How to build a quick overview of a meeting pre-read pdf
- Step 1Open the tool and drop the pre-read — Load the meeting pack, briefing note, or board report into the PDF Summary Generator. It auto-runs on drop — no template to choose, no Generate button.
- Step 2Check the reading time against the clock — Compare the Estimated Reading Time to how long you have before the meeting. If the full read won't fit, the per-page overview tells you what to prioritise.
- Step 3Find the agenda and decision pages — Scan the
### Page Npreviews for 'Agenda', 'Decisions', 'Recommendation', 'For approval', or 'Action'. Note those page numbers as your must-read pages. - Step 4Read the pages that matter — Open the pack at the pages you flagged and read those in full. The overview is a triage map — the decisions still need your own judgement on the source pages.
- Step 5Add your own notes and questions — Download the
.mdoverview and annotate it with your questions, objections, or points to raise. It becomes your prep crib sheet. - Step 6Share the overview with attendees who haven't read it — Paste the Markdown into the calendar invite or chat so colleagues at least know the pack's shape and where the decisions sit. Remind them the snippets are page openings, not the full points.
Meeting-prep needs vs. what the tool delivers
The overview maps the pack; it doesn't extract decisions for you. Plan accordingly.
| Prep need | Tool delivers? | How to get it |
|---|---|---|
| How long is the pack / can I read it in time | Yes | Page count + word count + 250-wpm reading time |
| Where are the decision / agenda pages | Yes (locate) | Per-page ~200-char previews; search for 'Agenda', 'Decision' |
| List of action items | No | Read the located pages; or run your own LLM on the extracted text |
| Decisions required, summarised | No | Not extracted — the tool shows page openings, not curated decisions |
| A meeting-prep template | No | No templates exist; build your crib sheet from the downloaded .md |
Tier limits for a meeting pack
PDF family limits from lib/tier-limits.ts. Page count is checked when the file is added.
| Tier | Max size | Max pages |
|---|---|---|
| Free | 2 MB | 50 pages |
| Pro | 50 MB | 500 pages |
| Pro + Media | 500 MB | 2,000 pages |
| Developer | 2 GB | 10,000 pages |
Cookbook
How someone prepping for a meeting uses the overview as a triage tool.
One hour before the meeting, 42-page pack
Reading time says 30 minutes — you have time, but the overview tells you which pages carry the decisions so you read those first.
# PDF Summary **Pages:** 42 **Word Count:** 7,400 **Estimated Reading Time:** 30 min ## Page-by-Page Overview ### Page 2 Agenda 1. Approval of Q2 budget 2. Vendor selection 3. AOB... ### Page 9 Item 1: Q2 Budget For Decision The Committee is asked to approve... ### Page 23 Item 2: Vendor Selection Recommendation We recommend proceeding...
Not enough time — prioritise the decision pages
When the read won't fit before the call, jump straight to the pages the overview flags as decisions.
Reading time: 64 min. Meeting in 20. From the overview, must-read pages: p9 (Q2 Budget — For Decision) p23 (Vendor Selection — Recommendation) p38 (Risk sign-off — For Approval) Read those 3; skim the rest.
Share the shape with attendees
Paste the header stats and the agenda/decision lines into the invite so everyone knows what's coming.
Pre-read shape (42pp, ~30 min): p2 Agenda p9 Q2 Budget — For Decision p23 Vendor Selection — Recommendation p38 Risk sign-off — For Approval (Full pack attached; snippets are page openings.)
A board pack split across several PDFs
The tool takes one file at a time, so summarise each PDF and combine the maps — or merge first.
cover.pdf → 4pp finance.pdf → 18pp, decision on p6 strategy.pdf → 20pp, recommendation on p12 Summarise each, or PDF Merge them first, then summarise the combined pack (if within tier limit).
Decisions still need the source page
The snippet flags where a decision sits; the actual decision and its caveats live on the page. Read it before you commit a view.
### Page 9 Item 1: Q2 Budget For Decision The Committee is asked to approve... → Open p9 in full. The number, conditions, and the dissenting note aren't in the 200-char snippet.
Edge cases and what actually happens
Expecting an action-item / decisions list
By designThe tool does not extract action items, decisions required, or discussion points into a list — it shows the literal opening of each page. Use the previews to locate the decision pages, then read those pages. For a model-extracted list, run your own LLM on the extracted text.
Looking for a 'meeting prep' format option
By designThere's no meeting-prep template, format selector, or option of any kind. The output is always the same statistics-plus-per-page-overview report. Build your prep crib sheet by annotating the downloaded .md.
Free tier: pack exceeds 50 pages
Blocked (free limit)Full board packs often exceed 50 pages and are blocked on free at file-add time. Pro raises the cap to 500 pages. If you're on free and out of time, split the pack with PDF Split and summarise just the decision section.
Confidential pack must not be uploaded
Preserved (local)Everything runs in your browser via pdf.js — the panel confirms '0 bytes uploaded'. No model sees the pack and nothing is transmitted, which suits commercially sensitive or personnel-related meeting material.
Scanned signature or exhibit pages
No text contentScanned annexes (signed letters, photographed exhibits) appear as (No text content). The digital pages summarise normally. OCR the scanned pages with PDF OCR if you need their content for the meeting.
Snippet shows a heading, not the decision
ExpectedA page's first ~200 characters might be a section heading or a 'For Decision' label rather than the decision detail. That's exactly what you want for locating it — but open the page to read the actual recommendation, figures, and caveats.
Pack is several separate PDFs
One at a timeThe tool processes a single PDF per run. Summarise each pack document separately and combine the maps, or merge them into one file first (within your tier's page limit) and summarise the combined pack.
Reading time understates a dense financial pack
ExpectedThe 250-wpm estimate assumes prose. A pack heavy with tables and figures reads slower because you study numbers, not skim words. Treat the estimate as a floor for a finance-heavy pack and budget extra time.
Frequently asked questions
Will the summary highlight action items and decisions for me?
No. The tool doesn't extract action items, decisions, or discussion points — it shows the literal opening ~200 characters of each page. It's a map that helps you locate the decision pages quickly; read those pages to get the actual decisions. For an extracted list, run your own LLM on the text from PDF to Text.
Is there a meeting-prep template or format I can pick?
No. There are no templates or format options. The output is a fixed statistics-and-per-page overview in Markdown. You build your prep crib sheet by downloading the .md and annotating it with your own questions and the page numbers that matter.
How does this help if I'm short on time before a meeting?
The reading-time estimate tells you whether you can read the whole pack in the time you have. If not, the per-page previews let you find the decision and agenda pages so you read only those — turning an impossible 40-page read into a focused 3-page read.
Can I summarise a board pack made of multiple PDFs?
The tool takes one PDF per run, so summarise each document and combine the maps — or merge the pack into a single file first and summarise that, provided it's within your tier's page limit (50 on free, 500 on Pro).
Is the meeting pack uploaded anywhere?
No. Extraction and the overview run entirely in your browser via pdf.js — the panel shows 'Local browser processing · 0 bytes uploaded'. No AI model sees the pack; only an anonymous run counter is logged when you're signed in. Confidential packs stay on your device.
Why is a page preview just a heading and not the decision?
Each preview is the literal first ~200 characters of a page, which is often a section heading or a 'For Decision' label. That's ideal for locating the item — but the actual recommendation, numbers, and caveats are on the page, so open it before forming a view.
Some pages say '(No text content)' — what's wrong?
Those are scanned or image-only pages (signed letters, photographed exhibits) with no text layer. The digital pages summarise fine. Run PDF OCR on the scanned pages if you need their content for the meeting.
Can I share the summary with colleagues instead of the full pack?
You can share the overview to convey the pack's shape and where decisions sit, but it's not a substitute for the pack — the snippets are page openings, not the full points. For routine pre-reads it's a helpful heads-up; for decisions that need sign-off, attendees should read the source pages.
How accurate is the reading-time estimate for a finance pack?
It's a 250-words-per-minute estimate that assumes prose. A pack dense with tables and figures reads slower because you study the numbers rather than skim. Treat the estimate as a floor and budget extra time for finance-heavy material.
What's the largest pack I can summarise?
Free handles up to 50 pages and 2 MB; Pro up to 500 pages and 50 MB; Pro + Media up to 2,000 pages; Developer up to 10,000. Over the limit, split with PDF Split and summarise the section you need.
What format does the summary download in?
Markdown — it saves as <your-file>.md. Paste it into your notes app, the calendar invite, or a prep checklist. The on-screen preview caps at 5,000 characters, but the downloaded file is complete.
Can I automate prep summaries for recurring meetings?
On a paid tier, yes — fetch the schema from GET /api/v1/tools/pdf-summary-generator, pair the @jadapps/runner once, and POST each pack to 127.0.0.1:9789/v1/tools/pdf-summary-generator/run. The runner builds the overview locally, so the pack never leaves your machine. Handy for a weekly committee where the pack drops in a shared folder.
Privacy first
All PDF processing runs locally in your browser using PDF-lib and pdf.js. No file is ever uploaded — only metadata counters are saved for signed-in dashboard stats.