Prepare your sources
Turn a PDF into instructions
Use manuals, drawings, and procedures as the foundation for a practical work guide.
What you’ll achieve
Your PDF is ready for generation and its visual details can support the steps.
Before you begin
- A readable PDF and an open project.
On this page
Make the document usable
Choose the relevant revision and pages. Readability matters: tiny dimension text, rotated scans, and diagrams without legends are harder to interpret. If the document is restricted or cannot be opened normally, prepare an accessible copy that you are permitted to use.
A long manual may describe several procedures. Tell StepGen which one the project should cover in a text note or special instruction.
Add and review the PDF
- 1
In Sources, choose Browse Computer and select the PDF.
- 2
Wait while the file is uploaded and its content is processed. Keep an eye on the status instead of uploading the same file again.
- 3
Open its preview and review the description. Check that the important pages and drawings are legible.
- 4
When the source is ready, choose Generate Steps and clarify missing process details.
Reuse document visuals
In the Media Editor, choose the PDF source and navigate to the relevant page or extracted visual. Select the detail that explains the action, choose the destination step, and use Add to step.
A drawing is most useful next to the instruction it supports. Review the resulting attachment at the size a reader will see, especially labels and orientation.
Verify the facts that matter
- Check dimensions, units, tolerances, part names, and revision-specific requirements directly against the document.
- If the PDF is incomplete, add a factual text note rather than asking the AI to invent a missing specification.
- After replacing or updating a source, review the existing steps and decide whether to update or regenerate them.