Work with files & produce outputs
Analyze uploaded files and export the assistant's work as downloadable files.
Advanced · ~15 min · Prerequisites: Cowork/Workbench available
What you'll do
Upload files for the assistant to analyze, build structured artifacts in the Workbench, and export the results as downloadable files — without copying and pasting anything manually.
Upload & analyze
Drag a file onto the composer or click the attachment icon to stage it. Supported types include PDFs, spreadsheets, images, and plain-text files. The file appears as a chip in the composer alongside your message.
Send a question about the file: "Summarize the key findings from this report" or "What are the top 5 rows by revenue in this spreadsheet?" The assistant reads the file contents and answers directly — no parsing on your end.
You can upload multiple files in one message. Reference them by name if your question is specific to one: "In the Q2 report, what drove the spike in week 6?"
Build an artifact
For structured output — a formatted document, a processed data table, or a generated script — ask the assistant to draft it in the Workbench. Say something like: "Write a project brief from this intake form and put it in the Workbench."
The Workbench opens as a side panel. Inside it the assistant produces a live-editable draft:
- Markdown mode — for documents, reports, and plans. You can edit the text directly.
- Data-grid mode — for tabular output. Rows and columns you can sort and filter before exporting.
You can ask the assistant to revise what's in the Workbench with follow-up messages: "Add an executive summary at the top" or "Remove the rows where revenue is below 1000."
Save the output
When the Workbench draft looks right, use the Export menu in the Workbench header:
- Markdown (.md) — paste into any editor or import into Your content.
- CSV — open in a spreadsheet app.
- JSON — feed into another tool or store in your KB.
The file downloads immediately. No account needed for the recipient — the export is a plain file.
Update vs new
The assistant updates the current Workbench draft by default when you send a follow-up. If you want to preserve the current version and start fresh, say "Create a new artifact" or include createNew in your instruction. The Workbench shows a tab for each artifact so you can switch between versions.
Large files (over ~20 MB) may be truncated. For very large datasets, ask the assistant to work on a sample first, then apply the transformation to the full file.