When Invenias won't take a CV — whether through the web app or the Outlook add-in — the file is usually to blame. This guide covers the common upload failures and how to clear them fast.
TL;DR: Invenias upload failures come down to file type (legacy .doc, scanned images), file size (embedded photos and logos), and add-in quirks when filing CVs from Outlook. Use clean .docx or text-based PDFs, strip images, and file attachments one at a time when the add-in misbehaves. Distill automates the file prep.
Quick diagnosis: what's blocking the upload?
| Symptom | Likely cause | Quick check |
|---|---|---|
| File rejected outright | Unsupported format | Is it an old .doc or a scanned image? |
| Upload slow or times out | Large file with images | Is the file over ~2MB? |
| Outlook add-in fails to file the CV | Attachment type or add-in session | Does the same file upload via the web app? |
| Upload succeeds but profile is empty | Image-based PDF | Can you select the PDF text? |
Root causes ranked by frequency
Unsupported or legacy formats Old .doc files, WordPerfect leftovers, and scanned images are rejected or fail silently. Modern .docx or a text-based PDF works.
Large files with embedded images Executive CVs love a headshot and a logo strip. They bloat the file and slow or kill the upload. Strip images before filing.
Outlook add-in quirks Filing CVs straight from email is convenient until the add-in hits an attachment it doesn't like — unusual encodings, inline (rather than attached) files, or a stale session. The web app is the reliable fallback.
Image-based PDFs These sometimes upload without complaint and then produce an empty profile — the worst failure mode, because you don't notice until later.
Step-by-step fix
- Convert to .docx. It's the most reliable format for Invenias uploads.
- Strip images and compress. Remove photos and logos; keep files under ~2MB.
- Test via the web app when the Outlook add-in fails — it isolates whether the file or the add-in is the problem.
- Restart Outlook to refresh a stale add-in session.
- Check the parsed profile after upload — a "successful" upload of an image-based PDF still gives you an empty record.
How to prevent Invenias upload issues
- Standardise on .docx for every CV entering your workflow.
- Strip images at intake; re-apply branding on the way out to clients.
- Ask candidates and sources for text-based files, not scans.
- Batch-prep with Distill so every file is small, clean, and upload-ready.
When to automate this
- You file 20+ CVs weekly into Invenias.
- Upload failures interrupt search work more than once a week.
- You also need reformatting or anonymisation before client submission.
Distill outputs clean, compact .docx files that upload to Invenias first time.
FAQ
Q: Why does Invenias reject my CV file? A: Usually format. Convert legacy .doc files and scans to .docx.
Q: The Outlook add-in won't file a CV. What now? A: Save the attachment and upload via the web app. If that works, restart Outlook to reset the add-in.
Q: The upload worked but the profile is empty. Why? A: The PDF is image-based — no selectable text. Convert it and re-upload.
Q: Does Distill upload to Invenias for me? A: No. It prepares clean files that you file as normal.
If failed uploads are slowing your searches, Distill preps every file to Invenias's liking automatically. Try Distill free.