Using + Add Column for Document-by-Document Analysis#
The Search bar is excellent for finding the most relevant documents or getting an overall sense of what's in your materials. But what if you need a fine-toothed comb approach?
When you want to understand what each individual document contains on a specific topic, the + Add Column feature is your best tool.
How + Add Column Works#
The feature creates a custom column that analyzes every document against your specific criteria, giving you a document-by-document breakdown.
Where to find it:
- Navigate to either the Documents or Interviews page
- Scroll all the way to the right in your document table
- Click + Add Column
What you'll enter:
- Column Name - A short label for your topic
- Instruction - What you want the AI to identify or analyze in each document (simple instructions work fine, but more context helps the AI be more accurate)
Example: Investigating Dinner Programs#
In a sample ethics investigation involving pharmaceutical sales reps organizing inappropriately lavish dinner programs for doctors, I needed to know which documents mentioned these events.
Column Name: "Dinner Program"
Simple Instruction (this works): "Identify any mention of dinner programs in the documents."
Better Instruction with Context: "Identify any mention of dinner programs in the documents. A dinner program is a type of promotional or educational event organized to engage healthcare professionals (HCPs), usually physicians, nurse practitioners, or pharmacists over a meal. Dinner programs may offer Continuing Medical Education (CME) credits, networking, relationship building. Sales people or sales representatives use these events to build relationships with HCPs, maintain brand awareness, and foster loyalty. Dinner programs are held in restaurants, hotels, or conference rooms with meals."
The second version gives the AI more context to understand what you're looking for, which leads to more accurate and complete results.
What You Get#
Once you click "Create Column," the AI analyzes every document in your table and populates your new column with its findings.
The result: A scannable column showing what each document says about dinner programs, or noting when a document doesn't mention them at all.
You can then click through individual entries to look further into the documents that matter most.
Tip: Be Specific With Context#
Notice I didn't just say "Identify any mention of dinner programs."
I provided definition, context, and examples. The more context you give, the better the AI understands what to look for and what might be a relevant mention versus a passing reference.
This is especially important when:
- Your topic has industry-specific meaning
- Terms might be ambiguous or used in different contexts
- You want to capture variations (e.g., "dinner program," "HCP dinner event," "CME dinner")
Bottom Line#
Think of + Add Column as creating a custom index for your case. It's methodical, comprehensive, and useful for ensuring nothing slips through the cracks.
See it in action: Watch our step-by-step walkthrough video here.