File Handling

Overview

ORCFLO provides robust file handling capabilities that let you upload documents, images, and other files to use in your AI workflows. Files can be processed by AI models, analyzed, and transformed, with results saved as downloadable output files.

Uploading Files

You will always give your workflows access to your files through your personal file library.

File Library

Upload files to your personal library from the Files page. These files are always available to use in any workflow.

• Navigate to the Files page from your dashboard
• Drag and drop files onto the Files page, or click the upload button to browse
• Files are stored securely in your account

Supported File Formats

ORCFLO supports a wide variety of file formats. Different AI models have different capabilities for processing certain file types.

Using Files in Workflows

Once you've uploaded files to your library, you can attach them to Input Steps and LLM Steps in your workflow. Files are added directly through the node configuration panel.

Input Steps with Files

Input steps can include files that flow through your entire workflow. This is useful for providing reference documents or data that multiple steps will need.

• Files attached to Input steps are available to all downstream steps
• The Input node card displays up to 2 files with a "+N more" indicator
• Perfect for workflows that process the same document through multiple steps

LLM Steps with Files

Output Files

AI agents can create and save files during workflow execution. When a step generates a file (like a report, code, or processed data), it appears in the execution pane for download.

Supported Output Formats

AI agents can save files in these formats:

.txt, .md, .json, .csv, .py, .js, .ts, .html, .css, .xml, .yaml, and more.

Previewing Files

Before downloading workflow output files, you can preview them directly in your browser. This lets you quickly verify file contents without having to save them to your device.

How to Preview Files

Supported Preview Types

Preview Limitations

To maintain performance and security, file previews have the following limitations:

• Size limit: Files larger than 10 MB cannot be previewed (download to view)
• Unsupported types: Binary formats like .zip, .exe, or proprietary formats show a download prompt instead
• Security: All previews are sandboxed - no code execution or external requests
• Browser compatibility: Some advanced PDF features require modern browsers

Saving Outputs to Files

When a workflow generates output files, you can save them to your permanent Files collection for later use. This makes it easy to reuse workflow outputs in other workflows or download them for external use.

Custom Filenames

You can give output files custom names when saving them to your Files collection. This is especially useful when:

• The generated filename is not descriptive enough
• You want to organize files with a consistent naming convention
• You need to avoid conflicts with existing files in your library
• You want to include timestamps or version numbers in the filename

Auto-Save Feature

When you enable auto-save for a workflow, all output files from future executions will be automatically saved to your Files collection. This feature is perfect for:

• Workflows that run on a schedule and generate reports
• Data processing workflows where you always need the results
• Workflows that create files you frequently use in other workflows
• Automated archival of workflow outputs

File Provenance

Files saved from workflow executions maintain complete provenance tracking. This helps you understand where each file came from and how it was created.

• Source workflow name and ID
• Execution timestamp and ID
• Step name that created the file
• Original file metadata (name, size, type)

Filtering by Source

In the Files page, you can filter files by source to distinguish between:

File Limits and Security

ORCFLO enforces security measures and limits to ensure safe and reliable file handling.

Security Features

• File type validation on upload
• Path traversal protection
• Filename sanitization
• Secure storage with encryption
• Files are scoped to your account - others cannot access them
• All file transfers use HTTPS encryption

Best Practices

Follow these best practices to get the most out of file handling in your workflows.

Key Takeaways

• Upload files from the Files page - they're stored securely in your account
• Supported formats include images, PDFs, documents, video, and audio
• Files flow automatically to connected AI steps - just reference them in your prompt
• AI agents can create and save output files during execution
• Preview output files in-browser before downloading (text, markdown, JSON, images, PDFs)
• Save workflow output files to your Files collection with the "Save to Files" button
• Files maintain provenance tracking showing source workflow, execution, and step
• Filter by source to distinguish uploaded files from workflow outputs
• Max file size is 10 MB with security validation on all uploads