# File Uploads

The simplest way to get data into RootCause.ai is by uploading files directly. This is perfect for one-time analyses, spreadsheets from stakeholders, or data exports from systems that don't have native connectors.

**Supported Formats:**

| Format  | Description                                           |
| ------- | ----------------------------------------------------- |
| CSV     | Comma-separated values                                |
| Parquet | Columnar storage format (recommended for large files) |
| JSON    | JSON or newline-delimited JSON                        |
| Excel   | .xlsx files                                           |

**To upload a file:**

1. Navigate to **Data** → **Datasets**
2. Click **Upload** or drag and drop files into the upload area
3. Wait for the upload to complete
4. Review the detected schema

<figure><img src="/files/MTw1J0nxY1jjpai6VSto" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

**What happens when you upload:**

When you drop a file into RootCause.ai, several things happen automatically:

1. The file is securely transferred to your workspace's data lake—an isolated storage environment that keeps your data private and protected
2. Schema detection kicks in, analyzing your columns to determine data types (numbers, text, dates, categories)
3. A preview is generated so you can verify the data looks correct before using it
4. The dataset becomes available throughout your workspace for Data Views, analysis, and reporting

This process typically takes seconds for small files and a few minutes for larger ones.

(SCREENSHOT: Dataset detail page showing detected schema with column names, types, and sample values)


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# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation

If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://docs.rootcause.ai/more-details/data-management/uploading-datasets/file-uploads.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.