:Harvey:Support

Early Access Feature

Edit Files in Assistant

Edit Microsoft Word (.docx) files directly in Assistant while preserving formatting, structure, and context.

Timeline
March 25 (GA)
Categories
Assistant
Release Type
Regional Availability
US, EU

Interested in testing this feature?

Contact your Customer Success Manager for early access.

Overview

In Assistant, you can upload an existing Microsoft Word (.docx) document and ask Assistant to apply edits directly to the file. Assistant uses the context in your thread — including reference materials and knowledge sources — while preserving the document’s original formatting and structure.

This helps you move from analysis or drafting to a working document without copying text or fixing formatting. You can then:

  • Review changes using tracked edits in the in-app editor
  • Download the file to continue working in Word

Before you begin: In addition to early access, you must have Unified Assistant AND a reasoning-capable model (GPT-5 or newer) enabled in your workspace.

Example Prompts

Edit a File in Assistant

You can review edits directly in Harvey using a side-by-side document editor.

  1. Upload the .docx file that you want to edit in an Assistant thread.
  2. [Optional] Upload reference documents or select knowledge sources you want Assistant to use.
  3. Prompt Assistant with clear instructions that specify:
    1. Which document to edit (if multiple files are uploaded)
    2. What edits to make to the document
    3. How to use any additional sources or context
  4. Review the edited document from Assistant’s response:
    1. Export the updated .docx file, or
    2. Review tracked changes
  5. Click through the changes to accept or reject each one.
    Image of clicking through harvey's changes in editor to review whether to accept or reject them
  6. Continue refining the document by making manual changes directly in the text, or by asking Assistant for follow-up revisions.

Current Capabilities

This feature currently supports the following:

  • File type: only Microsoft Word (.docx) files
  • One document per thread: Each Assistant thread supports editing a single .docx file
  • Editing only: Assistant edits uploaded documents; creating new .docx files is not yet supported
  • Document length considerations: Edit quality may degrade for very long documents (approximately 100 pages or more)
  • No version history: Prior versions cannot be restored, though tracked changes provide review and control
  • Limited formatting controls: Core formatting (fonts, bold, italics, underline, lists, tables, etc.) is supported; advanced Word features are not

Tips for Success

  • Clearly specify which document Assistant should edit, especially if your thread includes multiple files
  • Be explicit about how Assistant should use any reference materials or knowledge sources.
  • Use the “@ mention” feature to tag files and sources while specifying how Harvey should use them
  • Break complex requests into specific, section-level instructions
  • For long or complex documents, consider editing one section at a time

FAQs