Supported files

Kwantflow supports common tender and estimating file types. Support can mean different things:

• Upload means the file can be added to an RFQ.
• Preview means Kwantflow can show the file inside the app.
• AI use means the file can contribute useful evidence to an AI draft when it is readable.

How to read support

One file can be:

• uploadable into an RFQ
• previewable inside the app
• useful for AI after Kwantflow prepares readable evidence

These are not always the same thing.

For example, a file may upload successfully but still need manual review if AI cannot extract enough usable information from it.

Commonly supported file families

What usually works best with AI

The strongest AI-ready inputs are usually:

• PDFs
• PNG, JPEG, and WebP images
• text-like files such as TXT, Markdown, CSV, JSON, and XML
• DOCX and XLSX when the file content can be extracted clearly
• email files where the body text matters

CAD and drawing files can still be useful, but they often depend on rendered previews or converted evidence rather than direct raw interpretation.

Common file scenarios

PDF tender pack

Use PDFs for:

• specifications
• issued drawings
• scope documents
• commercial schedules

This is usually the most dependable all-round file family.

Image or scan

Images work well when the content is sharp and readable.

Low-quality photos, faint scans, or screenshots with tiny text may still need manual checking.

CAD and model files

Use CAD and model files when the geometry matters, such as:

• part shapes
• fabricated assemblies
• 2D drawing review
• model-based package understanding

DXF and DWG are treated as drawing-oriented formats. STEP, IGES, STL, OBJ, and 3MF are treated more like model evidence.

Office files

DOCX and XLSX are useful when the file contains:

• scope notes
• schedules
• tabular pricing context
• structured takeoff or issue lists

Older .doc and .xls formats are not part of the normal supported upload path.

ZIP packages

ZIP files are useful when a tender arrives as one archive.

Treat the ZIP as a container, not the final evidence. The useful result comes from the files inside it.

Email files

.msg and .eml files are useful when the message body, instructions, and attachments are part of the RFQ context.

These are especially helpful for forwarded tender emails.

AI drafting note

AI drafting only uses files when Kwantflow can prepare useful evidence from them. A file may still need manual review even if it uploads successfully.

When AI may skip a supported file

AI may still skip a supported file when:

• the document is unreadable
• the file is damaged
• the important detail is only visible in a poor scan
• the content is too weak to trust automatically
• the file is better treated as supporting reference than direct estimate evidence

Unsupported or limited files

Some older or specialist formats may not be supported until they can be handled reliably.

If a file is important and does not preview or draft well, review it manually and include the information in your estimate.

Best practice

Use Kwantflow to centralise the evidence, then decide which files are safe to rely on directly and which still need estimator judgment.