Section 02 · The Vault
Uploading evidence
How to upload files to your Vault, what file types are supported, and how to name and categorise items for easy retrieval later.
After reading this article you can
- Upload a document to the Vault successfully
- Choose the right category for each piece of evidence
- Apply a naming convention that makes retrieval easier
Uploading evidence is the foundation of using SEN Evidence Vault. The more documents you have in your Vault, the more SENVault and bundle tools can do for you.
Supported file types
| Format | Notes | |---|---| | PDF | Preferred format, best results with document analysis | | JPEG, PNG | For photographs, screenshots, letters | | DOCX | Word documents, converted for display | | XLSX | Spreadsheets, stored but not analysed by AI |
Try to upload the clearest copy available. Scanned PDFs work with document analysis, but typed or digitally-created PDFs produce the most accurate extractions.
How to upload
Go to Evidence
From the main navigation, select Evidence or go to your child's profile and select the Evidence tab.
Select Upload
Click or tap the Upload button. You can upload one file at a time, drag and drop multiple files, or import directly from Google Drive (see below).
Add a title
Give the item a clear title. A good format is: [Type], [Professional/Source], [Date]. Examples: "EHCP draft, Westshire LA, Jan 2025" or "OT assessment, Sarah Briggs, March 2024".
Choose a category
SENVault will suggest a category based on the filename. You can accept the suggestion or change it. When uploading multiple files at once, each file gets its own suggested category. See below for guidance on which category to use for common document types.
Save
Click Save. The document is now in your Vault. If you have analyses remaining on your plan, you can immediately run a document analysis from the document's detail page.
Importing from Google Drive
If your evidence is stored in Google Drive, you can import it directly without downloading and re-uploading files.
Select Import from Google Drive
On the upload page, select the Import from Google Drive card.
Sign in and grant access
You will be asked to sign in to your Google account and grant SENVault read-only access to your Drive files. SENVault can only read files you select, it cannot browse or modify the rest of your Drive.
Pick your files
Use the file picker to select the documents you want to import. You can select multiple files at once.
Review and confirm
SENVault will suggest a category for each file based on the filename. Review the suggestions, adjust any that are wrong, and confirm the import.
Imported files go through the same upload and document analysis pipeline as files uploaded directly. PDFs and images are supported.
Note
Google Drive import is available when signed in. It requires a Google account and a one-time permission grant. You can revoke this permission from your Google account settings at any time.
Evidence categories
| Category | What goes here | |---|---| | EHCP | Draft EHCPs, final EHCPs, amendment requests, annual review paperwork | | DLA | DLA decision letters, renewal forms, supporting evidence for DLA | | Diagnosis | Diagnostic assessment reports, referral letters, waiting list correspondence | | Education | School reports, IEPs, SEN Support plans, school observations | | Medical | GP letters, hospital reports, clinic letters, prescription records | | Therapy | OT reports, SALT reports, physiotherapy notes, sensory profiles | | Social Care | EHCP Section D, social care assessments, care plans | | Safeguarding | Anything related to safeguarding concerns | | Appointments | Appointment summaries (if not using the appointment tracker) | | General | Anything that doesn't fit elsewhere |
Tip
When in doubt, choose the category that matches who wrote the document, a report from an Occupational Therapist goes in Therapy, not Medical, even if it was commissioned by the NHS.
Free plan limits
The free plan includes 5 evidence items. Once you reach this limit, you will be prompted to upgrade to Premium for unlimited storage.
The free plan allows 5 evidence items. Premium removes this limit entirely.
What to do next
- 1
Run an document analysis on your uploaded document
From the document's detail page, select Analyse. SENVault will extract a summary, key points, EHCP flags, and DLA extracts.
- 2
Add more documents
Try to upload one document from each relevant category so you have a well-rounded starting Vault.
Next in this section
Evidence categories explained
A detailed guide to the ten evidence categories in SEN Evidence Vault and which documents belong in each one.
Related articles
What is the Vault?
The Vault is your secure, private store for all evidence related to your child's SEND case. This article explains how it works, what it stores, and how your data is protected.
Adding notes and events
How to create text-based evidence items in your Vault for phone calls, meetings, observations, and other events that do not produce a physical document.
Open the app
Try this in SENVault
Upload, organise, and manage your evidence securely in one place.
Open SENVault