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Overview

Magic Import uses Google’s Gemini 2.5 Flash model to automatically extract actionable tasks from your documents. Upload a PDF or CSV file, and Arre will analyze the content and generate a list of tasks ready to import.
Magic Import is powered by Gemini 2.5 Flash, providing fast and accurate task extraction from your documents.

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Supported File Types

Magic Import currently supports:
  • PDF files (.pdf) - Meeting notes, reports, articles, presentations
  • CSV files (.csv) - Spreadsheets, data exports, lists
  • Text files (.txt) - Plain text documents
Maximum file size: 25MB Reference: TaskEditorModal.tsx:297, functions/index.js:26-44

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How It Works

When you upload a file, Arre:
  1. Extracts text content from the document
  2. Sends the content to Gemini 2.5 with specialized prompts
  3. Receives a list of actionable tasks
  4. Displays them for review before importing
The AI is trained to:
  • Extract clear, actionable task titles
  • Focus on verifiable actions (not vague ideas)
  • Prioritize the most important tasks if the document is large
  • Limit results to the top 10 tasks for manageability
Reference: functions/index.js:72-83

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Using Magic Import

1

Open the Task Editor

Click the New Task button or press Cmd+K. The modal opens on the Magic Import tab by default.
2

Upload Your Document

Click the drop zone or drag and drop a PDF or CSV file. Files up to 25MB are supported.Reference: TaskEditorModal.tsx:285-305
3

Wait for Analysis

Arre displays an animated scanner while processing your document. This typically takes 3-10 seconds depending on file size.Reference: TaskEditorModal.tsx:325-331
4

Review Generated Tasks

The AI returns a list of tasks extracted from your document. Each task appears with a checkbox preview.Reference: TaskEditorModal.tsx:333-342
5

Import All Tasks

Click Import All Tasks to add them to your inbox. All tasks are created with:
  • Energy level: Neutral
  • Status: Todo
  • Notes: “Imported via Magic Import”
Reference: TaskEditorModal.tsx:343-360

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Custom Instructions

You can provide custom instructions to guide the AI’s extraction. For example:
  • “Only extract high-priority action items”
  • “Focus on tasks for the engineering team”
  • “Extract deliverables with deadlines”
Custom instructions are passed to the AI model and influence which tasks are extracted and how they’re formatted. Reference: functions/index.js:61, 82
Custom instructions are currently available via API but not yet exposed in the UI. This feature will be added in a future update.

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Recent Magic Imports

The Magic Import interface shows your recent imports for easy reference:
  • Q4_Roadmap_Final.pdf - 2 hours ago
  • Inventory_List_Oct.csv - Yesterday
This helps you remember what you’ve already processed and avoid duplicate imports. Reference: TaskEditorModal.tsx:306-323
Recent imports are currently static examples in the UI. They will be connected to your actual import history in a future release.

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How Documents Are Processed

PDF files are processed using the pdf-parse library:
  1. File is converted from base64 to a buffer
  2. Text content is extracted from all pages
  3. Text is sent to Gemini for task extraction
Reference: functions/index.js:29-32

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AI Prompt Engineering

Arre uses carefully crafted prompts to ensure high-quality task extraction: 
You are an expert productivity assistant for the "Arre" app.
Your goal is to extract actionable tasks from the provided document content.

Rules:
1. Return ONLY a valid JSON array of strings. No markdown, no explanations.
2. Each string must be a clear, actionable task title.
3. If specific instructions are provided, prioritize them.
4. Limit to the top 10 most important tasks if the document is large.
Reference: functions/index.js:72-83

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Error Handling

If Magic Import encounters an error:
  • File too large: Reduce file size below 25MB
  • Unsupported format: Convert to PDF, CSV, or TXT
  • AI processing failed: Try again or upload a different file
  • Authentication required: Make sure you’re logged in
Reference: TaskEditorModal.tsx:94-96, functions/index.js:108-111

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Privacy & Security

Authentication Required

Only authenticated users can use Magic Import. Files are processed securely through Firebase Cloud Functions.

No Permanent Storage

Uploaded files are processed in memory and immediately discarded. Arre doesn’t store your documents on servers.

Gemini API

Document content is sent to Google’s Gemini API for processing. See Google’s privacy policy for details.

Context Window Limit

Only the first 30,000 characters are sent to the AI to stay within API limits and ensure fast processing.
Reference: functions/index.js:57-59, 91

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Tips for Best Results

Clean, well-formatted documents produce better results. If your PDF is scanned images, use OCR first to convert it to text.
When custom instructions are available, guide the AI with specific requests like “Extract only tasks with explicit deadlines” or “Focus on action items from the executive summary.”
Always review the generated tasks before clicking Import All. The AI is smart but not perfect - you might want to edit or remove some suggestions.
If you have a 100-page report, consider splitting it into smaller PDFs by chapter. This gives you more control over which tasks are extracted.

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Use Cases

  • Meeting notes: Extract action items from meeting transcripts
  • Project plans: Convert roadmap documents into task lists
  • Email exports: Process saved emails for follow-up tasks
  • Research papers: Pull out key points to explore further
  • Spreadsheets: Convert data rows into individual tasks

Task Management

Learn how to organize imported tasks

Projects

Assign imported tasks to projects

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