Lesson 3 · 5-minute read

Add Your Documents

Learn to give the AI your own documents. This is where the AI stops being generic and starts working with your actual materials.

So far, you’ve asked the AI general questions and picked the right assistant. But what if you need it to work with a specific document — your meeting notes, a funder’s report, a policy you’re reviewing? That’s what this lesson is about.

When the AI Needs More to Go On

Up to now, you’ve been asking the AI general questions and it’s been responding from what it already knows. That’s useful — but it’s only part of the picture. The AI can do much more when you give it something specific to work with.

In this lesson, you’ll learn how to hand the AI your own materials so it can help with your actual work.

What’s in this lesson:

  • How to attach a document so the AI can read it (the + menu)
  • What you can ask the AI to do with your documents
Think before you share The AI keeps your documents private to each conversation — but treat it like any other digital tool. Do not share documents containing personal information about the people you serve.

Good to share: templates, policies, meeting agendas, draft reports, general planning documents.

Not appropriate: client files, personal health information, employee records, financial account details.

When in doubt, anonymise first or ask your supervisor.

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Attach a File with +

You can give the AI a document to read right inside the conversation. It takes just a few seconds.

Where to look: The message box at the bottom of the screen — the same place you type your questions.

What to do: Click the + button to the left of the message box, then choose Upload Files.

What you’ll see: A small menu opens with options such as Upload Files, Attach Webpage, Attach Knowledge, and Reference Chats.

Attach what you need, keep the conversation private Your uploaded files are attached to your conversation so the AI can read them. Other users still can’t see your conversation.

What to do next: Pick the file from your computer.

What happens: A small file chip appears above the message box showing the filename. The AI can now read that document when you send your message.

Like attaching a file to an email — except instead of sending it to a person, you’re giving it to the AI to read.

Clicking the plus button beside the message box, choosing Upload Files, and seeing the uploaded file appear above the message area

Try attaching a document to a conversation now.

Try attaching a document
What you should see A small chip with the filename appears above your message box. The menu closes after you upload the file.
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What You Can Do with Documents

Once you’ve attached a document, the possibilities open up. Here are some real examples from nonprofit work.

“Pull out the action items from these meeting notes.”

After a long team meeting, you have three pages of notes. Attach them and ask the AI to find every action item, who’s responsible, and when it’s due.

“Compare this policy to our current one.”

Your funder just sent an updated reporting policy. Attach both the old and new versions, and ask the AI to highlight what changed.

“Find the budget numbers in this report.”

You need the financial figures from a 40-page annual report for a board presentation. Attach the report and ask for just the numbers.

“Rewrite this paragraph in plain language.”

A government document is full of jargon. Attach it and ask the AI to rewrite it so your clients can understand it.

Good to know You’re not limited to one document. You can attach several and ask the AI to work across them. Documents work best when they’re under about 50 pages. For longer documents, upload the most relevant section rather than the whole thing.
There’s more The platform also has ready-made recipes called Skills. Type $ in the message box to browse what’s available — the most popular is Convening Experts, which assembles a panel of specialists to tackle your question from multiple angles.

You’re Working with Your Own Materials

You now know how to give the AI your documents. That turns it from a general chatbot into a tool that works with your specific materials.

If something goes wrong Sometimes the AI takes a long time or shows an error message. Here’s what to do:
  • Long wait or error: Start a new conversation and try again. If you attached a long document, try uploading just the relevant section.
  • Response doesn’t use your document: Make sure the file chip appeared above the message box before you pressed Enter. If not, upload the file again from the + menu.
  • Web search blocked: Some websites block AI from reading them. Copy the relevant content into a PDF and upload it from the + menu instead.

Ready to try with your own materials?

Try it with your own documents

In the next lesson, you’ll put everything together — choosing the right assistant, attaching your documents, loading a prompt starter, and turning messy meeting notes into a polished board report.

Next: Lesson 4 — Do Real Work →