How it works, in plain English
- Index the foldersDocuments in the folders you choose are read and indexed, and re-indexed as files change.
- Ask a question“What did we agree on the indemnity cap in the Patel lease?”
- Retrieve the passagesThe most relevant passages are found across the indexed documents.
- Answer with sourcesThe model answers from those passages and cites the documents, so you can open them and check.
Example questions
Illustrative examples:
- “Which of our engagement letters for 2026 still use the old fee schedule?”
- “Summarize the termination clauses in the three vendor contracts in the Acme folder.”
- “What did we carry forward for the Nguyens in 2024?”
- “Which policies in this client’s file mention flood exclusions?”
Where it’s good and where it slips
- Good: findingLocating the document and page you need across many files.
- Good: summarizingCondensing long documents with page references.
- Slips: missing contextIf the answer isn’t in the indexed files, it can guess. Answers cite sources so you can check.
- Slips: scanned imagesPoor scans and handwriting index badly.
- Slips: questions across hundreds of documents at onceBroad questions need narrowing to the right folder.
Permissions
The assistant should only search what the person asking could open. AdminOnsite indexes the folders you choose, and the Firm plan adds folder-level access by team or practice group.
Chat-with-PDF tools vs office-wide search
| Chat with a PDF (e.g. Adobe Acrobat’s AI Assistant) | Enterprise search (e.g. Glean) | AdminOnsite | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scope | Files you upload one at a time | Company apps and drives | Your shared drive folders |
| Where documents are processed | Vendor’s cloud | Vendor’s cloud | A Mac mini in your office |
| Built for | Individuals | Larger companies | Small offices with client files |
Summary only; check each vendor’s current terms.
Questions
Can I chat with a PDF privately?
Yes, if the model runs on your own hardware. Cloud chat-with-PDF tools upload the document to the vendor.
How accurate is AI document search?
Good at finding and summarizing; it can be wrong when the answer isn’t in the files. That’s why answers cite their sources.
Which file types work?
Text-based documents such as PDFs and Word files work best. Poor scans work less well.
Does it change my files?
No. It reads and indexes them; your files stay where they are.
Can different teams see different files?
Yes. On the Firm plan, access can be set by team or practice group.