Prepare the file and ask a focused question
Supported file types depend on the account and enabled tools. Anthropic’s help center lists formats such as PDF, DOCX, CSV, and XLSX; spreadsheet analysis may require the analysis tool to be enabled. Remove unnecessary columns and personal data before uploading. State the period, metric, and decision the analysis should support.
Work through PDFs and spreadsheets
For a PDF, request a section summary, comparison, specific clause, or explanation of a chart. For a spreadsheet, define the columns and ask for checks such as totals, missing values, outliers, and period comparisons. You can request a table or chart, then compare formulas and sample rows with the original file.
Verify the result
Scanned pages, complex formulas, hidden sheets, and regional number formats can lead to mistakes. Ask Claude to identify the pages or cells supporting its conclusion, recalculate critical totals, and follow your organization’s file-retention rules. Have experts review financial or legal decisions and keep the analysis in an auditable report.
Trace the analysis back to the source
Work from a copy and redact sensitive fields first. Ask Claude to identify the pages, tables, and cells it used; verify a sample row and total manually. Standardize dates and currencies before comparing periods so formatting differences do not distort the result.
Example prompt
Calculate monthly sales totals in this XLSX. Name the sheet and cell range, flag missing months, and compare the result with the source formulas.
Official sources
Claude features, plans, and usage limits can change; verify current details with official sources before purchasing or setting up a workflow.