August 6, 2025 · Last updated on September 30, 2025
Working with files
# Work Users
# Intro to ChatGPT
Learn how to upload your own files to ChatGPT to give more context to your prompt
Working with files in ChatGPT
ChatGPT allows you to upload and work with files directly in your conversations. This means you can analyze spreadsheets, edit documents, summarize PDFs, or pull insights from presentations without leaving the chat. For example, you might upload a CSV of customer feedback for sentiment analysis, or a Word doc draft to get suggestions for tone and clarity.
Instead of switching between tools or manually copying content, you can bring your files straight into ChatGPT. This streamlines workflows like reporting, content review, or project management. With files in context, ChatGPT can provide targeted answers and help you quickly move from raw information to actionable insights.
Try it out
Start a chat with ChatGPT.
Upload your file using the paperclip icon (supported formats include CSV, XLSX, PDF, DOCX, JPEG, PNG, TXT, and more). You can even upload images! You can also use search directly or use connectors if your workspace has enabled it.
Ask a question or give a task — for example:
“Summarize the main findings in this report.”
“Visualize this sales data by region.”
“Check this contract for overly complex language.”
Iterate in chat by refining prompts, requesting specific views (like tables or charts), or downloading ChatGPT-generated outputs (e.g., updated spreadsheets or PDFs).
Use cases for your role
Role
Top Use Case with Files
Finance
Generate board-ready summaries from quarterly financial statements and budget spreadsheets
Marketing
Review and edit campaign briefs or summarize competitor research PDFs
Sales
Redline and polish proposal drafts stored as DOCX or PDF for client delivery
HR
Extract themes from employee engagement survey responses in CSV or XLSX format
Product
Compare multiple versions of product requirement docs (PRDs) and suggest a merged draft
Operations
Track compliance tasks by reviewing uploaded checklists, SOPs, and audit reports
Additional considerations
Large files: If your file is very large, consider splitting it or focusing prompts on specific sections.
Combining with other features: You can use files alongside tools like Canvas for collaborative drafting or Deep Research for external context.
