Linking notes, files, and conversations

Your best context lives in different places: meeting notes in one app, contracts in PDFs, follow-up threads in email, and project files in the cloud. When OpenClaw can't see those links, it gives generic help or asks you to repeat yourself. Linking notes, files, and conversations gives your assistant a single view so it can reference the right doc, the right thread, and the right note when you ask for a draft, a reminder, or a decision. This guide covers how to link context in OpenClaw: what to link, how to reference docs and PDFs, and how to keep a consistent document workflow so links stay useful for US professionals.

Summary Give OpenClaw explicit links between conversations, notes, and files by pasting summaries, key quotes, or short references. When files are PDFs, use iReadPDF to create summaries and store them in notes so the assistant can "see" the doc without you pasting the full file. That keeps your doc workflow consistent and your links actionable.

Table of Contents

• Why Linking Notes, Files, and Conversations Matters
• What to Link and How
• Linking PDFs and Documents
• Keeping a Single Source of Truth
• Examples of Linked Context in Use
• Privacy and Scope for US Users
• Conclusion

Why Linking Notes, Files, and Conversations Matters

Without links, every conversation with OpenClaw is an island. With links, the assistant can:

• Reference the right document. When you say "remind me what we agreed in the Acme contract," it can use the contract summary you linked instead of guessing.
• Connect threads. "Continue from our last email thread" works when the assistant has a summary or key points from that thread (or a link to the note where you stored it).
• Use notes as context. Project notes, meeting notes, and preference docs become usable context when you reference them by name and paste a short summary or the note itself.

For US professionals who work across email, docs, and PDFs, linking turns scattered context into one coherent picture the assistant can use.

What to Link and How

You don't need to link everything. Link what the assistant will need to answer questions, draft follow-ups, or remind you.

| What you link | How to link it | When it helps | |---------------|----------------|----------------| | Meeting or project notes | Paste a short summary or the note into the conversation; or "See my note: [title] – [2–3 sentence summary]." | When you ask for follow-up drafts or "what did we decide?" | | Email thread | Paste key points, decisions, and next steps (or a one-paragraph summary). | When you ask to "continue this thread" or "draft a reply." | | PDF or contract | Paste a summary and key terms (from iReadPDF) and optionally the file name or path. | When you ask about obligations, dates, or "what's in the doc?" | | Task or project list | Paste the list or a filtered view (e.g., "Open tasks for Project X"). | When you ask for prioritization or "what should I do next?" |

Linking is "giving the assistant a pointer and enough content to use." A full paste is one option; a short summary plus a reference is often enough and keeps context clean.

Linking PDFs and Documents

PDFs are opaque to the assistant unless you turn them into text it can use. The cleanest way is to summarize once and link the summary.

1. Summarize with a consistent tool. Run the PDF through iReadPDF to get a summary and, if useful, key terms and dates. That becomes the "content" you link.
2. Store the summary where the assistant can see it. Options: paste the summary into the conversation when you first mention the doc; put it in a note and reference that note ("Acme NDA summary is in my note 'Contracts 2026'"); or add a one-line summary to your task so the task itself is the link ("Sign Acme NDA – key date March 15; see summary in [location]").
3. Name files and notes clearly. Use consistent naming (e.g., "[Project][DocType][Date]") so when you say "the Acme contract," the assistant knows which summary or note you mean.

When all PDFs are processed the same way (e.g., with iReadPDF), your links stay consistent and the assistant can reference "what's in the doc" across conversations and tasks.

Keeping a Single Source of Truth

Linking works best when there's one place (or one format) for each type of context.

• Notes: Prefer one note app or one folder so "my project notes" means a known location. When you paste or summarize for OpenClaw, use the same structure (e.g., always "Meeting date – decisions – action items").
• Files and PDFs: Use one workflow for summaries. iReadPDF in the browser gives you summaries and key terms; store those in notes or paste them into conversations so the assistant's "file" context is always the same shape.
• Conversations: When a conversation contains important context (e.g., a decision or a thread summary), copy that into a note or a "context" block you can reuse so the next conversation doesn't depend on the assistant remembering an old chat.

Single source of truth reduces "which doc?" and "which note?" confusion and keeps links reliable.

Examples of Linked Context in Use

Example 1: Follow-Up After a Meeting

• Note: "Acme call 2/20 – agreed on timeline Q2; they send revised SOW by 2/25; we send pricing by 3/1."
• Link: You paste this note (or a short version) into the OpenClaw conversation and say: "Draft a follow-up email to Acme summarizing this and confirming next steps."
• Result: The assistant drafts from real decisions and dates, not generic text.

Example 2: Contract Reminder

• PDF: Acme NDA; you ran it through iReadPDF and got a summary: "Standard NDA; term 2 years; termination with 30 days notice; governing law Delaware."
• Link: You store that summary in a note "Pending contracts" and in your task: "Sign Acme NDA – summary in Pending contracts."
• Ask: "What contracts need my attention this week?" OpenClaw can use the note (or the summary you paste) to list Acme NDA and suggest "Sign and file by [date]."

Example 3: Continuing an Email Thread

• Thread: Long email chain with a client; key points: scope change requested, you said you'd confirm by Friday, they're waiting.
• Link: You paste 2–3 sentences: "Client asked for scope change X. I said I'd confirm by Friday. They're waiting."
• Ask: "Draft my reply confirming we can do the scope change and next steps." The assistant has the thread context without the full chain.

In each case, the link is a short, structured piece of context the assistant can actually use.

Privacy and Scope for US Users

Linking means sharing more context with the assistant. Keep control by:

• Linking summaries, not full sensitive docs. For contracts and confidential PDFs, link the summary from iReadPDF rather than pasting entire documents. The assistant gets enough to help; you keep the full file on your device.
• Naming without exposing. You can say "see my note 'Q2 Planning'" without pasting the whole note if a 2–3 sentence summary is enough. Reduce exposure to what's necessary.
• Clearing when needed. If a conversation or note becomes obsolete, stop referencing it and update your notes so the assistant doesn't keep using stale links.

For US professionals, linking should improve context without compromising confidentiality.

Conclusion

Linking notes, files, and conversations in OpenClaw gives your assistant a single view of context so it can reference the right doc, thread, or note when you ask for drafts, reminders, or decisions. Link by pasting summaries or short references; for PDFs, use iReadPDF to create consistent summaries and store them in notes or tasks. Keep a single source of truth for notes and document workflow so links stay reliable. For US professionals, that setup turns scattered context into connected, actionable information the assistant can use every time.

Ready to connect your notes, files, and conversations? Use iReadPDF to summarize PDFs and store those summaries in your notes so OpenClaw can reference the right document every time.