GitLaw How-To guides
Import a Word or PDF contract
If your contracts live in a folder of Word documents or PDFs, you can bring them into GitLaw all at once. GitLaw stores the originals exactly as they are, extracts the key details automatically, and only converts a file to its editable format when you actually open it to make changes.
Accepted formats
GitLaw accepts DOCX and PDF files at upload. DOCX files with tracked changes and comments are fully supported - revision marks and comment threads (including author and timestamp) are preserved on import.
How to import your contracts
Step 1: Open the upload panel
In the main menu, click Files, then select Upload files. You can also upload during onboarding - GitLaw offers this step after you complete your profile, and you can skip it and come back at any time.
Step 2: Select your files
Choose one or more DOCX or PDF files from your device. There is no fixed cap on how many files you can select in one go - processing is limited by your monthly allowance, not a per-upload file count. If a batch would exceed your remaining allowance, GitLaw processes files in order and holds the rest with a clear message.
Step 3: Watch extraction run
After upload completes, GitLaw routes you to Files → Overview, which fills in progressively as each file finishes. For each file, GitLaw automatically extracts:
| Field | Notes |
|---|---|
| Parties | Primary parties become Contacts; other named parties (signatories, witnesses, advisors) stay on the file detail and can be promoted manually |
| Status | Inferred as Drafting, Negotiation, Pending Signature, Signed, Unclear, or Archived |
| Category | Matched against the GitLaw category list (NDA, SaaS Agreement, Employment Contract, etc.) |
| Execution date / Effective date | Captured as distinct fields when both are present |
| Expiry / renewal date | Auto-creates a Notification with a 30-day lead time |
| Governing law and courts | Captured when stated |
Extraction runs on the original file - no conversion is needed for GitLaw to read the content.
Step 4: Review extracted details
Click any file to open its detail view. You will see the extracted fields as chips at the top and a summary below. Fields that could not be extracted with confidence are flagged for your attention. You can edit any field inline.
What gets preserved
| Preserved on import | |
|---|---|
| Track changes (inserts, deletes, replacements) | Yes - imported as revision marks; counterparty edits are attributed to a placeholder identity |
| Comments (author, timestamp, thread, anchored range) | Yes |
| Headings, tables, lists, numbering | Yes where feasible; lossy cases surface a warning on the file detail |
| Original file format | Yes - your DOCX or PDF is stored as version 1 and remains accessible via version history |
The original file is not converted until you open it to edit. At that point the conversion happens once, and the original is preserved as v1 in version history. If any content cannot round-trip cleanly, a warning appears on the file detail.
After import
- Contacts - each primary party becomes a Contact in Knowledge → Contacts, deduplicated by name. You can click a Contact to see every file, notification, and chat related to them.
- Notifications - renewal and expiry dates become Notifications with a default 30-day reminder. Look for the "inferred" tag on auto-created Notifications; confirm or edit them to remove it.
- Chat - you can attach any imported file to a chat session and ask the agent to review, redraft, or compare it. See Attach a file to chat.
- Export - once a file is in GitLaw's editor, you can export it as a clean final PDF or a redline PDF with comments. See Export your document.
Merging files manually
If GitLaw does not automatically detect that two files are versions of the same contract (for example, because the filenames are very different), you can merge them via chat. Open a chat, attach both files, and tell the agent - for example, "This is the same contract as the Acme MSA from last month." The agent will propose the merge for your confirmation.