For this workflow, the result is a requirements checklist with evidence locations and unresolved questions. Keep the supplier's PDF open beside it while you check the answer.
Attach the PDF in the chat
Select +, then Add files or photos, choose the file, and attach it. Anthropic also supports dragging a file into the chat. The current help page lists a 500 MB limit per chat file and a maximum of 1,000 PDF pages; additional content limits can apply. Upload files to Claude
Choose the approved version of the specification. A filename such as spec-final.pdf is less useful than one containing the supplier's revision number. Ask Claude to identify the document title and revision stated inside the file before it extracts requirements.
Check whether the diagrams can be included
Anthropic says Claude analyzes text and visual elements in PDFs of 100 pages or fewer. PDFs with 101–1,000 pages are processed as text only. If your task depends on a diagram in a longer file, prepare an allowed shorter extract containing that diagram and its surrounding explanation. PDF processing limits
Record which original pages the extract contains. If you split a long specification, a page numbered 3 in the extract might correspond to page 142 in the original. Give both mappings in your request so a reviewer can return to the source.
For references, Anthropic recommends the PDF page numbers shown in your viewer, rather than printed document numbering. PDF page references
Request a requirements table with uncertainty visible
Review the attached [PDF NAME AND REVISION] for [REVIEW PURPOSE].
First identify the title, revision/date, and any unreadable sections.
Extract requirements relevant to [DIMENSIONS/POWER/INSTALLATION/TOPIC].
For every row provide:
requirement | exact value and unit if stated | PDF viewer page |
section/table/figure label | short supporting wording | open question.
Distinguish mandatory requirements from examples, recommendations
and descriptions. Do not supply missing dimensions or infer an
approval. Preserve tolerances and conditions exactly.
Look for relevant diagrams as well as body text. If you cannot inspect
a diagram needed for this task, identify it and leave the affected
requirement unresolved. Flag conflicts without choosing a winner.
This file is [THE ORIGINAL / AN EXTRACT]. Extract-to-original mapping:
[PASTE IF APPLICABLE]. Keep the two page references separate.
This is a request for a review aid, not a statement that Claude performed the review successfully. You still need to open the cited locations and inspect them.
Read the conditions around every number
Imagine a fictional table that says “width: 600 mm” and a diagram that marks “minimum side clearance: 50 mm each side.” A checklist saying “600 mm space required” would drop an installation condition. In that example, the width plus the two side clearances is 700 mm, before considering any other stated requirements.
That arithmetic is an illustration written for this guide. Use the real specification's terms and have the responsible person interpret installation requirements. Do not substitute this example for engineering approval.
Also check whether a value applies to the selected model. A table with several variants can supply the correct number for the wrong product. Include the exact variant identifier in your request and in the review table.
When the answer cannot be checked
If a page reference lands on a cover or contents page, compare printed numbering with viewer numbering. If an extract is involved, check the mapping too. Ask for the heading and a short quotation to disambiguate the location.
If a diagram is missing from the answer, check the PDF length and whether the task explicitly required it. Supply a readable, permitted extract when appropriate. If the original scan itself is unclear, obtain a better source rather than accepting a guessed measurement.
Finish by marking each row verified, unresolved, or outside your review's scope. Send unresolved questions to the supplier or responsible reviewer with the page and figure they need to inspect.
Optional: read the checklist in NOS
If you already have an HTML review copy of the checklist, you can read it in NOS and check that units, source locations, and unresolved labels remain visible. Keep the original PDF and formal approval in the team's document process.