Content statuses in Microstock+

Every file passes several states between the moment it has been uploaded to M+ and the moment it gets approved on the microstock agencies. Each state is reflected in M+ interface and called "File status". This manual will help you to understand the file statuses and to solve the known issues related to them.

Where can I find the file statuses and how can I change them?

File statuses are displayed in the My Files section under every thumbnail as a colored bar and in the Upload/Submit tab next to every agency name. The Upload/Submit tab allows you to review and change the selected file(s) statuses for each microstock agency. You can see more details about the statuses of the selected files there along with any related messages.
To change a file status for an agency simply click on it in the Upload/Submit panel and select a new one from the drop-down list that will appear. Please note that you can't override some statuses manually (i.e. "Not ready" and "Out of submissions") as they are caused by some issues that need to be resolved.
The colored bars under the file thumbnails allow to get a quick grasp of statuses of all files in a folder and quickly notice any issues. By default all color sectors are ordered by the agency but you can opt for grouping them by color instead (like in StockSubmitter). To do so, deactivate the "Display statuses in the bar ordered by agency" toggle in the Dashboard section.

Not ready

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This status means that your file haven't met one or more of the Microstock agency requirements (see the "Ready" file status). The details can be found in the Upload/Submit tab right to the Microstock agency name. Hover an error message with your mouse to see a proposed solution. Once a file will meet the requirements its status will automatically change to Ready.

An example of solving an issue of a file that's not ready

This status is displayed in pink color.

A required file is missing

All vector files must be uploaded as a pair of a EPS file and a JPG preview. This applies to all microstock agencies! Otherwise the file will have the "A required file is missing" status. To solve this issue just upload a JPG preview with the same name as your EPS file (or a EPS file with the same name as your preview). A pair should get joined together automatically.

Ready

This status indicates that your file is ready to be uploaded on the microstock agency and shouldn't cause any issues during submission. It is displayed in yellow color.

To get the Ready status your file must meet the following conditions

A file must be uploaded to the M+ cloud storage. Any .EPS file must be paired with a .JPG preview;
A file must have a title, a description, categories, keywords and other metadata;
Metadata must comply with the Microstock agency requirements (most known issues are described below).

Please note that we can't check if you have attached all necessary releases to your files because there's no way to predict whether a file requires a release or not.
Once a file gets the Ready status for an agency, you can upload it there. To do so, select a file (or files) you'd like to upload, open the Upload/Submit tab, select the microstock agency(ies) of your choice or check the Select all checkbox, then click the "Upload Selected" button.

Scheduled

Both StockSubmitter and M+ allow to schedule an upload to any Microstock agency and adjust the settings for this event.

To schedule an upload select a file (or files) you'd like to upload, open the Upload/Submit tab, select the desired microstock agency(ies) or check the Select all checkbox, then click the icon with a watch above the file gallery. Once a pop up appears, adjust the settings and click the "Schedule" button to proceed. Once you do so, the file(s) will be scheduled for uploading at the specified time and the bar above the file thumbnail (or a part of it) will turn light-blue.

How to schedule a file upload

Queued

This status indicates that a file has been queued for an upload to a microstock agency. Microstock agencies are known for their paranoidal attitude and tend to be suspicious of multi-threaded upload. M+ imitates a behavior of a real person to not arouse any suspicion by creating a queue of files. Normally, it shouldn't take long, but a huge amount of heavy files or a high load on the agency server may cause delays. If the ETA haven't been shortening for a few hours please contact the tech support.

Uploading

This status indicates that a file is currently being uploaded to the microstock agency(ies). It is displayed in lime color. If an upload will be interrupted by an issue, M+ will make another attempt after a short time (the exact period is shown in parentheses below the status). Sometimes it takes several attempts to succeed and it depends on the microstock agency, not M+. Most common issues like Connection error/Maintenance should get resolved on the next uploading attempt and do not require your intervention. If this problem lasts for longer than 24 hours, please contact the tech support.

Upload failed

This status indicates that a fatal error has occurred while trying to upload a file. For details visit the Upload/Submit tab and find the microstock agency with a pink colored square marker. You will see an exact reason for the failure there. Correct the error and repeat an upload attempt (to do so, change the status to Ready, select the problematic agency and click the Upload selected again). If you are not sure how to resolve the error please contact our support.

Uploaded

This status indicates that a file has been successfully uploaded to the microstock agency but haven't been submitted yet. Please, do not confuse these two statuses! When a file is uploaded, it has arrived to the microstock agency site but it isn't in the review queue yet. This status does NOT require any actions. Usually the file appears at the microstock agency within 5-10 minutes after it has been uploaded, but sometimes it takes up to a few hours (depending on the microstock agency). After that the file will be automatically submitted within 30 minutes.
Please! Be patient and do not submit the uploaded file manually if it has appeared at the microstock agency site! It disrupts the procedure and causes errors!
This status is displayed in green color.

Frequently asked questions on this step

Why a successfully uploaded file lacks a part/all metadata? Why the description and the title have been switched?
When your file has been successfully uploaded, the microstock agency handles the file's metadata according to it's own algorithm and there's no way to affect this process. After a successful submission all metadata should appear as you have inputted it.
Some of the essential metadata fields are empty/one of the essential checkboxes isn't checked. Is that a reason for a submission to fail?
It works the other way round: the submission process has gone wrong (or didn't happen yet) and that's why some of the metadata hasn't been filled. It may be a temporary issue or just a submission delay, so, please, give M+ at least 1 hour to resolve the issue. If it takes longer though, please contact the tech support.
Submission process takes too long! How to speed up the process? How to launch a submission manually?
M+ can't force the submission process because that mostly depends on the microstock agency. If the files haven't been submitted yet then it was simply not possible. As soon as the submission will be possible M+ will perform it so please just give it some time.
My files got submitted to every agency but Dissolve! What do I do?
This microstock agency accepts files in batches only (at least 10 files per batch). Please upload more files to the same batch if there are less than 10 files.
Freepik doesn't have batches but the submission doesn't happen there!
They require you to upload at least 10 files before submitting them will be possible.

Don't forget to check the following

Have you gone over the microstock agency submission limit? Some microstock agencies like VideoHive and Bigstock have their own submission limit. Please, check if you haven't exceeded it.
Did you pass the exam and fill all required forms on the agency website? Some agencies may require a separate exam for every category or ask you to update your tax forms every few years.
Does the agency website work at the moment? Didn't they stop accepting content temporarily or permanently? We do our best to keep track of such events and display messages for you but it's still possible that we're not aware of something like that.
Does the file meet the microstock agency's requirements?

If all conditions were fulfilled, the submission should take 5-10 minutes after the file has appeared on the microstock agency site (in the extreme case it may take about an hour). If it's been more than an hour, all conditions have been fulfilled and submission isn't happening, please, contact the tech support.

Submitted

This status indicates that all metadata including attached release files have been delivered to your file on the microstock agency and the file itself have been sent to the reviewer. This step doesn't require any actions, just wait for the reviewer's decision. M+ overviews the approving process and will change the file status to Approved or Rejected if it is supported by the agency. A sea green indicator or a sea green bar color sector match this status.

Submit failed

This status indicates that an error occurred during the submission process. For details visit the Upload/Submit tab and find the microstock agency with a pink colored square marker. Hover your mouse over an error to see a solution for the case. Correct all errors if required, change the status to Ready manually, upload it on the microstock agency and try submitting it again.

Out of submissions

If you're a free subscription plan user

Every M+ and StockSubmitter user have 33 free submissions for each stock per notional month (30 days from the first submission). If you've noticed the status Out of submissions that means you've gone over the limit.

There are several solutions for the case

Wait for the next notional month to start. Then you'd be able to use another 33 submissions on each microstock agency.
Purchase the payment plan. You can find more information in our store. To go to the store click on your current subscription plan in the top right corner of the M+ interface or on the Store item in the left interface menu.
Submit your files to iStock or MotionElements - it's free and unlimited.
Submit files manually without M+ or StockSubmitter. If you have it uploaded on M+ don't forget to manually change the status for these files to Submitted! To do so select the file or files, open the Upload/Submit tab, check the microstock agency or agencies, click on the file status and select Submitted in the dropdown list.

If you're using a subscription plan

You've gone over the limit of your subscription plan. See the details about your subscription plan in our store. To go to the store click on your current plan in the top right corner of the M+ interface or on the Store item in the left interface menu.

There are several solutions for that case

Wait for the next notional month to start and you will get as much submissions as available for your payment plan. Make sure you have enough money on your balance to pay the monthly fee;
Purchase some submissions at retail. To do so go to the Store, click the Increase limit button and purchase as much as you need. This is a single event and doesn't affect the next notional month;
Purchase the more expensive payment plan with a higher limit of submissions. You only pay the difference between payment plans but used submissions remain in the account till the beginning of the next notional month. Make sure to change your payment plan back if you don't want to continue using a more expensive plan, otherwise its full monthly fee will be withdrawn of your balance at the beginning of the next notional month;
Submit your files to iStock or MotionElements - it's free and unlimited;
Submit files manually without M+ or StockSubmitter. If you have it uploaded on M+ don't forget to manually change the status for these files to Submitted! To do so select the file or files, open the Upload/Submit tab, check the microstock agency or agencies, click on the file status and select Submitted in the dropdown list.

Submitted but missing

This is a very rare status that means that your file has been successfully submitted but then disappeared from the microstock agency site. First, check has it really disappeared. If that so, please, re-upload the file on the microstock agency. To do so select the file/files, set Ready status, upload the file/files on the microstock agency as usual and wait for the submission.
If the file appeared on the microstock agency but has Submitted but missing status in M+ please, contact the tech support.

Approved

This is the most pleasant status of all! This means that your file has been approved by the reviewer and has been put up for sale. A dark green indicator or a dark green bar color sector match this status.

Rejected

This status indicates that for some reason your file has been declined by the reviewer. If the reason was specified on the microstock agency site it should appear in M+ interface below the status

Ignored

This status could mean one of the following

This microstock agency doesn't accept such type of content (for example, 123RF doesn't accept video files);
You have manually denied uploading such type of content on this microstock agency;
You have manually denied uploading a selected file on this microstock agency. If you want to set Ignored status for any file just hover your mouse over an existing status and choose Ignored point in the dropdown list. You can change it later to any other available status (i.e. Ready)

A gray indicator or a gray bar color sector match this status.