Visitors and new staff members often fill in their details from a registration link that someone has sent them (the web address contains /r/). This page explains which files those forms accept, why, and what to do when an upload does not go through.

Which file formats can I upload on a registration link?

JPEG images (.jpg or .jpeg) and PNG images (.png). This applies to every upload field on a registration link:

• the photo and the ID or passport copy on the visitor self-registration form
• the photo and the ID or passport copy of each person in a group registration
• the photo on the staff registration form
• any extra photo or file field your administrator has added to either form

Each field takes one image.

Has something changed?

No. The upload fields on registration links have always accepted JPEG and PNG images only. If an upload fails, the cause is usually one of the simple things under My upload still fails, not a new rule about file types.

Why are PDF and Word files not accepted?

A registration link is public: anyone who has the link can open the form and send a file, before anyone at your organization knows who they are. So these forms accept only plain pictures, the simplest kind of file to receive safely from someone you have not met yet.

PDF and Word documents can do much more than show a page:

• A PDF can carry JavaScript that runs when the file is opened.
• A PDF can carry other files inside it, including programs.
• A PDF can contain links and QR codes that lead to fake websites (phishing).
• PDF readers have had security flaws that could be exploited just by opening a file.
• A PDF can hide information in its metadata and in layers you do not see on screen.
• Word documents can carry macros (small programs) and embedded objects in the same way.

A picture has none of these abilities. EvTrack also treats every upload on a registration link with care:

1. It reads the content of the file to confirm it really is a JPEG or PNG image. Renaming a file so that it ends in .jpg is not enough to get it through.
2. It redraws the picture as a new, smaller JPEG image. Only the picture itself is kept, so anything else that was inside the original file is left behind.

All of this happens before anyone at your organization opens the file.

For more on what a PDF can carry, Adobe explains it in Can PDFs contain viruses?. For the security settings that protect your EvTrack system, see Privacy and Security, in particular Security Configuration.

Can our staff still keep PDF documents in EvTrack?

Yes. After login, staff whose role allows it can upload PDF documents inside EvTrack, for example as supporting documents on a registration or as documents on a visitor. These uploads come from known users, not from a public link.

So when a visitor’s paperwork exists only as a PDF or Word file, there are two easy options: the visitor turns the page they need into an image (see below), or they send the original to their host, who attaches it inside EvTrack. See also Vet contractor documents before the visit is approved.

How do I turn a PDF or Word document into an image?

Any of these works:

• Take a screenshot. Open the document, zoom in so the page fills the screen, and take a screenshot. Screenshots are saved as PNG or JPEG images.
  • Windows: press Windows key + Shift + S and select the page.
  • Mac: press Command + Shift + 4 and select the page.
  • iPhone: press the side button and the volume up button together.
  • Android: on most phones, press the power button and the volume down button together.
• Photograph the paper. Lay the page flat in good light, hold the phone straight above it, and fit the whole page in the picture.
• Export the page as an image. Many PDF viewers can save a page as a JPEG or PNG image. On a Mac, open the PDF in Preview and choose File > Export, then pick JPEG or PNG.

Before you upload, check that the text is sharp and easy to read, with no glare or shadow across it. If the document has several pages, upload the page the form asks for, and ask your host how to send the rest.

My upload still fails. What can I try?

When an upload does not go through, the form shows the reason next to the upload field. Find the message below.

• “Your session has expired.” For your security, the verification behind the form ends after about 30 minutes without activity. Reload the page, verify your email address or phone number again with the new code, and upload the image again. You may need to fill in some details again. Trying the same upload again without reloading does not help.
• “This image is too large.” The forms make large photos smaller before they send them, so most phone photos upload as they are. If a photo still fails, keep the file under 5 MB: take a screenshot of it, or choose a smaller photo size in the camera settings.
• “Only JPEG and PNG images can be uploaded.” The file is not a JPEG or PNG image, for example a PDF, a Word document or an HEIC photo. See How do I turn a PDF or Word document into an image? and the phone tip below.
• “Too many uploads in a short time.” Wait a minute, then try again.
• The image is too small. The staff registration form needs a photo of at least 600 x 600 pixels. A tiny screenshot or a cropped thumbnail can be refused. Use the original photo instead.
• The phone saves photos in another format. Some phones save photos as HEIC or HEIF. When you pick a photo in a web form, most phones hand over a JPEG copy automatically. If the form still refuses the photo, use the form’s camera option where it offers one, take a screenshot of the photo, or set the camera to save JPEG images. On an iPhone, that is Settings > Camera > Formats > Most Compatible.
• The connection is slow or drops. Wait until the upload progress finishes before you move on to the next field. If it stops part of the way, try again on a Wi-Fi network or where the signal is stronger.

Still stuck? Contact the person who sent you the link. They can help you finish the registration, and they can attach documents for you inside EvTrack.