Description:

The Summarize PDF document workflow step sends a PDF file to the configured OpenAI model and generates a summary of its contents.

The step supports:

• AI-powered PDF summarization.
• Selecting the OpenAI model to use.
• Providing an optional persona or instruction using Act as.
• Specifying the PDF file path.
• Storing the generated summary in a Variable or Global variable.
• Returning a success or failure result.

This step can be used for:

• Document summarization
• Report summarization
• Contract and policy review
• Research-document processing
• Extracting concise information from lengthy PDFs
• Preparing documents for downstream workflow processing
• AI-assisted document analysis
• Creating summaries for notifications or reports

Usage:

The Summarize PDF document step is typically placed after a PDF has been generated, uploaded, received, or otherwise made available to the workflow.

The workflow can dynamically determine the PDF path using Variables, Global variables, form values, or outputs from previous workflow steps.

The generated summary can then be stored in a Variable or Global variable and used by subsequent activities.

The returned result can be used to:

• Continue normal workflow processing.
• Handle summarization failures.
• Populate another document or form.
• Send a summary notification.
• Store a concise representation of a longer document.
• Feed the summary into additional workflow processing.
• Support human review and decision-making.

Typical Workflow Suggestions:

Executive Report Summarization

Use the step to create concise summaries of lengthy business reports.

Example:

Generate Report → Summarize PDF Document → Store Summary → Notify Management

An Act as instruction can direct the model to focus on executive-level findings, risks, and recommendations.

Contract Review

Use the step to produce an initial summary of a contract PDF.

Example:

Receive Contract → Summarize PDF Document → Human Review → Approve / Escalate

The generated summary can provide the reviewer with a concise overview before a detailed manual review.

Policy Summarization

Use the step to summarize lengthy company policies.

Example:

Upload Policy → Summarize PDF Document → Store Summary → Publish Summary

Research Document Processing

Use the step to create concise summaries of research reports or other PDF-based source material.

Example:

Receive Research PDF → Summarize PDF Document → Store Summary → Analyze Results

Invoice or Financial Document Processing

Use the step when a workflow needs an AI-generated overview of a financial PDF.

Example:

Receive Financial PDF → Summarize PDF Document → Review Summary → Continue Processing

Compliance Document Review

Use the step to produce a concise summary before a compliance reviewer examines the source document.

Example:

Receive Compliance Document → Summarize PDF Document → Compliance Review → Approve / Escalate

Document Notification

Use the generated summary as the content or input for a subsequent notification step.

Example:

Receive PDF → Summarize PDF Document → Send Email → Complete

This can reduce the need for recipients to read the entire PDF when only a high-level overview is required.

AI-Assisted Workflow Decision

Use the summary as an intermediate workflow artifact before additional AI or decision-processing steps.

Example:

Receive PDF → Summarize PDF Document → Analyze Summary → Route Workflow

The summary stored in a Variable or Global variable can serve as input to subsequent workflow activities.

Human-in-the-Loop Review

Use the AI-generated summary to support a human review task.

Example:

Receive PDF → Summarize PDF Document → Review Summary → Approve / Reject

The AI-generated content provides context while keeping the final decision with the human reviewer.

Example:

Let’s build and execute the “OpenAISummarizePDFDef” example.          

• Create a new process definition called “OpenAISummarizePDFDef” and open the definition in designer mode. 
• Drag an “OpenAISummarizePDF” step to the canvas. 
• Connect the dots between the “Start” step and “OpenAISummarizePDF” steps, as shown above. 
• Select the line between the steps to configure the “Connection Properties”. The default property values are “None, True, False, Error, and Evaluate”. Depending on the step’s purpose, additional configuration options are available. 
• Define a variable or a global variable to store the summary result.
• Click the "OpenAISummarizePDF" step to configure its "Required" properties. Select the OpenAI API model from the drop-down list. Provide the path to the source PDF file on the application server. Provide the variable or global reference to store the summary result. Then click the Save button. Note: Click the "AI Predict" button for the Copilot to add new process steps that match your process description. 

• Click the "OpenAISummarizePDF" step to configure its "Optional" properties. Enter the persona reference for Act As. Click the Save button. 

• The “Logging” configuration is necessary for documentation and also measures workflow progress and percent complete. This is achieved by configuring the step state and percent fields individually, as shown in the images below. Configure the “Logging” using the following properties.

• Save the process definition, create a new instance, and execute it. Render the process instance. Click the process step to view its properties. The step should summarize the PDF document and store the result in a variable or a global variable. 
• Below is a summary of the “Google_Terms_Of_Service_EN_IN.pdf” document, tailored for the “Developer” persona for reference. 

• Below is a summary of the “Google_Terms_Of_Service_EN_IN.pdf” document, tailored for the “Business User” persona for reference. 

Tips:

• Select an OpenAI model appropriate for the PDF summarization requirement.
• Use Act as to give the model a clear audience, role, or summarization objective.
• Keep the Act instruction focused on the desired output rather than repeating information already in the document.
• Use a clear Variable or Global variable for Variable/Global to store the result.
• Ensure that the configured PDF File Path points to the intended PDF when the workflow reaches the step.
• Use workflow Variables or Global variables when the PDF location changes dynamically between workflow instances.
• Test the generated summaries with representative PDF documents before deploying the workflow.
• Use concise, specific Act instructions when a particular summary format or focus is required.
• Consider storing the summary so that downstream workflow steps can reuse it rather than repeatedly processing the source PDF.
• Use the True path for successful processing and the False path for explicit failure handling.
• Consider adding a notification or logging step to the False path.
• For business-critical documents, treat the AI-generated summary as an aid to processing rather than assuming it replaces detailed review.
• Verify the output against representative documents, particularly when PDFs contain complex layouts, tables, or other content whose handling may affect the generated summary.

Notes:

• The Summarize PDF Document step is defined in the OpenAI category with the internal name openaisummarizepdf, label Summarize PDF document, and display name Summarize PDF document.
• The step is implemented by FlowWright.Workflow.AI.openAISummarizePDF in FlowWright.Workflow.dll and is a Process step with 2 incoming connections and 2 outgoing connections.
• The XML defines four configurable properties. Model to use, PDF File Path, and Variable/Global to store the result are required, while Act as is optional.
• The Model to use property uses the OpenAIModels data type, provided by FlowWright.DataTypes.OpenAIModels. 
• The Act as property uses a multiline text box and is optional.
• The PDF input and result-storage properties use FlowWright's standard string data type, implemented by FlowWright.DataTypes.ClsTextBox. 
• The step provides two predefined return values: False and True.

Definition Sample:

You may download the sample definition(s) from the link provided and import them into your FlowWright Process Definition.

Note: Verify and complete any missing configuration after importing the sample, including:

• OpenAI model selection
• PDF file path
• Act as instructions, if required
• Variable/Global result mapping
• Environment-specific file paths
• Environment-specific OpenAI configuration

After verifying the configuration, save the Process Definition before execution.

Click here to download the sample file.

Note: The terms of service document used in this example is available for download here.