Document Indexing: What the Statuses Mean and What to Do If There Is an Error – Documents Section in Binom
Document indexing in Binom is the processing of an uploaded file, after which the AI employee can search it for answers for clients. The status in the "Documents" section shows whether the file is working: only documents with the status "Indexed" are used in answers. If the status is "Error", fix the document and upload it again.
What document statuses mean
| Status in "Documents" | What happens | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| "Waiting" | The file has been received and is queued for processing | Wait |
| "Processing" | Indexing is in progress: the text is being extracted and prepared for search | Wait, the document is not used in answers yet |
| "Indexed" | The document is working, and Binom uses it in answers | Check the answer in a new chat |
| "Error" | The document was not processed and is not used in answers | Follow the instructions below |
The summary above the list in Documents shows the total number of "Sources", "Indexing errors", "Processing" and "Indexed" documents. Documents with errors are collected in the "Needs attention" group and marked with a red bar on the left.
How to find documents with indexing errors
- Open Documents.
- Click the "Needs attention" group, or select "Error" in the "Status" filter.
- You will see all the documents that Binom could not process.
What to do with the "Error" status
The "Error" status appears in three cases: the file format is not supported, the file could not be processed, or there is no space left in document storage. Check them in this order.
1. Storage is full
What you see: a warning above the list: "Storage limit almost reached. Free up space…"
What to do: delete outdated or duplicate documents, then delete the document with the error and upload it again.
How to tell it is resolved: the warning is gone, and the new document has reached the "Indexed" status.
2. File format is not supported
What you see: during upload, the message "This file type is not supported" appears, or the file shows an error because it has a rare extension.
What to do: save the content in a common format, such as PDF or DOCX, and upload it again.
How to tell it is resolved: the status is "Indexed".
3. The file could not be processed
What to do: delete the document using the "Delete" icon and upload it again. If the error repeats, resave the file as PDF or DOCX, which rules out damage to the original file.
How to tell it is resolved: the status is "Indexed".
Other messages on the "Documents" page
"Document upload error"
The file did not reach your account. Upload it again using the "Upload file" button; if it happens again, contact support (below).
"Document deletion error" or "Could not delete: …"
Most often, the document is shared with another Binom. Such documents cannot be deleted, and they are skipped during bulk deletion. First, remove the sharing: how to transfer documents between Binoms.
No Google Drive import buttons
They appear after you connect in Integrations → Google Drive.
There are no buttons, or the message "You don't have permission to manage this section." appears
What it means: only users with the Owner, Admin or Editor access level for the selected Binom can add, edit and delete knowledge. Operators and Viewers see the section without editing buttons.
What to do: ask the account owner to give you the Editor level or higher. More details: access levels in a team.
How to tell it's resolved: after you refresh the page, the add buttons are active.
If the problem persists, write to support@binomai.com or send "I want to talk to a person" in the chat with Binom Tutor. Include the name of the Binom, the name of the file or card, and attach a screenshot of the message.
Other common questions
Why isn't my document being indexed?
If the status stays "Processing" for a long time, processing is still underway. If it shows "Error", check your storage space and the file format using the steps above, then upload the file to Documents again.
The document is indexed, but Binom still answers with the old information. Why?
Most likely, you're checking in an old chat, or another source contains conflicting data: why the bot answers with old data.
