What documents to give an AI agent, and which to keep
An AI agent works from what you give it. This guide tells you which documents really help it, how to prepare them, and what you should keep for yourself. You'll end up with a method to gather your documents in about twenty minutes.
- Give the agent what you consult yourself to do the task, nothing more.
- An up-to-date and short document is better than a complete and outdated file.
- A PDF with real text reads better than a blurry scan.
- Passwords, bank details and sensitive data stay with you.
- If a document is missing, a good agent will ask you for it.
An AI agent without documents is like a substitute who arrived without instructions: it does its best, and it makes things up. With your documents, it applies your prices, your conditions and your tone. But you still need to choose the right documents. Too few, and the agent guesses. Too many, and it gets lost, uses more resources and accesses information it doesn't need.
IThe basic rule: what you consult yourself
Ask yourself just one question: "when I do this task by hand, what do I open?" For a quote, your price grid and an old quote. For a follow-up, the list of invoices and your payment terms. For a menu, the list of products and previous menus. That is exactly the agent's file. This rule aligns with a GDPR principle, the data minimization (article 5): process only what is necessary for the purpose pursued.
Be wary of documents that contradict each other. If your website announces a one-third deposit and your terms and conditions a one-half deposit, the agent cannot know which is correct. I advise you to reread your documents side by side before attaching them, and to clarify in the task which document is authoritative in case of doubt. This check often reveals inconsistencies that were already bothering your customers.
IIDocuments that really help an AI agent
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The email templates are underestimated. An instruction like 'warm but professional tone' leaves a lot of room for interpretation. Two real emails you have sent say more than ten adjectives: length, greeting, signature, level of familiarity.
IIIIn what form: PDF, spreadsheet or photo
IVWhat you keep for yourself
Some information has no place in an agent's file, regardless of the task. The reason is simple: the agent does not need it to work, and everything entrusted to an online service must be done knowingly. To know precisely what happens to what you entrust, read our article on data security.
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VPreparing your documents in twenty minutes
- 1List what you open
Do the task once by hand and note each file or paper consulted. Five minutes is enough, and the list is often shorter than expected.
- 2Check the dates
For each document, ask yourself if it is up to date. A grid from last year produces incorrect quotes. Correct or replace what has become outdated.
- 3Lighten
Delete unnecessary tabs, unrelated pages, sensitive columns. A two-page document well chosen is worth more than a fifty-page file.
- 4Choose the format
Export as PDF what is text, keep as spreadsheet what is a list, photograph neatly what only exists on paper.
- 5Name clearly
Give each file an explicit name, such as 'rates 2026' or 'payment terms', so you and the agent know what it contains.
VIKeeping the file up to date
An agent uses the version you gave it. If you change your prices on January first without replacing the grid, it will continue to apply the old ones. Get in the habit of replacing the document the same day it changes. On ABYS, the agent requests what it needs before working, but it cannot know that an attached document has become incorrect. A short document is easy to keep up to date, and each page less also reduces token consumption with each pass.
A caterer creates an agent that responds to buffet requests for weddings. Which file is most suitable?
?Questions we're asked
What documents should I give to an AI for my business?
Those you consult yourself for the task entrusted: price grid, terms, email templates, work list. Prefer short, up-to-date and well-structured documents. Keep passwords, bank details, health data and anything that does not directly serve the task to yourself.
Can an AI read a scanned PDF?
Yes, generally, if the scan is clear, straight and well contrasted. A pale, tilted or skewed scan is hard to read and can produce errors, especially on numbers. When possible, prefer the original PDF, exported from your word processor or software.
Is it risky to give your customer files to an AI?
It depends on what you give and to whom. Limit yourself to the columns necessary for the task, remove sensitive information and find out where the data is processed. GDPR requires you to process only data useful for the purpose pursued and to inform your customers.
Do you need to provide many documents for the agent to be better?
No. Beyond what is useful, additional documents blur the work and consume tokens with each pass. An agent with three well-chosen documents works better than an agent buried under a complete file. If information is missing, it will ask you for it.
Your documents are ready? Attach them by creating your agent: it will tell you itself if something is missing.
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