AI Chat with Documents

What is AI Assist's chat function?

AI Assist's chat opens up a range of possibilities for you to interact with PDF or text documents within MAXQDA's desktop interface. By posing questions and queries about your material, you can engage in a dynamic exchange of information. This functionsupports dialog-based exploration of your data.

For instance, if engaging with interview transcripts, you may inquire about the topics discussed or seek thematic insights. Similarly, when analyzing peer-reviewed journal articles, you may ask to summarize each section and explain the findings or the methods used. These examples are just a glimpse into the wide range of possibilities the chat feature offers, inspiring you to explore and analyze your materials in novel and exciting ways.

What kinds of documents can I chat with in MAXQDA?

You can chat with any text or PDF files in your "Document System" within MAXQDA. These files could be anything from interview transcripts and journal articles to news articles, speeches, and corporate reports. Images or image-based text are not included.

How to start chatting with documents

1. Go to AI Assist > Chat with Documents in the main menu, as shown above.
2. A dialog window will open, allowing you to select one or more documents from your "Document System" (see picture below).
3. As you select documents, the dialog shows the percentage of your character quota used and the number of selected documents. You can adjust your selection to stay within the allowed limits.
4. After finalizing your selection, click OK to open the AI Chat and begin your conversation.
5. Once the chat opens, you can type your query, and AI Assist will respond promptly, usually within seconds.

Tracking your selected documents

In the top-left corner of the AI Chat window, the selected items indicator shows the document name or, if multiple documents are selected, lists them. This helps you track which materials are referenced in the chat.

Alternative ways to chat with multiple documents

• Right-click on selected documents: In the "Document System," hold Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac) to select multiple documents. Then right-click and choose AI Assist > Chat with Documents.
• Right-click on a document group: If you've organized your documents into groups, you can right-click on a group and start a chat with all documents in that group. Right-click and choose AI Assist > Chat with Documents

Start a chat with a single document

• Right-click on the document in the Document System and choose Chat with This Document.
• Use the Document Browser toolbar: When a document is open in the "Document Browser," click the AI Assist icon and select Chat with this Document.

Navigating AI Chat's text references

AI Assist includes sequentially numbered references in its responses, similar to footnotes, to help you trace information back to the source material. Hover over any reference to see a tooltip showing the document name and, when applicable, the specific paragraph or page being referenced.

Click on a reference to open the corresponding document in the "Document Browser." If the reference includes paragraph or page information, the relevant section will be automatically highlighted for easy analysis.

Starting a new chat

While you are chatting, you can start a new chat at any time without closing the chat window. To start a new chat, click New Chat. When you hover over this icon, a dropdown menu will appear with the following options:

• Chat with Documents: Opens the document selection dialog, allowing you to select one or more documents for your new chat.
• Chat with Retrieved Segments: Starts a new chat with the segments currently displayed in the "Retrieved Segments" window. This option is disabled if there are no segments in the window. Learn more about chatting with segments by visiting this page: AI Chat with Coded Segments.

When you start a new chat, your current conversation is automatically saved to the chat history, allowing you to return to it later if needed.

Managing chat history

The chat history feature in MAXQDA is designed to help you manage and revisit your previous conversations, whether you are chatting with documents or coded segments. To access your chat history, click the chat history icon (clock symbol), located next to the selected items indicator in the top-left corner. This indicator displays the name of the current item or a list when multiple items (like documents or coded segments) are selected. When clicked, the chat history icon will open a list of all your previous chats.

When you open the Chat History during an ongoing conversation and click on a previous chat, the current conversation will automatically be deactivated. It will then be moved into the Chat History log.

MAXQDA automatically saves a copy of a chat as soon as it is closed. Chats are saved locally on your computer within your MAXQDA project file.

Continuing a chat from history

You can continue any chat that has been saved to the chat history. Simply open the chat history, select the chat you want to continue, and it will become active again, allowing you to pick up where you left off. If the data basis of the chat has changed (for example, if documents have been modified or deleted), you cannot continue your conversation.

Chat names in the chat history

Each saved chat is automatically named based on its content (for example, "Riley").

• If multiple chats would have the same name, MAXQDA adds a bracketed number to distinguish them (for example, "Riley (1)").
• If a chat name is too long to display fully, hover over it to see the complete name in a tooltip.

Rename or delete chats

You can manage individual chats directly from the chat history list.

When you hover over a chat, a context button appears. Select it to open a menu with the following options:

• Rename Chat: Customize the chat's name to make it easier to recognize.
• Delete Chat: Permanently remove the chat from your project file.

Saving AI Assist responses

You can save AI Assist responses by copying them to the clipboard. Depending on what you want to keep, you can copy either a single response or the entire chat conversation.

• Copy a single response: To copy one AI Assist response, click the copy icon below the response. To copy only part of a response, select the text and use the Copy button that pops up, or press Ctrl+C (Windows) or cmd+C (Mac).
• Copy the entire chat: To save or share the full exchange, click the copy icon in the chat's toolbar in the upper right corner. The complete conversation is copied to your clipboard, and a confirmation message appears.

Pasting copied content

How the pasted content behaves depends on where you paste it.

When you paste the copied chat into MAXQDA (for example, into a memo), the conversation structure is preserved. You can clearly distinguish between your questions and AI Assist’s responses, and references to documents or text passages remain active as clickable links.

When you paste the copied chat outside of MAXQDA (for example, into a Word document or an email), the conversation structure is still preserved. However, references to documents or text passages are converted to plain text and are no longer clickable.

You can paste the copied content by right-clicking and selecting Paste, or by using Ctrl+V (Windows) or cmd+V (Mac).

Best practices to maximize your chat experience

• Start a new chat before beginning a new topic to ensure that previous conversations do not influence subsequent responses. For instance, if you have discussed a company's business strategy and then wish to inquire about marketing techniques, it is best to start a new chat first.
• When appropriate, specify the desired output format or response style, e.g., "bullet points," "two sentences," or "academic style."
• Break down complex tasks into a sequence of simple prompts.
• Use formulations that are as concise and precise as possible.
• For tasks that do not require AI, use other MAXQDA functions, e.g., the "Text Search" to search for words.

Frequently asked questions

Are AI Assist's chat responses accurate?

While the chat primarily delivers accurate results across scenarios, verifying the responses' accuracy is essential, including checking the provided references. Your diligence ensures that you can confidently rely on the information provided by the chat.

Are the references to the original text correct?

As a rule, the references point to relevant text passages. In some cases, references are made to adjacent or inappropriate text passages. Therefore, it is crucial to check the references, especially in the case of very long texts with many short paragraphs.

Which languages does the chat support?

AI Assist's AI Chat supports almost all widely spoken languages. The language of the text being analyzed may differ from the language you're communicating with the chat. For example, you can ask questions in German when chatting with a document written in English. Typically, responses are provided in the language of your query. However, the chatbot may respond in English for languages less commonly used online.

Which document types can I chat with in MAXQDA?

You can chat with text documents and PDFs. However, please note that only text data is considered in PDFs. Images or image-based text are not included.

Does the chat always give the same answer to the same question?

No. The answers may vary slightly, especially if the chat history has progressed. Even if you restart the chat and ask the same first question as in your last chat, the content of both answers will generally be similar, but the wording may differ.