn't my file being recognized? Check the format, size, and whether the file is corrupted. The error message usually gives concrete hints.
Can I upload images directly? Yes. Upload JPG, PNG, TIFF, HEIC, and GIF files straight into the chat; any text they contain is read via text recognition.
Can I split very large files? Yes, split large documents into smaller sections for better processing.
Important note
If a format is unsupported or a problem occurs, basebox displays a corresponding error message with concrete solution suggestions.
Tip
When in doubt, you can simply upload the file and check whether it's processed – basebox gives you immediate feedback.
Having trouble with a specific file format? Contact support