diff --git a/unstructured_ingest/v2/interfaces/file_data.py b/unstructured_ingest/v2/interfaces/file_data.py
index b364caf0..be975d23 100644
--- a/unstructured_ingest/v2/interfaces/file_data.py
+++ b/unstructured_ingest/v2/interfaces/file_data.py
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ def from_file(cls, path: str) -> "FileData":
             raise ValueError(f"file path not valid: {path}")
         with open(str(path.resolve()), "rb") as f:
             file_data_dict = json.load(f)
-        file_data = FileData.model_validate(file_data_dict)
+        file_data = cls.model_validate(file_data_dict)
         return file_data
 
     @classmethod
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ def populate_identifier(cls, data: Any) -> Any:
 
 def file_data_from_file(path: str) -> FileData:
     try:
-        BatchFileData.from_file(path=path)
+        return BatchFileData.from_file(path=path)
     except ValidationError:
         logger.debug(f"{path} not valid for batch file data")
 
diff --git a/unstructured_ingest/v2/pipeline/steps/chunk.py b/unstructured_ingest/v2/pipeline/steps/chunk.py
index 0ae05169..519dcc8f 100644
--- a/unstructured_ingest/v2/pipeline/steps/chunk.py
+++ b/unstructured_ingest/v2/pipeline/steps/chunk.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 from typing import Callable, Optional, TypedDict
 
 from unstructured_ingest.v2.interfaces import FileData
+from unstructured_ingest.v2.interfaces.file_data import file_data_from_file
 from unstructured_ingest.v2.logger import logger
 from unstructured_ingest.v2.pipeline.interfaces import PipelineStep
 from unstructured_ingest.v2.processes.chunker import Chunker
@@ -51,7 +52,7 @@ async def _run_async(
         self, fn: Callable, path: str, file_data_path: str, **kwargs
     ) -> ChunkStepResponse:
         path = Path(path)
-        file_data = FileData.from_file(path=file_data_path)
+        file_data = file_data_from_file(path=file_data_path)
         output_filepath = self.get_output_filepath(filename=path)
         if not self.should_chunk(filepath=output_filepath, file_data=file_data):
             logger.debug(f"skipping chunking, output already exists: {output_filepath}")
diff --git a/unstructured_ingest/v2/pipeline/steps/download.py b/unstructured_ingest/v2/pipeline/steps/download.py
index 560d292d..929abb19 100644
--- a/unstructured_ingest/v2/pipeline/steps/download.py
+++ b/unstructured_ingest/v2/pipeline/steps/download.py
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 
 from unstructured_ingest.v2.interfaces import FileData, download_responses
 from unstructured_ingest.v2.interfaces.downloader import Downloader
+from unstructured_ingest.v2.interfaces.file_data import file_data_from_file
 from unstructured_ingest.v2.logger import logger
 from unstructured_ingest.v2.pipeline.interfaces import PipelineStep
 from unstructured_ingest.v2.utils import serialize_base_model_json
@@ -92,7 +93,7 @@ def update_file_data(
             json.dump(file_data.model_dump(), file, indent=2)
 
     async def _run_async(self, fn: Callable, file_data_path: str) -> list[DownloadStepResponse]:
-        file_data = FileData.from_file(path=file_data_path)
+        file_data = file_data_from_file(path=file_data_path)
         download_path = self.process.get_download_path(file_data=file_data)
         if not self.should_download(file_data=file_data, file_data_path=file_data_path):
             logger.debug(f"skipping download, file already exists locally: {download_path}")
diff --git a/unstructured_ingest/v2/pipeline/steps/embed.py b/unstructured_ingest/v2/pipeline/steps/embed.py
index aa718dd3..ba3431a8 100644
--- a/unstructured_ingest/v2/pipeline/steps/embed.py
+++ b/unstructured_ingest/v2/pipeline/steps/embed.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 from typing import Callable, Optional, TypedDict
 
 from unstructured_ingest.v2.interfaces import FileData
+from unstructured_ingest.v2.interfaces.file_data import file_data_from_file
 from unstructured_ingest.v2.logger import logger
 from unstructured_ingest.v2.pipeline.interfaces import PipelineStep
 from unstructured_ingest.v2.processes.embedder import Embedder
@@ -49,7 +50,7 @@ def _save_output(self, output_filepath: str, embedded_content: list[dict]):
 
     async def _run_async(self, fn: Callable, path: str, file_data_path: str) -> EmbedStepResponse:
         path = Path(path)
-        file_data = FileData.from_file(path=file_data_path)
+        file_data = file_data_from_file(path=file_data_path)
         output_filepath = self.get_output_filepath(filename=path)
         if not self.should_embed(filepath=output_filepath, file_data=file_data):
             logger.debug(f"skipping embedding, output already exists: {output_filepath}")
diff --git a/unstructured_ingest/v2/pipeline/steps/filter.py b/unstructured_ingest/v2/pipeline/steps/filter.py
index 48ed23f1..4aacc1b9 100644
--- a/unstructured_ingest/v2/pipeline/steps/filter.py
+++ b/unstructured_ingest/v2/pipeline/steps/filter.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 from dataclasses import dataclass
 from typing import Callable, Optional
 
-from unstructured_ingest.v2.interfaces.file_data import FileData
+from unstructured_ingest.v2.interfaces.file_data import file_data_from_file
 from unstructured_ingest.v2.logger import logger
 from unstructured_ingest.v2.pipeline.interfaces import PipelineStep
 from unstructured_ingest.v2.processes.filter import Filterer
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ def __post_init__(self):
         logger.info(f"created {self.identifier} with configs: {config}")
 
     async def _run_async(self, fn: Callable, file_data_path: str, **kwargs) -> Optional[dict]:
-        file_data = FileData.from_file(path=file_data_path)
+        file_data = file_data_from_file(path=file_data_path)
         fn_kwargs = {"file_data": file_data}
         if not asyncio.iscoroutinefunction(fn):
             resp = fn(**fn_kwargs)
diff --git a/unstructured_ingest/v2/pipeline/steps/partition.py b/unstructured_ingest/v2/pipeline/steps/partition.py
index e1f57c87..4ffd549f 100644
--- a/unstructured_ingest/v2/pipeline/steps/partition.py
+++ b/unstructured_ingest/v2/pipeline/steps/partition.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 from typing import Callable, Optional, TypedDict
 
 from unstructured_ingest.v2.interfaces import FileData
+from unstructured_ingest.v2.interfaces.file_data import file_data_from_file
 from unstructured_ingest.v2.logger import logger
 from unstructured_ingest.v2.pipeline.interfaces import PipelineStep
 from unstructured_ingest.v2.processes.partitioner import Partitioner
@@ -51,7 +52,7 @@ async def _run_async(
         self, fn: Callable, path: str, file_data_path: str
     ) -> Optional[PartitionStepResponse]:
         path = Path(path)
-        file_data = FileData.from_file(path=file_data_path)
+        file_data = file_data_from_file(path=file_data_path)
         output_filepath = self.get_output_filepath(filename=Path(file_data_path))
         if not self.should_partition(filepath=output_filepath, file_data=file_data):
             logger.debug(f"skipping partitioning, output already exists: {output_filepath}")
diff --git a/unstructured_ingest/v2/pipeline/steps/stage.py b/unstructured_ingest/v2/pipeline/steps/stage.py
index a23ebbf7..3e8b62e8 100644
--- a/unstructured_ingest/v2/pipeline/steps/stage.py
+++ b/unstructured_ingest/v2/pipeline/steps/stage.py
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 from pathlib import Path
 from typing import Callable, Optional, TypedDict
 
-from unstructured_ingest.v2.interfaces.file_data import FileData
+from unstructured_ingest.v2.interfaces.file_data import file_data_from_file
 from unstructured_ingest.v2.interfaces.upload_stager import UploadStager
 from unstructured_ingest.v2.logger import logger
 from unstructured_ingest.v2.pipeline.interfaces import PipelineStep
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ async def _run_async(
         output_filename = f"{self.get_hash(extras=[path.name])}{path.suffix}"
         fn_kwargs = {
             "elements_filepath": path,
-            "file_data": FileData.from_file(path=file_data_path),
+            "file_data": file_data_from_file(path=file_data_path),
             "output_dir": self.cache_dir,
             "output_filename": output_filename,
         }
diff --git a/unstructured_ingest/v2/pipeline/steps/uncompress.py b/unstructured_ingest/v2/pipeline/steps/uncompress.py
index a99eda88..80e7603d 100644
--- a/unstructured_ingest/v2/pipeline/steps/uncompress.py
+++ b/unstructured_ingest/v2/pipeline/steps/uncompress.py
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 from pathlib import Path
 from typing import Callable, TypedDict
 
-from unstructured_ingest.v2.interfaces.file_data import FileData
+from unstructured_ingest.v2.interfaces.file_data import file_data_from_file
 from unstructured_ingest.v2.logger import logger
 from unstructured_ingest.v2.pipeline.interfaces import PipelineStep
 from unstructured_ingest.v2.processes.uncompress import Uncompressor
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ def __post_init__(self):
     async def _run_async(
         self, fn: Callable, path: str, file_data_path: str
     ) -> list[UncompressStepResponse]:
-        file_data = FileData.from_file(path=file_data_path)
+        file_data = file_data_from_file(path=file_data_path)
         fn_kwargs = {"file_data": file_data}
         if not asyncio.iscoroutinefunction(fn):
             new_file_data = fn(**fn_kwargs)
diff --git a/unstructured_ingest/v2/pipeline/steps/upload.py b/unstructured_ingest/v2/pipeline/steps/upload.py
index 176f8015..21da4c5f 100644
--- a/unstructured_ingest/v2/pipeline/steps/upload.py
+++ b/unstructured_ingest/v2/pipeline/steps/upload.py
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 from pathlib import Path
 from typing import Callable, Optional, TypedDict
 
-from unstructured_ingest.v2.interfaces import FileData
+from unstructured_ingest.v2.interfaces.file_data import file_data_from_file
 from unstructured_ingest.v2.interfaces.uploader import UploadContent
 from unstructured_ingest.v2.logger import logger
 from unstructured_ingest.v2.pipeline.interfaces import BatchPipelineStep
@@ -41,14 +41,14 @@ def __post_init__(self):
     @instrument(span_name=STEP_ID)
     def _run_batch(self, contents: list[UploadStepContent]) -> None:
         upload_contents = [
-            UploadContent(path=Path(c["path"]), file_data=FileData.from_file(c["file_data_path"]))
+            UploadContent(path=Path(c["path"]), file_data=file_data_from_file(c["file_data_path"]))
             for c in contents
         ]
         self.process.run_batch(contents=upload_contents)
 
     async def _run_async(self, path: str, file_data_path: str, fn: Optional[Callable] = None):
         fn = fn or self.process.run_async
-        fn_kwargs = {"path": Path(path), "file_data": FileData.from_file(path=file_data_path)}
+        fn_kwargs = {"path": Path(path), "file_data": file_data_from_file(path=file_data_path)}
         if not asyncio.iscoroutinefunction(fn):
             fn(**fn_kwargs)
         elif semaphore := self.context.semaphore:
diff --git a/unstructured_ingest/v2/processes/connectors/astradb.py b/unstructured_ingest/v2/processes/connectors/astradb.py
index 38f679de..d30c53d8 100644
--- a/unstructured_ingest/v2/processes/connectors/astradb.py
+++ b/unstructured_ingest/v2/processes/connectors/astradb.py
@@ -219,7 +219,7 @@ def run(self, **kwargs: Any) -> Generator[AstraDBBatchFileData, None, None]:
                     collection_name=self.index_config.collection_name,
                     keyspace=self.index_config.keyspace,
                 ),
-                batch_items=[BatchItem(identifier=str(b)) for b in batch],
+                batch_items=[BatchItem(identifier=b) for b in batch],
             )
             yield fd