AI Document Q&A: Best Practices for Better Answers

You've uploaded your documents. Now you want the AI to give you accurate, useful answers. The quality of those answers depends on two things: how well your documents are prepared and how you ask your questions.

This guide covers practical techniques to get the most from document-based AI chat.

Supported Document Formats

DreamAI accepts several document types, each with its own strengths:

PDF Files

PDFs work well for most business documents. The AI extracts text content and understands document structure like headings and sections.

Best for: Reports, manuals, contracts, presentations converted to PDF

Tip: Text-based PDFs work better than scanned images. If your PDF is a scan, consider using OCR software first.

Word Documents (DOCX)

Word documents preserve formatting and structure well. The AI can navigate headings, lists, and tables.

Best for: Policies, procedures, product documentation, internal guides

Plain Text (TXT) and Markdown (MD)

These formats are lightweight and parse quickly. Markdown's structure (headings, lists, code blocks) helps the AI understand content organization.

Best for: Technical documentation, README files, structured notes

URLs

You can also add web pages directly. The AI fetches and processes the content.

Best for: Public documentation, help articles, reference pages

File Size Limits

Documents can be up to 100MB. For best performance, keep individual files under 50MB when possible. Large files take longer to process but work fine once indexed.

Preparing Documents for Better Results

The AI can only find what's in your documents. Better document preparation leads to better answers.

Use Clear Headings

Structure your documents with descriptive headings. Instead of "Section 1", use "Return Policy" or "Installation Requirements".

The AI uses headings to understand context and locate relevant sections faster.

Write Complete Sentences

Bullet points are fine, but ensure they make sense on their own. The AI might retrieve a bullet point without its surrounding context.

Less effective:

• 30 days
• Original packaging required
• Receipt needed

More effective:

• Returns accepted within 30 days of purchase
• Items must be in original packaging
• Original receipt required for all returns

Include Context in Tables

Tables are great for structured data, but add context. A table of numbers without labels or explanations is hard for the AI to interpret meaningfully.

Avoid Excessive Formatting

Heavy formatting (multiple fonts, colors, complex layouts) can sometimes interfere with text extraction. Keep formatting functional rather than decorative.

Remove Duplicate Content

If the same information appears in multiple documents, the AI might retrieve conflicting or redundant passages. Consolidate when possible.

How RAG Works (Simplified)

Understanding the basics helps you work with the system more effectively.

RAG stands for Retrieval Augmented Generation. Here's what happens when you ask a question:

1. Your question is analyzed - The AI identifies key concepts and terms

2. Relevant passages are retrieved - The system searches your documents for sections that match your question

3. Context is assembled - Retrieved passages are combined to give the AI relevant background

4. Answer is generated - The AI writes a response based on the retrieved context

The key insight: the AI doesn't "remember" your entire document. It retrieves relevant pieces each time you ask. This means:

• Specific questions get better results than vague ones
• If information isn't retrieved, the AI can't use it
• The same question might get slightly different answers as retrieval varies

Asking Better Questions

How you phrase questions significantly impacts answer quality.

Be Specific

Vague questions get vague answers. Specific questions help the AI retrieve the right content.

Vague: "What's the policy?" Specific: "What is the return policy for electronics purchased online?"

Vague: "How does it work?" Specific: "How does the automatic renewal process work for annual subscriptions?"

Reference Your Content

If you know something is in your documents, reference it directly.

Generic: "What are the requirements?" Better: "What are the system requirements listed in the installation guide?"

Ask One Thing at a Time

Multi-part questions can confuse retrieval. Break complex queries into steps.

Complex: "What's the pricing, and how do discounts work, and what payment methods do you accept?"

Better approach:

1. "What are the pricing tiers?"
2. "How do volume discounts work?"
3. "What payment methods are accepted?"

Use Document Terminology

If your documents use specific terms, use those same terms in your questions. The AI matches based on language similarity.

If your manual calls it "power cycling" rather than "restarting", ask about "power cycling" for better matches.

Provide Context When Needed

If your question could apply to multiple topics, add context.

Ambiguous: "What's the limit?" Clear: "What's the file size limit for document uploads?"

Troubleshooting Poor Responses

Sometimes answers aren't what you expected. Here's how to diagnose and fix common issues.

"I don't have information about that"

This usually means the AI couldn't find relevant content in your documents.

Check:

• Is the information actually in your uploaded documents?
• Are you using different terminology than the document?
• Was the document fully processed? (Check the document status)

Try:

• Rephrase using terms from your documents
• Ask a broader question first, then narrow down
• Verify the document uploaded successfully

Incorrect or Outdated Information

The AI can only know what's in your current documents.

Check:

• Is there an outdated version of the document still uploaded?
• Does the document contain the correct information?
• Are there conflicting documents with different answers?

Try:

• Remove outdated documents
• Upload the current version
• Check for duplicate or conflicting content

Partial or Incomplete Answers

The AI might retrieve only part of the relevant information.

Check:

• Is the information spread across multiple sections?
• Is the document well-structured with clear headings?

Try:

• Ask follow-up questions for missing details
• Rephrase to target specific sections
• Consider restructuring the source document

Answers That Miss the Point

Sometimes the AI retrieves related but not quite right content.

Check:

• Is your question specific enough?
• Are there multiple topics with similar keywords?

Try:

• Add more context to your question
• Use exact phrases from the document
• Specify which document or section you're asking about

Advanced Tips

Build a Focused Knowledge Base

More documents isn't always better. A focused collection of relevant, high-quality documents often outperforms a large dump of everything.

Curate your knowledge base:

• Remove outdated content
• Consolidate duplicate information
• Organize by topic or use case

Use Consistent Formatting

If you're creating documents specifically for AI Q&A, use consistent formatting across all files. Same heading styles, same terminology, same structure.

Test Your Knowledge Base

After uploading documents, test with questions you know the answers to. This helps you understand what the AI can and can't find.

Iterate on Document Quality

If certain questions consistently get poor answers, look at the source documents. Often, improving the document improves the answers.

Common Use Cases

Internal Knowledge Base

Upload policies, procedures, and guides. Team members can ask questions instead of searching through folders.

Tip: Keep documents current. Set a reminder to review and update quarterly.

Product Documentation

Upload manuals, spec sheets, and FAQs. Support teams and customers get instant answers.

Tip: Include common questions and their answers in your documents—the AI will find and use them.

Training Materials

Upload training guides and reference materials. New team members can ask questions as they learn.

Tip: Structure content progressively, from basics to advanced topics.

Research and Analysis

Upload reports, studies, and reference materials. Ask questions to synthesize information across sources.

Tip: Use specific citations in your documents so the AI can reference them in answers.

Get Started

Ready to build your knowledge base? The best way to learn is by doing.

1. Start small - Upload 2-3 well-structured documents
2. Test thoroughly - Ask questions you know the answers to
3. Iterate - Improve documents based on answer quality
4. Expand - Add more documents as you refine your approach

Upload your first document and start asking questions. You'll quickly develop an intuition for what works best with your specific content.

Have questions about optimizing your document Q&A setup? We're here to help you get the most from your knowledge base.