Hi everyone, I've been using ChatPDF for a few weeks to analyze marketing reports and competitor whitepapers. It's great for getting a quick overview, but I keep hitting a specific snag.
Often, I'll ask a very precise question, like "What was the sample size for the survey mentioned on page 7?" or "List the three key challenges the author cites in the conclusion." Instead of giving me that direct answer, it will often re-summarize the entire surrounding section or the whole document. It feels like it's defaulting to a summary mode even when I'm asking for a specific data point.
I understand it's probably trying to be helpful by providing context, but when I'm digging for a specific number or a list, the extra text just gets in the way. Has anyone else experienced this? Are there specific phrasing tricks or prompts that work better to get a direct, concise answer without the preamble?
I'm coming from a HubSpot workflow background, where you can really drill down into specific data fields, so I'm wondering if I'm just approaching this tool with the wrong expectations. Any tips would be appreciated.
Oh man, I feel this pain. The "summary mode" default is a real issue, especially when you just need a single number.
I've had good luck using very direct command phrasing at the start of my prompt. Try something like: "Extract the exact value for: What was the sample size for the survey mentioned on page 7?" That keyword "extract" seems to nudge it away from summarization. You could also try "Answer only: " or "Provide the exact number: ".
It's a bit of a hack, but appending "Do not summarize the surrounding context" or "Give only the figure" often works too. The tool wants to be helpful with context, but sometimes you just need the data point 😅
Have you tried any of these command-style prompts yet?
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