File Uploads
Estimated reading time: 8 minutes
File uploads are the quickest way to get data into clariBI. Drag and drop a file, and clariBI automatically detects columns, types, and structure.
Supported Formats
| Format | Extensions | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| CSV | .csv | UTF-8 encoding recommended. Supports comma, semicolon, tab, and pipe delimiters. |
| Excel | .xlsx, .xls | Spreadsheet data import. |
| JSON | .json | Structured data files. |
| Extracted via OCR. Professional tier and above. | ||
| Text | .txt | Plain text documents. Professional tier and above. |
Tier-based Formats
Trial and Starter plans support CSV and JSON uploads. Professional plans add Excel, PDF, and TXT. Enterprise plans unlock additional formats including DOCX, PPTX, and XML.
How to Upload
- Go to Data Sources and click Add Source
- Drag your file onto the upload area, or click browse to select files from your computer
- Optionally configure upload settings: data source name, file encoding (UTF-8, Latin-1, ASCII), CSV delimiter, and whether the first row contains headers
- Click Upload Files to start the upload
Upload Limits
| Plan | File Uploads | Storage |
|---|---|---|
| Trial | 5 | 1 GB |
| Starter | 50 | 5 GB |
| Professional | 500 | 10 GB |
| Enterprise | 5,000 | 100 GB |
CSV Best Practices
- First row should contain column headers
- Use UTF-8 encoding (other encodings may cause character issues)
- Consistent delimiters throughout the file
- Avoid merged cells or complex formatting (that is an Excel thing)
- Dates should be in a consistent format (ISO 8601
YYYY-MM-DDis ideal)
Excel Notes
When uploading Excel workbooks, clariBI processes the spreadsheet data for analysis. For workbooks with multiple sheets, the data is imported as part of the file data source.
Updating File Data
File uploads are a snapshot — they do not sync automatically like database connections. To update the data, upload a new version of the file. You can replace an existing file data source or create a new one.
Pro Tip
For data that changes frequently, consider connecting the original source (database, API, or Google Sheet) instead of re-uploading files. Live connections stay current automatically.
Related
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