Different Aline features work best with different file formats. Knowing which format to use for which task saves time and avoids the most common upload and redlining hiccups. This short guide explains the rules and how to convert between formats when you need to.
Overview
In this article you'll:
See which format each Aline feature needs
Understand what a Playbook can and cannot do on a PDF
Convert a PDF to Word so you can redline it
Handle formats Aline doesn't accept directly (like ODT and spreadsheets)
Avoid the layout problems that come with messy conversions
Which Format for Which Feature
AI Redlining & Playbooks → need Word (.docx) to apply changes. Redlining writes tracked changes directly into the document, which requires an editable Word file.
Reports & AI extraction → work well with PDF. For reading data out of executed contracts, PDF is fine and often preferred for speed and consistency across a large set.
Templates → built from Word (.docx) documents (see Converting DOCX templates to Aline).
Spreadsheets → Aline AI does not read Excel files. If the content you need reviewed lives in a spreadsheet, export or print it to PDF first, then attach the PDF.
💡 Rule of thumb: if the AI needs to change the document (redline, draft, edit), use Word. If it only needs to read the document (report, extract), PDF is fine.
Running a Playbook on a PDF
A Playbook will still analyse a PDF. You get the flags, the AI's reasoning and citations back to the source text, so you can see which rules passed and which need review.
What you do not get is applied redlines — Aline cannot write tracked changes into a PDF. If you want the suggested language inserted into the document, convert it to Word first.
📌 If a Playbook run on a PDF appears to hang rather than returning flags, stop the run and try the Word version; a converted file also processes faster.
Converting a PDF to Word for Redlining
When you have a contract as a PDF but need to run automated redlining, convert it to Word first:
Convert the PDF to an editable .docx file
Upload the Word version into Aline
Run your Playbook or AI redlining against it, then accept or reject the suggested changes
📌 Keep both versions if useful — the original PDF as the executed record, and the Word copy for markup.
Converting Other Formats (e.g., ODT)
If your document is in a format Aline doesn't accept directly — such as ODT — convert it to DOCX before uploading. Most word processors can save or export to .docx, and once converted the file behaves like any other Word document in Aline.
Tips for Clean Conversions
Check formatting after converting a PDF — complex layouts (multi-column pages, tables) can shift.
Review two-column or heavily formatted documents carefully so redlines land in the right place.
Start from the original Word version of a contract when you have it, rather than converting a PDF that was generated from it.
💡 Best Practices
Word to edit, PDF to read. That one rule covers most decisions.
Ask the counterparty for the Word version before converting their PDF — it's always cleaner.
Keep the executed PDF as the record of record, even when you're marking up a Word copy.
Spot-check a converted file before you run a Playbook across it.
Convert spreadsheets to PDF before attaching them to AI chat.
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❓ Need Help?
A converted file that won't accept redlines cleanly? Click the Support button in Aline and send it over — we can tell you quickly whether the conversion or the layout is the problem.