---
title: "Research your documents"
description: "Ask focused questions across attached or project files, compare sources, and open cited passages for verification."
canonical: "https://bearly.ai/docs/features/document-research/"
markdown: "https://bearly.ai/docs/features/document-research.md"
---

# Research your documents

HTML: [https://bearly.ai/docs/features/document-research/](https://bearly.ai/docs/features/document-research/)

> Ask focused questions across attached or project files, compare sources, and open cited passages for verification.

Bearly can find and combine relevant passages from documents in a chat. Ask a focused question and the answer can include numbered citations that lead back to the source file and page.

Use this for evidence gathering, comparison, and precise questions. If you want a broad overview of one long file, [create a Deep Summary](https://bearly.ai/docs/features/deep-summary.md) instead.

## Ask about attached documents



1. **Attach the source material**

   Select the plus icon beside the message box, choose **Attach files**, and add the documents. Wait for each attachment to finish loading.

2. **Ask a focused question**

   Name the files, evidence, and form of answer that matter. Bearly can work across several sources in one request.

   ```text copy
   Compare the renewal and termination terms in these agreements. Make a table with notice periods, fees, and unusual exceptions, and cite every row.
   ```

3. **Send the message**

   Bearly reads or searches the relevant material and answers in the chat. Preparing a newly attached or scanned document can take a moment.

4. **Open the evidence**

   Select a numbered citation in the answer—or a source filename shown above it—to open the document. When a page is known, Bearly opens near that page so you can inspect the surrounding text.



For a follow-up, stay in the same chat. You can ask Bearly to quote a passage, explain a term, resolve a disagreement between files, extract a table, or look for evidence that would challenge the first answer.

## Research project files

Documents added to a project are available to chats in that project. Open or start a project chat and refer to the material by name:

```text copy
Using the documents in this project, trace how the proposed launch date changed and identify who approved each revision. Cite the source for every date.
```

This is useful for a continuing body of reference material because you do not have to attach the same documents to every project chat. Files attached only to one ordinary chat remain with that chat.

## Work with strong source material

- Use descriptive filenames so citations are easy to recognize.
- Keep only relevant sources in scope, or name the exact files to compare.
- Searchable PDFs, word-processing documents, presentations, spreadsheets, CSV, Markdown, and plain-text files are common choices. A document can be up to 200 MB for document search.
- Scans and unusual formats may need extra processing. If text cannot be extracted, export a searchable PDF or paste the important passage into the chat.
- For audio or video, use [Transcribe](https://bearly.ai/docs/features/transcripts.md) before asking detailed questions about the spoken content.

> **Caution**
> Citations make an answer easier to verify; they do not guarantee that every inference is correct. Open the cited passage before relying on an exact quotation, number, deadline, legal term, or safety-critical claim.


## If Bearly cannot find the answer

- Check that the upload completed and that you are in the chat or project containing the file.
- Mention the document name and use distinctive words, dates, people, or section titles from the likely passage.
- Ask a narrower question first, then request a synthesis after the relevant evidence has been found.
- If a citation no longer opens, the source file may have been removed. Attach it again and repeat the question.
- If no passage is found in a scan, attach a text-searchable copy.

For help attaching, previewing, or downloading a source, see [Work with files in a chat](https://bearly.ai/docs/chats/files.md). For reusable project material, see [Add documents to a project](https://bearly.ai/docs/projects/documents.md).

## Continue through the documentation

- [Documentation index](https://bearly.ai/docs.md): Browse every Bearly guide.
- [Previous: Generate images](https://bearly.ai/docs/features/image-generation.md)
- [Next: Run prompts on a schedule with Routines](https://bearly.ai/docs/features/routines.md)
- [Related: Summarize a document](https://bearly.ai/docs/features/deep-summary.md)
- [Related: Transcribe audio and video](https://bearly.ai/docs/features/transcripts.md)
- [Related: Work with files in a chat](https://bearly.ai/docs/chats/files.md)
- [Related: Add files to a project](https://bearly.ai/docs/projects/documents.md)