diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 9b84d3e..087cf53 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -33,13 +33,14 @@ from reviewed import through reports, export, and verified backup restoration.
 
 ## Import local files
 
-Create the destination accounts, then copy up to 10 bank CSV or Ourocard TXT
-files into the ignored `imports/` folder. Open **Imports**, choose **Scan files**,
-map each section to an active BRL account, and choose **Prepare imports**. Check
-the per-file status and counts, then choose **Import ready files**. Exact
-reimports are skipped; files needing attention remain separate and do not stop
-ready files. Resolve their listed codes and scan again. No transactions are
-written until you import the ready files.
+Create the destination accounts, then copy bank CSV or Ourocard TXT files into
+the ignored `imports/` folder. Open **Imports**, choose **Scan files**, map each
+section to an active BRL account, and choose **Prepare imports**. Check the
+per-file status and counts, then choose **Import ready files**. During an import,
+files move through `imports/staging/`; after a successful commit they appear in
+`imports/processed/`. Exceptions return to incoming `imports/`, where they are
+safe to correct and scan again. No transactions are written until you import the
+ready files.
 
 The [local workflow guide](docs/local-workflows.md#import-local-files) explains
 the guided path and the advanced `import_review` command for manual review.
diff --git a/core/templates/core/imports/index.html b/core/templates/core/imports/index.html
index 1e1e087..2bccfb7 100644
--- a/core/templates/core/imports/index.html
+++ b/core/templates/core/imports/index.html
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 {% block title %}Imports · Gizmoduck{% endblock %}
 {% block content %}
 <h1>Imports</h1>
-<p>Copy up to 10 bank CSV or Ourocard TXT files into the local <code>imports/</code> folder, then scan and map each section to an active BRL account.</p>
+<p>Copy bank CSV or Ourocard TXT files into the local <code>imports/</code> folder, then scan and map each section to an active BRL account.</p>
 <p><a href="{% url 'account-create' %}">Create an account</a> before mapping if needed.</p>
 {% if error %}<p class="error-summary" role="alert">{{ error }}</p>{% endif %}
 <form method="post">
diff --git a/core/views.py b/core/views.py
index a68da0c..90acd02 100644
--- a/core/views.py
+++ b/core/views.py
@@ -48,7 +48,6 @@ DOMAIN_MESSAGES = {
     "zero_amount": "The amount cannot be zero.",
 }
 UNKNOWN_DOMAIN_MESSAGE = "Unable to save this change."
-MAX_GUIDED_FILES = 10
 
 
 @dataclass(frozen=True)
@@ -86,18 +85,12 @@ def imports_index(request):
         action = request.POST.get("action")
         if action == "scan":
             discovered = guided_imports.discover_imports()
-            request.session.pop("guided_imports", None)
-            if len(discovered) > MAX_GUIDED_FILES:
-                return render(request, "core/imports/index.html", {
-                    "error": f"SCAN_TOO_LARGE: Keep at most {MAX_GUIDED_FILES} files in imports/ and scan again. No files were imported.",
-                })
             files = [{
                 "name": row.name, "profile": row.profile, "sections": list(row.sections),
                 "state": "NEEDS_ATTENTION" if row.code else "MAPPING_REQUIRED",
                 "code": row.code, "counts": None,
             } for row in discovered]
             scannable = [_import_metadata(row) for row in discovered if not row.code]
-            _remember_import_summaries(request, [row for row in files if row["code"]])
             return _render_imports(request, files=files, scan_token=signing.dumps(
                 scannable, salt="guided-imports-scan", compress=True,
             ) if scannable else None)
@@ -111,14 +104,12 @@ def imports_index(request):
             if action == "prepare":
                 return _prepare_import_files(request, payload)
             else:
-                _commit_import_files(request, payload)
+                return _commit_import_files(request, payload)
         else:
             return render(request, "core/imports/index.html", {
                 "error": "Choose an import action. Scan again before continuing.",
             }, status=400)
-        return redirect("imports-index")
-
-    return _render_imports(request, files=request.session.get("guided_imports", []))
+    return _render_imports(request, files=[])
 
 
 def _render_imports(request, *, files, **context):
@@ -150,7 +141,7 @@ def _load_import_token(request, *, prepared):
     keys = {"name", "document_hash", "profile", "sections"}
     if prepared:
         keys |= {"batch_id", "revision"}
-    if not isinstance(payload, list) or not payload or len(payload) > MAX_GUIDED_FILES:
+    if not isinstance(payload, list) or not payload:
         raise ValueError
     for row in payload:
         if not isinstance(row, dict) or set(row) != keys:
@@ -181,25 +172,6 @@ def _import_failure(metadata, code="IMPORT_FAILED"):
     }
 
 
-def _combined_import_results(request, results):
-    # Retain exceptions from other files through each independent action.
-    names = {row["name"] for row in results}
-    previous = request.session.get("guided_imports", [])
-    files = [row for row in previous
-             if row["name"] not in names and row["state"] == "NEEDS_ATTENTION"] + results
-    if len(files) > MAX_GUIDED_FILES:
-        # Another tab may have scanned a different group since this form opened.
-        files = results
-    return sorted(files, key=lambda row: row["name"])
-
-
-def _remember_import_summaries(request, files):
-    # Do not retain hashes, batch identifiers, tokens, mappings, or source content.
-    request.session["guided_imports"] = [{
-        key: row[key] for key in ("name", "profile", "state", "code", "counts")
-    } for row in files]
-
-
 def _prepare_import_files(request, payload):
     results, ready = [], []
     for index, metadata in enumerate(payload):
@@ -221,9 +193,7 @@ def _prepare_import_files(request, payload):
         results.append(_import_summary(result))
         if result.state in {"READY", "ALREADY_IMPORTED"}:
             ready.append(_import_metadata(result, prepared=True))
-    files = _combined_import_results(request, results)
-    _remember_import_summaries(request, [row for row in files if row["state"] == "NEEDS_ATTENTION"])
-    return _render_imports(request, files=files, prepared_token=signing.dumps(
+    return _render_imports(request, files=results, prepared_token=signing.dumps(
         ready, salt="guided-imports-prepared", compress=True,
     ) if ready else None)
 
@@ -233,7 +203,7 @@ def _commit_import_files(request, payload):
     for metadata in payload:
         prepared = guided_imports.PreparedImport(
             **{**metadata, "sections": tuple(metadata["sections"])},
-            state="READY", counts={"created": 0, "matched": 0, "skipped": 0}, code=None,
+            state="READY", counts={"created": 0, "matched": 0, "skipped": 0}, code=None, staged=True,
         )
         try:
             result = guided_imports.commit_prepared_import(prepared=prepared, actor=LOCAL_ACTOR)
@@ -241,7 +211,7 @@ def _commit_import_files(request, payload):
             results.append(_import_failure(metadata))
             continue
         results.append(_import_summary(result))
-    _remember_import_summaries(request, _combined_import_results(request, results))
+    return _render_imports(request, files=results)
 
 
 def reconciliation_index(request):
diff --git a/docs/local-workflows.md b/docs/local-workflows.md
index af03464..176455f 100644
--- a/docs/local-workflows.md
+++ b/docs/local-workflows.md
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ domain workflows described in [the financial domain guide](financial-domain.md).
 1. Create the destination accounts through **Accounts**. Bank statements need a
    bank account; Ourocard sections need credit-card accounts. Only active BRL
    accounts can be mapped.
-2. Copy up to 10 source files into the ignored repository-root `imports/`
+2. Copy source files into the ignored repository-root `imports/` incoming
    directory. Use bank-account CSV or Banco do Brasil/Ourocard TXT. Keep real
    documents out of `tests/fixtures/`. The web and management services share
    this local directory through a Compose bind mount.
@@ -50,16 +50,14 @@ domain workflows described in [the financial domain guide](financial-domain.md).
    exact reimport skips. Each file commits independently; one file needing
    attention does not stop another ready file. The result shows created,
    matched, and skipped counts without displaying source rows or amounts.
-6. Resolve the listed exceptions and scan again. After checking successful
-   results, move processed documents to another ignored local directory such
-   as `documents/` before copying the next group into `imports/`.
-
-More than 10 files returns `SCAN_TOO_LARGE` and leaves the entire scan untouched.
-Reduce the group and scan again. Scans and prepared selections expire after
-15 minutes; refresh by scanning again if a selection expires or a file changes.
-The signed selections stay in the forms, while the browser session retains
-only compact safe result summaries. Import actions use CSRF protection and
-record the local human actor `HUMAN/local-owner`.
+6. Each file moves through `imports/staging/` while its import runs. After a
+   successful commit it appears in `imports/processed/`. Exceptions return to
+   incoming `imports/`, where they are safe to correct and scan again.
+
+Scans and prepared selections expire after 15 minutes; refresh by scanning
+again if a selection expires or a file changes. Signed selections stay in the
+forms. Import actions use CSRF protection and record the local human actor
+`HUMAN/local-owner`.
 
 `INVALID_SECTION_MAPPING` requires a current active BRL account for every
 section. `FILE_CHANGED`, `STALE_REVISION`, or `STALE_PREVIEW` requires a fresh
diff --git a/tests/test_guided_import_views.py b/tests/test_guided_import_views.py
index 576a271..9a13961 100644
--- a/tests/test_guided_import_views.py
+++ b/tests/test_guided_import_views.py
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 """The local owner imports synthetic files without sending source rows to the UI."""
 
 from pathlib import Path
-import random
-import string
 
 import pytest
 from django.core import signing
@@ -108,7 +106,7 @@ def test_mapping_prepares_then_explicit_commit_creates_with_local_human_actor(cl
     payload = signing.loads(prepared.context["prepared_token"], salt="guided-imports-prepared")
     assert set(payload[0]) == {"name", "document_hash", "profile", "sections", "batch_id", "revision"}
     response = commit(client, prepared)
-    assert response.redirect_chain == [(reverse("imports-index"), 302)]
+    assert not response.redirect_chain
     assert response.context["files"][0]["state"] == "COMMITTED"
     assert response.context["files"][0]["counts"]["created"] == 2
     assert Transaction.objects.count() == SourceRecord.objects.count() == 2
@@ -136,42 +134,10 @@ def test_scan_and_prepared_form_metadata_do_not_depend_on_session_payload(client
     assert "batch_id" not in str(dict(client.session))
 
 
-def test_oversized_scan_has_safe_result_and_leaves_every_file_untouched(client, source, bank):
-    for index in range(20):
-        (source / f"synthetic-{index}.csv").write_bytes(DATA)
-    response = scan(client)
-    assert "SCAN_TOO_LARGE" in response.content.decode()
-    assert not response.context.get("scan_token")
-    assert not ImportBatch.objects.exists()
-    assert len(list(source.iterdir())) == 21
-    if "sessionid" in client.cookies:
-        assert len(client.cookies["sessionid"].value) < 4096
-
-
-def test_long_filename_summaries_fit_browser_cookie_and_do_not_accumulate_across_tabs(client, source, bank):
-    (source / "bank.csv").unlink()
-    names = random.Random(41)
-    filenames = ["".join(names.choices(string.ascii_letters + string.digits, k=250)) + ".csv"
-                 for _ in range(10)]
-    for filename in filenames:
-        (source / filename).write_bytes(DATA)
-    scanned = scan(client)
-    fields = {f"file-{index}-section_0": str(bank.pk) for index in range(10)}
-    prepared = prepare(client, scanned, bank, **fields)
-    # A second tab scans other files before the first tab finishes its old form.
-    for filename in filenames:
-        (source / filename).unlink()
-        (source / filename.replace(".csv", ".ofx")).write_text("Synthetic unsupported")
-    scan(client)
-    response = commit(client, prepared)
-    assert len(response.context["files"]) == 10
-    assert all(row["code"] == "UNREADABLE_FILE" for row in response.context["files"])
-    assert len(client.cookies["sessionid"].OutputString().encode()) < 4096
-    assert not Transaction.objects.exists()
-
 
 def test_exact_reimport_reports_skips_without_new_transactions(client, source, bank):
     commit(client, prepare(client, scan(client), bank))
+    (source / "bank.csv").write_bytes(DATA)
     prepared = prepare(client, scan(client), bank)
     assert prepared.context["files"][0]["state"] == "ALREADY_IMPORTED"
     result = commit(client, prepared)
@@ -214,9 +180,9 @@ def test_review_exception_does_not_prevent_another_file_commit(client, source, b
     (source / "ambiguous.csv").write_bytes(DATA + DATA.splitlines(keepends=True)[1])
     prepared = prepare(client, scan(client), bank, **{"file-1-section_0": str(bank.pk)})
     assert [row["state"] for row in prepared.context["files"]] == ["NEEDS_ATTENTION", "READY"]
+    assert prepared.context["files"][0]["code"] == "REVIEW_REQUIRED"
     result = commit(client, prepared)
-    assert [row["state"] for row in result.context["files"]] == ["NEEDS_ATTENTION", "COMMITTED"]
-    assert result.context["files"][0]["code"] == "REVIEW_REQUIRED"
+    assert [row["state"] for row in result.context["files"]] == ["COMMITTED"]
     assert Transaction.objects.count() == 2
     assert not ImportBatch.objects.filter(state="PREVIEW").exists()
 
@@ -241,13 +207,18 @@ def test_unexpected_per_file_error_never_exposes_source_or_blocks_next_file(clie
     monkeypatch.setattr(views.guided_imports, service_name, fail_one_file)
     if stage == "prepare":
         prepared = prepare(client, scanned, bank, **{"file-1-section_0": str(bank.pk)})
+        assert prepared.context["files"][0]["code"] == "IMPORT_FAILED"
     result = commit(client, prepared)
-    assert [row["state"] for row in result.context["files"]] == ["NEEDS_ATTENTION", "COMMITTED"]
-    assert result.context["files"][0]["code"] == "IMPORT_FAILED"
-    assert "Synthetic private source text" not in result.content.decode()
-    assert "1234.56" not in result.content.decode()
+    if stage == "commit":
+        assert [row["state"] for row in result.context["files"]] == ["NEEDS_ATTENTION", "COMMITTED"]
+        assert result.context["files"][0]["code"] == "IMPORT_FAILED"
+    else:
+        assert [row["state"] for row in result.context["files"]] == ["COMMITTED"]
+    response = prepared if stage == "prepare" else result
+    assert "Synthetic private source text" not in response.content.decode()
+    assert "1234.56" not in response.content.decode()
     assert Transaction.objects.count() == 2
-    assert_private(result, source)
+    assert_private(response, source)
 
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize("stage", ["prepare", "commit"])
@@ -281,7 +252,10 @@ def test_signed_workflow_rejects_altered_expired_and_wrong_stage_tokens(
 def test_changed_source_rejects_previously_signed_metadata(client, source, bank, stage):
     scanned = scan(client)
     prepared = prepare(client, scanned, bank) if stage == "commit" else None
-    (source / "bank.csv").write_bytes(DATA.replace(b"12.34", b"22.34"))
+    changed = source / "bank.csv"
+    if stage == "commit":
+        changed = source / "staging" / "bank.csv"
+    changed.write_bytes(DATA.replace(b"12.34", b"22.34"))
     response = commit(client, prepared) if prepared else prepare(client, scanned, bank)
     assert response.context["files"][0]["code"] == "FILE_CHANGED"
     assert not Transaction.objects.exists()
diff --git a/tests/test_mvp_acceptance.py b/tests/test_mvp_acceptance.py
index 428d554..528c500 100644
--- a/tests/test_mvp_acceptance.py
+++ b/tests/test_mvp_acceptance.py
@@ -37,8 +37,10 @@ def test_owner_guided_import_then_exact_reimport_skip(tmp_path, settings):
     page = browser.get(reverse("imports-index"))
     csrf = page.cookies["csrftoken"].value
 
-    for expected in ({"created": 2, "matched": 0, "skipped": 0},
-                     {"created": 0, "matched": 0, "skipped": 2}):
+    for index, expected in enumerate(({"created": 2, "matched": 0, "skipped": 0},
+                                      {"created": 0, "matched": 0, "skipped": 2})):
+        if index:
+            (tmp_path / "owner-bank.csv").write_bytes(FIXTURE.read_bytes())
         scanned = browser.post(reverse("imports-index"), {
             "action": "scan", "csrfmiddlewaretoken": csrf,
         }, follow=True)