Files
Work with files and task context
Give Proto the right files, preserve the source material, and account for extraction limits before relying on a result.
A workspace gives a task a working folder and local context. Keep related inputs together and tell Proto which ones matter. An explicit file name and desired output is more useful than asking it to search a large collection without direction.
Prepare the inputs
Use a small set of clearly named files for a first run. Explain which document is authoritative when versions disagree, and state the date range, currency, units, or business entity that matters.
Use the September export and the signed supplier agreement. Compare line items in USD, flag anything you cannot match, and save a new exception report. Leave the original files unchanged.
Ask for a new output file when you want to preserve the inputs. If you want an existing file edited, identify it explicitly and review the saved result afterward.
What the reader preserves
| Format | Reading behavior |
|---|---|
| Page text, with page previews available when layout or visual reading matters. | |
Word .docx |
Headings, paragraphs, lists, and tables. |
Excel .xlsx |
Visible sheets, cell values, stored formula results, and formula text. |
PowerPoint .pptx |
Slide order, slide text, and speaker notes. |
| Images | Visual interpretation or text recognition. |
| CSV, JSON, XML, HTML, Markdown, text | Text content for analysis and extraction. |
| ZIP | An archive inventory and bounded previews of supported text entries. |
Reading a spreadsheet does not recalculate its formulas. If a workbook’s cached values are stale, recalculate and save it in your spreadsheet application before asking Proto to analyze those values.
Legacy .doc, .xls, and .ppt files are not converted natively. Save a copy in the corresponding modern Office format first.
Keep extraction limits visible
A text extraction is useful for analysis, but it is not a pixel-for-pixel copy of the original. Ask Proto to inspect the visual page when a signature, chart, footnote, merged cell, or layout relationship affects the answer.
Scanned or image-only PDFs may require visual reading. Password protection, corruption, size limits, or an unsupported archive can prevent extraction. If a file is only partly readable, narrow the request to a relevant section or provide an accessible copy; do not treat a partial extraction as a complete review.
Review outputs in their native format
Open a spreadsheet to check formulas and ranges, a slide deck to check slide layout, and a PDF to check page breaks and tables. A correct text summary does not by itself prove that an exported file is formatted correctly.
Local storage does not mean every step stays offline. The selected model receives the content needed for the task, and work performed in an ERP.AI app also has an app-side conversation history. See Models and API keys for the account choices.