What should you ask Claude to find?

Choose an output you can check and use immediately. For a proposal, request a comparison sheet. For a report, request findings and unanswered questions. For a project brief, request deliverables and missing requirements.

Document analysis means examining a file to answer a question or extract selected information. A prompt is the instruction you give the assistant. Keep that instruction connected to an actual task rather than asking for a general opinion.

Hypothetical example: reviewing an agency report

Imagine a small retailer receives a campaign report. The owner wants to know whether to renew the work. Ask for the reported results, the evidence behind them and the information still needed before renewal.

Do not ask Claude to fill gaps with industry assumptions. If the report covers enquiries but says nothing about completed orders, put orders on the follow-up list. Ask the agency for the missing information before choosing your next action.

For other ways to frame everyday requests, use the practical Claude prompts guide. Select one template and replace its audience, document type and output fields with your own.

How do you upload and prepare a PDF?

Select +, then Add files or photos, and attach the PDF. Dragging it into the chat is another option. See the official upload instructions.

Prepare the review before sending

• Choose the correct document version and give it a recognisable filename.
• Remove personal or confidential information that the task does not need.
• Check that the relevant attachments and notes are included.
• Write the question and desired output before requesting analysis.
• Decide who will verify the result before anyone uses it.

For your first trial, use a document you have permission to share. Keep the original open beside the conversation. Ask for page references and require the answer to distinguish document statements from suggestions.

For account setup and a first session, see how to start using Claude. Keep the initial task small enough that you can inspect every important answer yourself.

Which PDF limits matter for your task?

Separate the chat rules from the API rules. An API is a connection that lets software send requests to another service. You do not need to build that connection for your first manual review.

A token is a small unit of content counted by the model. Context is the information capacity available for a request. Dense PDFs can reach that capacity before the API page limit, according to the PDF requirements.

Choose a useful section

For a chart review, prepare a short PDF containing the relevant pages. Include the chart title, labels and explanatory notes. Give the extracted section a clear name so that your final notes identify the right source.

If an upload fails, identify whether you are working in chat or through an integration. Check the corresponding requirements before changing your prompt. Try a smaller section that still contains enough information to answer the question.

Which prompts produce a review you can act on?

Specify the task, the output and what should happen when information is missing. These are suggested templates, not examples of measured results. Replace the bracketed details before using them.

Turn a report into a decision brief

Review this report for [business and decision]. Create three sections: findings stated in the report, evidence supporting each finding, and unanswered questions. Include the source page for each finding. Keep your suggestions separate from the document's conclusions. Do not invent explanations for changes.

Then choose the questions that deserve follow-up. Ask who can answer each one and what evidence you need. If your next step is a discussion with the supplier, keep the brief focused on that discussion.

Compare supplier proposals fairly

Compare the attached proposals using these fields: scope, quantity, unit, price, currency, delivery, exclusions and payment terms. Identify the file and page for every entry. Write not stated where information is absent. List anything that prevents a fair comparison before suggesting a preference.

Hypothetical example: one quote covers installation and another lists equipment only. Ask for those scopes to be shown separately. Do not approve a comparison until you have checked what each price includes.

If the review becomes part of a cost exercise, continue with the small business cost reduction guide. Keep the proposal evidence beside your working notes.

Extract a table for checking

Extract the table in [section]. Preserve the original column names, units and row labels. Mark unreadable entries as needs checking. Keep blank cells distinct from zero. Include source pages and separate totals from individual entries. Do not estimate missing amounts.

Check the extracted rows before requesting calculations. For further spreadsheet work, adapt a template from the Excel prompts guide. Carry the same missing-value rules into the next task.

How do you check tables, charts and conclusions?

Verify the answer against the file before polishing its wording. Begin with the entries that could change your decision. I recommend keeping a simple checked, corrected or unresolved status beside each important item.

• Identity: confirm the supplier, product and document version.
• Amount: inspect currency, decimal placement and totals.
• Unit: distinguish individual items from packs or monthly charges.
• Period: confirm that compared figures cover equivalent dates.
• Scope: inspect exclusions, notes and qualifying conditions.
• Completeness: compare the requested fields with the delivered answer.

Ask for a chart description before a conclusion

Identify the chart title, axes, units and period. Describe the visible pattern. Separate labelled values from estimates. Do not infer a cause unless the document supplies evidence for it. List the information needed to test any suggested explanation.

Hypothetical example: a freelancer reviews a client's traffic report. Before describing a campaign as successful, ask whether the document includes relevant enquiries or orders. If it does not, record that question for the client.

When you find an error, name it precisely. Ask for the affected field to be corrected, then inspect the revised entry. Keep unresolved items out of any client-facing recommendation until someone has checked them.

When should you make document review a routine?

Repeat the manual process before commissioning an automated workflow. Use several different documents of the same type. Keep the requested fields and checking rules consistent so you can compare the effort involved.

A practical trial for this week

1. Select a document and write the business question.
2. Run one prompt and save the first response.
3. Check the important fields against the original.
4. Record preparation, review and correction time.
5. Repeat with another document and note what required different instructions.

Judge the trial on the complete task. Include the work needed to make the answer usable. If you keep rewriting the request, first simplify the scope and clarify the output before adding automation.

Create a handover note containing the input, saved prompt, expected fields and reviewer. Add a rule for unreadable pages and missing information. Ask a colleague to follow that note without relying on your verbal explanation.

If you are also choosing between assistants, use the Claude versus ChatGPT comparison guide to frame a separate trial. Keep the document and acceptance criteria the same. Choose based on the checked result and the remaining work.