SmartSuite gives you three ways to summarize text and files with AI. An AI Field Agent writes a summary into a field of the record. Ask AI in a SmartDoc summarizes what is on the page. The AI Workflow Agent summarizes inside an automation and writes the result wherever a later step puts it.
Plan Availability | Team, Professional and Enterprise (the plans with SmartSuite AI on the pricing page); the 14-day free trial runs on Professional. |
Permissions | Workspace Administrators enable AI Field Agents and manage connections in AI Control Center. Solution Managers configure the agent on the field. Members run it from Grid view, the record page or a Record Details widget. Any Member who can edit a SmartDoc can use Ask AI in it. |
Platform | Web. Ask AI also works in the mobile app's Document View. |
Related Reading |
Which option should I use?
Option. | Best for. | Where the summary goes. |
AI Field Agent. | A summary every record should carry: an incident summary, a risk narrative, a control test conclusion. | A Text Area, SmartDoc or Text field on the same record. |
Ask AI in a SmartDoc. | A one-off summary of a document you are reading or writing. | The SmartDoc itself, where you can keep or discard it. |
AI Workflow Agent. | A summary made at a moment in a workflow: when a record is created, a form is submitted or a file arrives. | Any field a later Update Record action fills, or an email body. |
How do I summarize with an AI Field Agent?
Add a Text Area field (or a SmartDoc field) to hold the summary, for example Incident summary.
Open its Field Settings, select the AI Field Agent tab and turn on Enable AI Field Agent.
Write the prompt and insert the fields to summarize, for example: Summarize {{Incident Description}}, {{Impact}} and {{Resolution Notes}} in three sentences for a manager. Name the cause, the impact and the current state.
To include files, insert the record's Files and Images field into the prompt; the agent sends the files stored in that field for the record. For reference material that applies to every record, click Add Files under the prompt instead.
Choose a connection whose model shows PDF or image support in AI Platforms and Models when files are involved; attachment options appear only for such models.
Optional: turn on Run Automatically so the summary refreshes when a referenced field changes.
Click Update Field, then run the agent on a record and read the result.
Note: files sent to a model must be PDF, CSV, Excel or image files, under 50 MB per file and 50 MB in total per request.
How do I summarize a SmartDoc with Ask AI?
Open the SmartDoc and highlight the text to summarize.
Click Ask AI.
Under Generate from Page, choose Create a summary. Generate action items and Explain content are next to it.
Keep the result, continue writing, or discard the draft.
How do I summarize inside an automation?
Create an automation with a trigger such as When a record is created or When a form is submitted.
Add the AI Workflow Agent action under Integrations and choose a connection.
Write the prompt and insert the trigger fields with the blue + in the prompt; add a file from the trigger with the + under Attachments and mention it in the prompt.
Leave the output on Simple: the summary comes back as text.
Add an Update Record action and map the AI Workflow Agent output into a Text Area field, or add a Send Email action and map it into the body.
Test with a realistic record, then turn the automation on.
Frequently asked questions
Can the agent summarize a PDF or a spreadsheet?
Can the agent summarize a PDF or a spreadsheet?
Yes, when the selected model supports files. Supported inputs are PDF, CSV, Excel and image files, under 50 MB per file and 50 MB per request.
Why are there no attachment options in my agent settings?
Why are there no attachment options in my agent settings?
The selected model does not support files and images. Pick a connection whose model shows PDF and image support in AI Platforms and Models.
Does the summary update when the source text changes?
Does the summary update when the source text changes?
With Run Automatically on, the Field Agent runs whenever a referenced field changes. A Workflow Agent summary is made when its trigger fires.
How many requests does a summary use?
How many requests does a summary use?
Each run of an agent is one request on the connection it uses. A summary refreshed on every edit uses a request per edit, so leave Run Automatically off when the text changes often.
Last verified 24 Oct 2026.