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Summarize document
Configure the Summarize document node, read its result and citations, and handle its errors.
The Summarize node reads a document and returns a grounded answer to a task you describe, with citations back to the source. Use it when a step in your process needs a synthesized answer across a long document, not a fixed set of typed fields.
How it works
The node sends the document and the synthesis task to the underlying synthesis model, which reads across the content and returns the result with citations to the passages it relied on. The node handles up to 1,000 pages in a single call.
Unlike the Summarize agent tool, the Summarize node runs deterministically as a step in the workflow. The workflow always executes it at the point where you place it, without an agent deciding when to invoke it.
Configuration
Configure the Summarize node in the properties panel after adding it to the canvas.
| Field | Required | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attachment | Yes | None | The file or document to summarize. Bind it to a file produced earlier in the workflow, such as a file input of the trigger: $vars.manualTrigger1.output.document. |
| Prompt | Yes | None | What the summary should focus on, and how to present it, for example Summarize this document in five bullet points for a support agent. |
| File extension | No | pdf | Format of the source file. Supported values are pdf and txt. |
| Citation mode | No | Enabled | Whether the result includes inline citations back to the source. This field appears only when File extension is set to pdf. |
Output
The Summarize node returns its result at $vars.<nodeName>.output.
| Variable | Description |
|---|---|
output | Synthesized result as a string, with citations when Citation mode is enabled. |
error | Error details when the node fails. Contains code, message, detail, category, and status. Available when the node's error handle is connected. |
Reading the result
The result is a plain string at $vars.<nodeName>.output:
$vars.summarize1.output
// "The contract requires a 30-day notice period for termination (§ 12.1)..."
$vars.summarize1.output
// "The contract requires a 30-day notice period for termination (§ 12.1)..."
The string may include inline citation markers referencing the source document pages, depending on the Citation mode setting.
Error handling
The Summarize node supports an error handle. If synthesis fails and the error handle is connected, the run continues on the error path with the error object at $vars.<nodeName>.error. Error handling describes the error shape and how to route on it.
Notes
- The Summarize node and the Summarize agent tool use the same underlying synthesis capability. Choose the node when the step is deterministic; choose the agent tool when an Autonomous Agent should decide when to invoke it.
- For pulling structured, typed fields from a document, use the Extract node instead.
Next steps
- Document processing: how the document nodes work together.
- Node reference: every node and how to configure it.
- Community: ask questions and share workflows with other builders on the UiPath Forum.