> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.adclear.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Choosing the right upload type

> How to decide between Single, Carousel, Variations, and Batch for your specific workflow.

## Overview

Picking the right upload type before you start saves time and prevents avoidable review delays. The four types behave very differently. Using the wrong one is one of the most common issues we see.

For full definitions, decision criteria, and common mistakes per type, see the canonical reference at [Upload Types](/upload-types). This page focuses on the practical choice from an uploader's perspective.

<Tip>
  Quick rule of thumb: Single = 1 promotion, 1 approval. Carousel = 1 promotion (one or more frames), 1 approval. Variations = multiple promotions (same core message), individual approvals. Batch = multiple unrelated promotions, individual approvals.
</Tip>

## Quick comparison

| Upload Type | What it creates                         | Review behaviour                                              | Marketing example                                                 |
| ----------- | --------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Single      | 1 promotion from 1 asset                | 1 approval decision                                           | A new homepage hero banner                                        |
| Carousel    | 1 promotion from one or more frames     | 1 approval covers all frames, you cannot approve individually | A LinkedIn carousel where slides only make sense in sequence      |
| Variations  | Multiple linked promotions              | Each variation reviewed independently                         | 10 email subject line variants for an A/B test                    |
| Batch       | Multiple unlinked standalone promotions | Each item independent                                         | 20 unrelated affiliate banners uploaded at the start of the month |

## How to decide

<Steps>
  <Step title="Is it one asset, going out as one piece of content?">
    Use Single. One file, one approval. The most common upload type for individual ads, pages, or standalone assets.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Are the assets parts of the same single piece of content?">
    Use Carousel. Frames belong together (a multi-slide social post, an image set that tells one story) and a single decision should cover all of them. Once it's a carousel, you cannot approve frames individually.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Are the assets the same core message in different forms?">
    Use Variations. Same product, same campaign, different formats, channels, or markets. Each variation gets its own decision, but they're linked so the reviewer can see the relationship between them. This is the right choice for A/B tests, localisations, and multi-channel rollouts of the same content.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Are the assets unrelated to each other?">
    Use Batch. Different promotions, different products, different campaigns, but you want to upload them all in one go. Each is reviewed and approved independently with no linkage between items.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Warning>
  If your assets are variants of the same promotion, Variations is almost always the right choice over Batch. Batch loses the relationship between linked items, which makes it harder for the reviewer to give you consistent decisions across variants.
</Warning>

## When in doubt

If you're stuck between Variations and Batch, ask yourself: if a reviewer rejects one of these, would the same reasoning apply to the others?

* Yes = Variations (they're linked enough that decisions should be considered together)
* No = Batch (they're truly independent)

For the full per-type breakdown including common mistakes, see [Upload Types](/upload-types).

## Related pages

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Upload types" icon="layer-group" href="/upload-types">
    The four upload types and when to use each.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Upload quality guide" icon="circle-check" href="/marketing/upload-quality-guide">
    How to make sure Adclear can assess what you upload.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Supporting the review cycle" icon="arrows-spin" href="/marketing/supporting-review-cycle">
    Submitting, tracking decisions, and managing versions.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Still need help?

Contact support at [support@adclear.ai](mailto:support@adclear.ai).