diff --git a/frontend/src/App.tsx b/frontend/src/App.tsx
index f576176..96c43d2 100644
--- a/frontend/src/App.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/App.tsx
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ import StatsBar from './components/StatsBar';
 import ChatToggle from './components/ChatToggle';
 import Loading from './components/Loading';
 import Login from './pages/Login';
-import { DataProvider } from './hooks/useDataContext';
 import { canAccess, useAuth } from './hooks/useAuth';
 
 const Department = lazy(() => import('./pages/Department'));
@@ -28,18 +27,16 @@ function RoleGate({ slug, children }: { slug: string; children: React.ReactNode
 function ProtectedShell({ children, slug }: { children: React.ReactNode; slug: string }) {
   return (
     <AuthGate>
-      <DataProvider>
-        <RoleGate slug={slug}>
-          <div className="flex min-h-screen flex-col">
-            <Navbar />
-            <StatsBar />
-            <main className="mx-auto w-full max-w-7xl flex-1 p-4 md:p-6">
-              <Suspense fallback={<Loading label="Loading view…" />}>{children}</Suspense>
-            </main>
-            <ChatToggle />
-          </div>
-        </RoleGate>
-      </DataProvider>
+      <RoleGate slug={slug}>
+        <div className="flex min-h-screen flex-col">
+          <Navbar />
+          <StatsBar />
+          <main className="mx-auto w-full max-w-7xl flex-1 p-4 md:p-6">
+            <Suspense fallback={<Loading label="Loading view…" />}>{children}</Suspense>
+          </main>
+          <ChatToggle />
+        </div>
+      </RoleGate>
     </AuthGate>
   );
 }
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/HeaderUploads.tsx b/frontend/src/components/HeaderUploads.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d32446d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/src/components/HeaderUploads.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,128 @@
+import { useRef } from 'react';
+import { Upload, FileSpreadsheet, X, Loader2 } from 'lucide-react';
+import { useDataContext } from '../hooks/useDataContext';
+
+const ACCEPT = '.xlsx,.csv,application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.spreadsheetml.sheet,text/csv';
+
+interface SlotProps {
+  label: string;
+  filename: string | null;
+  rows: number;
+  uploading: boolean;
+  error: string | null;
+  onFile: (f: File) => void;
+  onClear?: () => void;
+}
+
+function Slot({ label, filename, rows, uploading, error, onFile, onClear }: SlotProps) {
+  const inputRef = useRef<HTMLInputElement>(null);
+
+  const onChange = (e: React.ChangeEvent<HTMLInputElement>) => {
+    const f = e.target.files?.[0];
+    if (f) onFile(f);
+    e.target.value = '';
+  };
+
+  const status = uploading
+    ? 'uploading'
+    : error
+      ? 'error'
+      : filename
+        ? 'loaded'
+        : 'empty';
+
+  return (
+    <div
+      className={[
+        'flex items-center gap-2 rounded-md border px-2 py-1 text-xs transition-colors',
+        status === 'loaded' && 'border-emerald-300 bg-emerald-50 text-emerald-900',
+        status === 'empty' && 'border-slate-300 bg-white text-slate-600 hover:border-slate-400',
+        status === 'uploading' && 'border-slate-300 bg-slate-50 text-slate-500',
+        status === 'error' && 'border-red-300 bg-red-50 text-red-800',
+      ].filter(Boolean).join(' ')}
+    >
+      {uploading ? (
+        <Loader2 className="h-3.5 w-3.5 animate-spin" aria-hidden />
+      ) : (
+        <FileSpreadsheet className="h-3.5 w-3.5" aria-hidden />
+      )}
+
+      <div className="flex min-w-0 flex-col">
+        <span className="font-semibold uppercase tracking-wide opacity-70">{label}</span>
+        {status === 'loaded' && (
+          <span className="max-w-[180px] truncate" title={filename ?? ''}>
+            {filename} <span className="opacity-60">· {rows.toLocaleString()} rows</span>
+          </span>
+        )}
+        {status === 'uploading' && <span>Parsing…</span>}
+        {status === 'empty' && <span>Not uploaded</span>}
+        {status === 'error' && <span className="truncate" title={error ?? ''}>{error}</span>}
+      </div>
+
+      <input
+        ref={inputRef}
+        type="file"
+        accept={ACCEPT}
+        className="hidden"
+        onChange={onChange}
+      />
+      <button
+        type="button"
+        onClick={() => inputRef.current?.click()}
+        disabled={uploading}
+        className="ml-auto inline-flex items-center gap-1 rounded border border-slate-300 bg-white px-1.5 py-0.5 text-[11px] text-slate-700 hover:bg-slate-50 disabled:opacity-50"
+        aria-label={`Upload ${label}`}
+      >
+        <Upload className="h-3 w-3" aria-hidden /> {filename ? 'Replace' : 'Upload'}
+      </button>
+      {filename && onClear && (
+        <button
+          type="button"
+          onClick={onClear}
+          className="rounded p-0.5 text-slate-500 hover:bg-white hover:text-slate-800"
+          aria-label={`Clear ${label}`}
+        >
+          <X className="h-3 w-3" aria-hidden />
+        </button>
+      )}
+    </div>
+  );
+}
+
+export default function HeaderUploads() {
+  const {
+    timelog, deliverable, projectSummary,
+    uploadTimelog, uploadDeliverable, uploadProjectSummary,
+    clearTimelog,
+  } = useDataContext();
+
+  return (
+    <div className="flex flex-wrap items-center gap-2" data-tutorial-id="header-uploads">
+      <Slot
+        label="Time Log"
+        filename={timelog.filename}
+        rows={timelog.rows}
+        uploading={timelog.uploading}
+        error={timelog.error}
+        onFile={(f) => void uploadTimelog(f)}
+        onClear={clearTimelog}
+      />
+      <Slot
+        label="Deliverable"
+        filename={deliverable.filename}
+        rows={deliverable.rows}
+        uploading={deliverable.uploading}
+        error={deliverable.error}
+        onFile={(f) => void uploadDeliverable(f)}
+      />
+      <Slot
+        label="Project Summary"
+        filename={projectSummary.filename}
+        rows={projectSummary.rows}
+        uploading={projectSummary.uploading}
+        error={projectSummary.error}
+        onFile={(f) => void uploadProjectSummary(f)}
+      />
+    </div>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/Navbar.tsx b/frontend/src/components/Navbar.tsx
index 5ac8562..124f865 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/Navbar.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/Navbar.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { NavLink, useNavigate } from 'react-router-dom';
 import { LogOut, BarChart3 } from 'lucide-react';
 import { canAccess, useAuth } from '../hooks/useAuth';
+import HeaderUploads from './HeaderUploads';
 
 interface Tab {
   to: string;
@@ -74,6 +75,12 @@ export default function Navbar() {
           </button>
         </div>
       </div>
+      {/* Compact upload tray — always visible so every data page can feed it. */}
+      <div className="border-t border-slate-800 bg-slate-50 px-4 py-2 md:px-6">
+        <div className="mx-auto w-full max-w-7xl">
+          <HeaderUploads />
+        </div>
+      </div>
     </header>
   );
 }
diff --git a/frontend/src/main.tsx b/frontend/src/main.tsx
index cc4488c..1881355 100644
--- a/frontend/src/main.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/main.tsx
@@ -3,15 +3,21 @@ import ReactDOM from 'react-dom/client';
 import { BrowserRouter } from 'react-router-dom';
 import App from './App';
 import { AuthProvider } from './hooks/useAuth';
+import { DataProvider } from './hooks/useDataContext';
 import './index.css';
 
 const basename = import.meta.env.BASE_URL.replace(/\/$/, '');
 
+// DataProvider lives at the root so the uploaded timelog / deliverable /
+// project-summary state survives navigation between tabs. (Previously it
+// was per-route, which silently wiped your upload on every nav click.)
 ReactDOM.createRoot(document.getElementById('root') as HTMLElement).render(
   <React.StrictMode>
     <BrowserRouter basename={basename}>
       <AuthProvider>
-        <App />
+        <DataProvider>
+          <App />
+        </DataProvider>
       </AuthProvider>
     </BrowserRouter>
   </React.StrictMode>,
diff --git a/frontend/src/pages/Department.tsx b/frontend/src/pages/Department.tsx
index c96fab6..eb2f11a 100644
--- a/frontend/src/pages/Department.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/pages/Department.tsx
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 import { useCallback, useEffect, useMemo, useState } from 'react';
 import { Download, RefreshCw } from 'lucide-react';
 import FilterBar from '../components/FilterBar';
-import UploadButton from '../components/UploadButton';
 import KpiTiles from '../components/KpiTiles';
 import PeriodToggle from '../components/PeriodToggle';
 import HourBreakdown from '../components/HourBreakdown';
@@ -21,7 +20,7 @@ import type { UtilisationSummaryRow, UtilisationTotals } from '../api/types';
 
 export default function Department() {
   const airtable = useAirtableData(false);
-  const { filters, dispatch, timelog, dimensions, uploadTimelog, clearTimelog } = useDataContext();
+  const { filters, dispatch, timelog, dimensions } = useDataContext();
   const [summary, setSummary] = useState<UtilisationSummaryRow[]>([]);
   const [totals, setTotals] = useState<UtilisationTotals | null>(null);
   const [summaryLoading, setSummaryLoading] = useState(false);
@@ -97,29 +96,23 @@ export default function Department() {
         </ol>
       </section>
 
-      <div className="grid gap-4 md:grid-cols-2">
-        <UploadButton
-          uploading={timelog.uploading}
-          error={timelog.error}
-          unrecognised={timelog.unrecognised}
-          filename={timelog.filename}
-          rowCount={timelog.rows}
-          onFile={(f) => void uploadTimelog(f)}
-          onClear={clearTimelog}
-        />
-
-        <FilterBar
-          state={filters}
-          dispatch={dispatch}
-          departments={airtable.meta?.departments ?? []}
-          names={names}
-          billingTypes={airtable.meta?.billingTypes ?? []}
-          brands={dimensions.brands}
-          divisions={dimensions.divisions}
-          hubs={dimensions.hubs}
-          userRoles={dimensions.userRoles}
-        />
-      </div>
+      <FilterBar
+        state={filters}
+        dispatch={dispatch}
+        departments={airtable.meta?.departments ?? []}
+        names={names}
+        billingTypes={airtable.meta?.billingTypes ?? []}
+        brands={dimensions.brands}
+        divisions={dimensions.divisions}
+        hubs={dimensions.hubs}
+        userRoles={dimensions.userRoles}
+      />
+      {timelog.unrecognised.length > 0 && (
+        <div className="rounded-md border border-yellow-300 bg-yellow-50 p-2 text-xs text-yellow-900">
+          <strong>Time log is missing expected column{timelog.unrecognised.length > 1 ? 's' : ''}:</strong>{' '}
+          {timelog.unrecognised.join(', ')} — charts may be incomplete.
+        </div>
+      )}
 
       <div className="flex flex-wrap items-center justify-between gap-2">
         <PeriodToggle