> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.designiq.app/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Document Formats

> Supported file types and format recommendations

## Supported Formats

Design IQ supports common document formats used in engineering and design work.

## Primary Formats

<CardGroup cols={3}>
  <Card title="PDF" icon="file-pdf">
    Portable Document Format - recommended for best results
  </Card>

  <Card title="Excel" icon="file-excel">
    Spreadsheets for calculations and data
  </Card>

  <Card title="Word" icon="file-word">
    Specifications and text documents
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## PDF Documents

PDFs are the preferred format for Design IQ. They work well for:

* Design drawings
* Specifications
* Reports
* Reference standards
* Building codes

### PDF Best Practices

<Check>
  **Text-searchable PDFs** - Ensure PDFs contain selectable text, not just images
</Check>

<Check>
  **Native PDFs** - Export PDFs directly from design software when possible (not scanned)
</Check>

<Check>
  **OCR for scans** - If you must use scanned documents, apply OCR (Optical Character Recognition) first
</Check>

<Check>
  **Reasonable file sizes** - Compress large PDFs while maintaining quality
</Check>

## Excel Documents

Excel files are useful for:

* Calculation sheets
* Data tables
* Load schedules
* Equipment lists

Design IQ can extract and analyze data from Excel spreadsheets.

## Word Documents

Word files work well for:

* Specification sections
* Technical narratives
* Design reports
* Meeting notes

## Image Files

While PDFs are preferred, some image formats may be supported:

* PNG
* JPG/JPEG

<Note>
  Image files should be high resolution and clear for best AI analysis. PDFs containing images are generally preferred over standalone image files.
</Note>

## Unsupported Formats

The following formats are typically **not supported**:

* CAD files (.dwg, .dxf, .rvt) - Export to PDF instead
* 3D models - Export sections or views to PDF
* Proprietary formats specific to certain software
* Compressed archives (.zip, .rar) - Extract and upload files individually

<Tip>
  If you have CAD or BIM files, export them to PDF with your design software before uploading to Design IQ.
</Tip>

## File Naming Conventions

Good file naming helps with organization and retrieval:

### Recommended Naming

```
[ProjectCode]_[DocumentType]_[Description]_[Version].pdf
```

### Examples

* `BLDGA_STRUCT_Drawings_R2.pdf`
* `CAMPUS_MEP_Specifications_Final.pdf`
* `BRIDGE_CALC_LoadAnalysis_v3.xlsx`

### Avoid

* Generic names like `Document1.pdf`
* Special characters that might cause issues (\`, \*, :, etc.)
* Extremely long filenames

## File Size Considerations

### Optimal Sizes

* Individual files: Under 50 MB for best performance
* Very large files may take longer to process

### Large File Handling

If you have large files:

1. Consider splitting into logical sections
2. Compress PDFs while maintaining quality
3. Remove unnecessary embedded content
4. Contact support for guidance on very large uploads

## Format Recommendations by Document Type

| Document Type  | Recommended Format | Alternative |
| -------------- | ------------------ | ----------- |
| Drawings       | PDF (from CAD)     | -           |
| Specifications | PDF or Word        | -           |
| Calculations   | Excel or PDF       | -           |
| Reports        | PDF                | Word        |
| Standards      | PDF                | -           |
| Photos/Images  | PDF with images    | PNG/JPG     |

## Next Steps

<Card title="Upload Documents" icon="upload" href="/dashboard/data/uploading-documents">
  Start uploading your documents
</Card>