Why is my document stuck or not read?

Updated 5 Oct 2026 · 3 min read

After you add a document, ViamOne reads it: it works out what it is, writes a summary and picks out dates and details. Most of the time this just happens. If a document seems stuck, the label on it tells you which of these it is.

Waiting to be read

Scans, PDFs and photos are read on your plan's schedule:

Unlimited: within the hour
Pro: within 2 hours
Essential: within 4 hours
Basic: overnight

Some files don't wait at all. A scan or photo the phone app has already read, and Word, text, spreadsheet and email files, are read as soon as they arrive.

While a document waits, its label shows when it will be read, for example Reads at 3:07 pm, and a note at the top of your Vault list says the same. Nothing is wrong, and there's nothing to do. If you'd like documents read sooner, the note shows which plan reads faster, with an Upgrade link. See When will my document be read?.

Note: On the phone, a document's full preview is made when it's read. Until then, Save opens the file in another app.

Being read

A label such as Processing, or a row of steps on the document page, means ViamOne is reading it now. A long scan can take a few minutes. You don't need to keep the page open.

If reading stops partway, ViamOne notices and tries again by itself. If that happens twice, it marks the document as couldn't be read, so you can try again.

Couldn't be read

If a read fails, ViamOne tries again on its own a little later. If that try fails too, the document is marked Failed.

Try again

Open the document. A red Processing failed bar shows across the top.
Click ⋯ at the top right.
Click Reprocess.

Read, but nothing useful came out

Sometimes ViamOne reads a file but finds no name, number or date, for example a very dark or blurry photo. On the web a yellow bar says Couldn't read this document. Scan it again in good light and add the new copy, then delete the old one. See How do I get ViamOne to read a document again?.

Security: ViamOne never asks for a file's password. If a document is password-protected, save a copy without the password on your own device and add that.

Read, but the pages don't show

If a PDF was read but its page previews are missing, ViamOne tries again by itself to show them. If they still don't appear, use Reprocess on the web or Read again on the phone.

Didn't work?

My file is in a private folder and was never read

That's on purpose. ViamOne never reads files in a private folder. To have one read, move it to the vault. See What is the private folder?.

It failed again after I tried again

The file may be damaged or too unclear to read. Open it on your computer or phone to check that it opens properly, then add a fresh, clear copy and delete the one that failed.

I can't see Try again or Reprocess

These only appear once a read has finished or failed, not while a document is waiting or being read. Viewers in a vault don't see them.

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