Wendy Brodeur Fri Apr 28

Practical Magic: Bringing Documents to Life with ChatPDF

Part of our culture at Vertech is about fostering innovation. Our team thrives on applying technology to make lives better and more efficient. So, I was stoked to come across a new artificial intelligence (AI) tool called ChatPDF. AI technology has made quite a stir in the world of productivity lately, and ChatPDF is no exception. 

kasia-derenda-HwIQq5g5mhE-unsplash-cI’m geeked to share how you can leverage the magic of ChatPDF to bring documents to life and literally have a conversation with them. Whether you’re a tech nerd like me or just want an easier way to find answers, I’ve got some great tips and tricks that will make you feel like a wizard (or at least way more resourceful and productive).

 *Note: Vertech is in no way affiliated with ChatPDF. This is not a paid advertisement or endorsement. We simply found this tool useful and wanted to share our tips. 

 

What is ChatPDF? 

ChatPDF is a web-based AI platform that enables communication between users and PDFs thanks to semantic indexing. ChatPDF can understand and interpret key concepts within a document, allowing users to search for specific content through simple commands. This technology can (almost) literally bring PDFs to life, transforming them into dynamic and interactive resources. 

You can choose to upload a PDF file or paste a link to one stored online. Once it’s ready, ChatPDF will greet you like it is an ambassador of that document. For example, I uploaded a lengthy sushi menu; ChatPDF responded with “Welcome to [restaurant name]’s helpful PDF file! Our menu offers a variety of options for all dietary needs… Enjoy your meal!” 

ChatPDF then suggested some example questions like “What are the options for those with gluten intolerance” and “Are there any vegetarian options”. My husband is allergic to avocados, a common ingredient in sushi. I asked ChatPDF what sushi rolls did not include avocados in the ingredient list, and it named three options. I reviewed the menu and confirmed those were the only three options available without avocado. 

patrick-star-spongebob-squarepants-cMind blown.

So, I set out to discover ways to leverage ChatPDF at work that would take my productivity to the next level. 

 

How to Enchant Corporate Correspondence with ChatPDF 

Tired of sifting through endless pages looking for that one elusive piece of data? If you answered yes, then ChatPDF may be your new friend! It can help you find answers quickly in long documents. And it’s way more intuitive than Ctrl+F. 

If you get frustrated or confused by unfamiliar jargon in business documents, ChatPDF can help you understand and interpret terminology. Here are some examples of documents that ChatPDF can work magic on: 

  • Employee handbooks 
  • User and operations manuals 
  • Quarterly or annual reports 
  • Business proposals 
  • Bid specifications 
  • Contracts 

And don’t worry, everything you add to the platform is kept confidential in secure cloud storage. 

 

ChatPDF Casts Charms on Meeting Transcripts 

So, I have a bit of a confession to make: sometimes, I have trouble staying focused during long meetings or videos. It's not that I'm not interested - it's just that my attention span could use an upgrade. And after those long sessions, I really don't have the patience to go through pages and pages of transcripts.

ChatPDF has been invaluable for me. I can quickly upload meeting transcriptions and fire away questions about what was discussed. It's perfect for those times when I only need information on a specific topic or have a burning question that I need answered ASAP. Plus, it's like chatting one-on-one with the presenter - perfect for webinars and classes.

 

Spellbinding Education with Interactive PDFs 

Are you tired of spending hours upon hours jumping from one article to the next, trying to piece together information on a particular topic? By combining multiple articles into one comprehensive PDF file, ChatPDF becomes an expert on your chosen subject matter. As a content writer myself, this feature has been a real game-changer for me. But it’s not just for writers - anyone looking to understand a new field can benefit. And if things get too technical, don't be afraid to ask ChatGPT to explain it to you like you're a 10-year-old - that's what it's there for! 

Here's an example where I created one PDF binder by combining the transcript of a YouTube video, the transcript from a webinar, plus three separate articles on the topic of Unified Namespaces and Unified Analytics Frameworks. 

ChatPDF_ss_1c

 ChatPDF_ss_3c

ChatPDF_ss_4c

 

ChatPDF’s Limitations 

Keep in mind that ChatPDF is extremely new. So, it’s still working out a few bugs and expanding its features based on user feedback (via Discord). Here are some of the limitations I’ve experienced: 

  • It doesn’t process images or graphs. 
  • There are file size limitations. 
  • It can only work with one PDF at a time. 
  • It takes practice to input a quality prompt that results in the answer you’re looking for. 

At the time of this writing, ChatPDF does offer two plan options – Free and Plus. The Free option will work great for most users. The Plus plan allots significantly greater file size, number of uploads, and quantity of questions you can ask. 

 

Wizarding Ways to Achieve Exceptional Results with ChatPDF 

Here are a few tips and tricks I’ve learned while using ChatPDF: 

Working around file size limits 
  • Try removing images from the document – ChatPDF doesn’t recognize them anyway. 
  • Try compressing or optimizing the file to reduce the overall size. 
Addressing error “This PDF does not contain readable text” 
  • Open your file in a PDF reader and try applying the “Recognize Text” tool. 

 

The Magical Power of ChatPDF to Increase Productivity 

ChatPDF is an innovative way to both learn from and stay connected to your business documents. I challenge you to look at other new AI technologies that can make tasks easier or quicker for you and your business. What new AI tools have brought a little magic to your life? Let us know in the comments below! Oh, and check out our post on the transformative power of ChatGPT! 

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