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Why an Attachment Will Not Upload, Open or Save

This page explains the messages the Attachments section of the call screen and customer screen gives when something does not work, and what to do about each. Problems with files kept on a shared drive have a page of their own.

Why won't my file upload?​

A file that was not attached stays in the upload tray above the list in the Attachments section, with the reason on its line. The reasons are:

  • "This file is larger than 50 MB, the most that can be attached." The largest file you can attach is 50 megabytes (MB). It is refused before anything is sent. Make the file smaller, for example by saving a PDF at a lower quality or splitting it, and attach it again.
  • "That file is empty, so there is nothing to attach." The file on your computer has nothing in it.
  • "That category no longer exists. Choose another." The category the file was going into is not on your company's list any more. Attach it with All attachments selected, then choose a category in its details panel.
  • "The file could not be attached." Something went wrong on the way, such as the network dropping. Try again. Any other reason is ABM Service's own sentence about what went wrong.

Select the cross at the end of the line, named "Dismiss" and the file's name, to clear a refusal from the tray.

A file you stopped yourself, with the cross while it was uploading, is simply not attached and leaves the tray. Uploads also stop if the browser tab is closed or reloaded before they finish.

Why can't I attach files at all?​

Look at what the Attachments section shows where Attach files usually is:

  • Attachments is greyed out in the sections sidebar: the call or customer is new and has not been saved yet. Save it first.
  • Attach files is there but does nothing: the files are still loading. Pointing at it says "Available once the files have loaded". Wait a moment.
  • "Attaching new files is not available for this company.": your company's ABM keeps attachments in an older way, which ABM Service can read and describe but cannot add new files to. The files already attached can still be opened, downloaded and described. Dropping files on the section or on the sections sidebar does nothing on such a company either.

Why does an attachment download instead of opening?​

Only PDFs and pictures can be shown inside ABM Service, on its attachment viewer. In a browser, Open on any other kind of file, such as a Word document, a spreadsheet or a saved e-mail, downloads it, and the details panel says it "is downloading — this kind of file cannot be shown here." Open the downloaded copy from your browser's downloads.

The ABM Service desktop app opens those files in their own program instead, such as Word, Excel or Outlook.

Why won't an attachment open in its own program in the desktop app?​

In the ABM Service desktop app, Open on a file that is not a PDF or a picture opens it in the program your computer uses for that kind of file. If it cannot, the details panel says why, under Save changes:

  • "This PC has no program that opens" the file, then "Use Download to save it instead." No program on this computer opens that kind of file. If Windows asks "How do you want to open this file?" instead, choose a program there.
  • The file's name followed by "could not be opened. Try again, or use Download to save it.", or "The file could not be opened. Try again, or use Download to save it." The program could not be started, or the file could not be saved for it.
  • "The file could not be fetched. Please try again."
  • A reason about where the file is kept, for a linked file whose folder could not be read.

Why didn't my changes to an attachment save?​

The details panel, or the line above the list when you used the list's own Save, says why:

  • "Somebody else saved this file's details while you were editing them." Your typing is still there. Select Save changes again to keep yours, or Discard changes to keep theirs.
  • "That category no longer exists. Choose another." Choose another category and save again.
  • "Nothing has changed yet." There is nothing to save: what is in the boxes is what is saved.

A file still marked unsaved in the list has not been saved. Select it and select Save changes.

Why does the Attachments section say the files could not be loaded?​

The files could not be loaded, with a reason, means ABM Service could not read the list of files for this call or customer. Select Try again beside the message. Meanwhile, All attachments in the sections sidebar shows no count and no categories.

If the attachment viewer says "This file could not be found. It may have been removed.", the file is not on that call or customer any more, or the address you followed does not lead to one.

What does "Not remembered — this view could not be saved" mean?​

ABM Service remembers your view, grouping and columns in the Attachments section for you. Not remembered — this view could not be saved, beside the Group switch, means your last change could not be saved. It still applies until you close ABM Service; choose it again later to have it remembered.