How to Upload Evidence

Evidence is the proof behind your numbers: attendance sheets, photos, distribution lists, monitoring reports and so on. Roles that can upload: Admin, Project Manager, M&E Officer, Grants Officer, Field Officer and Compliance Officer.

Open Projects → your project → Evidence (or Evidence in the main menu for all projects).

Where files go

Your workspace stores evidence in one of two places (chosen in Settings → Setup → Connect Google Drive):

• Your own Google Drive (recommended). Uploads go into the project's Evidence folder in your Drive, and DonorDesk keeps a link. These files do not count toward your DonorDesk storage quota.
• DonorDesk storage (paid option). Files are stored by DonorDesk and count toward your plan's storage limit.

Upload files

1. Click Upload evidence.
2. Drop files onto the upload area or click to browse. You can select several files at once; each is uploaded separately in the Upload queue.
3. For each file set:
   • Evidence title
   • Evidence type – Attendance sheet, Photo, Distribution list, Training record, Field visit report, Monitoring report, Kobo/ODK export, Procurement document, Approval document, Beneficiary list, Meeting minutes, Case study, Financial document, Supplier document, Donor communication or Other
   • Reporting period (so it is used for the right report)
   • Confidentiality – Public, Internal, Sensitive or Highly sensitive
   • Location (optional)
4. Save. Text is read from documents so the AI Reporter can cite them.

Link a file already in Google Drive

Choose Or link an existing Google Drive file, paste a share link (for example https://drive.google.com/file/d/.../view) or a file ID, and save. Nothing is copied.

AI tag suggestions

After upload DonorDesk suggests tags (evidence type, related activity or indicator, period, a short summary and sensitivity warnings). Open the file's tag review to accept, edit or reject each suggestion. Tags only become final when you approve them. AI tagging never uses AI report credits.

Link evidence to activities and indicators

Open a file and use Link this file to an activity or indicator. A file can be linked to several. Click Suggest links to see likely matches based on titles and confirm the ones you want. Linked evidence is what supports numbers in reports and what the checklist counts.

Verify evidence

Reviewers (Admin, Project Manager, M&E Officer, Compliance Officer) open the file and change its status. See Evidence verification.

Confidentiality and reports

Sensitive and Highly sensitive files are withheld from AI drafting. If a claim in a report cites one anyway, the export gate blocks it until an Admin or Grants Officer confirms it may be shared.

Bulk import

To register many files at once use the evidence Excel template (Download template on the Evidence page) and import it. You can also pick files from the project's storage folder panel and use Link as evidence.

See also Troubleshooting evidence upload.