Smart Import (No AI)
Import requirements from Word documents using intelligent pattern matching - no AI credits required.
Free & Unlimited
Smart Import uses pattern detection, not AI. It's free on all tiers with unlimited imports.
Overview
Smart Import extracts requirements from Word documents by detecting:
- Keywords: shall, must, will, should, may
- Requirement IDs: REQ-001, SYS-001, 1.2.3, [REQ-001]
- Document structure: Headings, bullets, numbered lists
- Sentence patterns: Subject-verb-object structures
Unlike AI Import, Smart Import doesn't interpret meaning - it finds text that looks like requirements based on established patterns.
When to Use Smart Import
Smart Import is Best For:
- Documents with clear "shall" statements
- Requirements already numbered (REQ-001, etc.)
- Structured documents with headings and lists
- When you want zero AI credits used
- Quick imports of well-formatted documents
Use AI Import Instead When:
- Requirements are in narrative prose
- Document lacks clear structure
- You need intelligent hierarchy detection
- Requirements are ambiguous or mixed with other content
How It Works
Pattern Detection
Smart Import scans your document for these patterns:
1. Requirement Keywords
| Keyword | Detection | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| shall | "The system shall provide..." | High confidence |
| must | "Users must authenticate..." | High confidence |
| will | "The software will support..." | Medium confidence |
| should | "The interface should display..." | Medium confidence |
| may | "The system may optionally..." | Lower confidence |
2. Requirement ID Patterns
Automatically detected ID formats:
REQ-001 Standard format
SYS-001 Hierarchical prefix
FUNC-0001 Extended format
1.2.3 Numeric hierarchy
[REQ-001] Bracketed format
Requirement REQ-001: Labeled format
3. Document Structure
Smart Import uses document structure to determine hierarchy:
| Structure | Interpretation |
|---|---|
| Heading 1 | Level 1 (System) |
| Heading 2 | Level 2 (Subsystem) |
| Heading 3 | Level 3 (Component) |
| Bullet list | Same level as parent |
| Numbered list | Sequential requirements |
4. Type Classification
Requirements are classified by keyword detection:
| Type | Keywords Detected |
|---|---|
| Functional | perform, execute, process, calculate, display |
| Performance | speed, latency, throughput, accuracy, capacity |
| Interface | API, protocol, format, communicate, integrate |
| Safety | safe, hazard, fail-safe, emergency, protect |
| Security | authenticate, authorize, encrypt, access control |
| Reliability | MTBF, availability, fault tolerance, redundancy |
| Constraint | maximum, minimum, within, not exceed |
How to Import
Step 1: Access Smart Import
- Open your project
- Click Import Requirements button
- In the modal, find the Smart Word section (green icon)
Step 2: Upload Document
- Click Choose File in the Smart Word section
- Select your Word document (.docx)
- Import begins immediately
Step 3: Review Results
After import completes:
- Check the success message showing requirements count
- Review imported requirements in the tree view
- Verify hierarchy relationships
- Edit any requirements that need adjustment
Document Preparation Tips
For Best Results
Use clear "shall" statements:
The system shall authenticate users within 2 seconds.
The system shall encrypt all data at rest.
The system shall log all failed login attempts.
Include requirement IDs:
REQ-001: The system shall authenticate users within 2 seconds.
REQ-002: The system shall encrypt all data at rest.
REQ-003: The system shall log all failed login attempts.
Use Word heading styles:
[Heading 1] System Requirements
[Heading 2] Authentication
REQ-001: The system shall authenticate users...
REQ-002: The system shall support SSO...
[Heading 2] Data Security
REQ-003: The system shall encrypt data...
What to Avoid
Mixed content (requirements + prose):
The team discussed requirements for the new system. It was decided that
the system shall authenticate users. This is important for security.
Smart Import may extract the prose as requirements.
Missing keywords:
User authentication within 2 seconds.
Data encryption at rest.
Logging of failed attempts.
Without "shall/must/will", these may not be detected.
Inconsistent numbering:
REQ-001: First requirement
REQ1: Second requirement
Req-002: Third requirement
Inconsistent formats may cause detection issues.
Example Import
Source Document
Product Requirements Document
1. System Requirements
1.1 Authentication
REQ-001: The system shall authenticate users using username and password.
REQ-002: The system shall support multi-factor authentication.
REQ-003: Authentication shall complete within 2 seconds.
1.2 Data Management
REQ-004: The system shall encrypt all data at rest using AES-256.
REQ-005: The system shall backup data daily.
Smart Import Results
Requirements Extracted: 5
SYS-001: The system shall authenticate users using username and password.
Type: Security
Parent: None (root level from Heading 1)
SYS-002: The system shall support multi-factor authentication.
Type: Security
Parent: SYS-001 (same section)
SYS-003: Authentication shall complete within 2 seconds.
Type: Performance
Parent: SYS-001 (same section)
SYS-004: The system shall encrypt all data at rest using AES-256.
Type: Security
Parent: None (new section)
SYS-005: The system shall backup data daily.
Type: Functional
Parent: SYS-004 (same section)
Comparison: Smart Import vs AI Import
| Feature | Smart Import | AI Import |
|---|---|---|
| Processing | Pattern matching | AI/LLM analysis |
| Cost | Free, unlimited | Uses AI credits |
| Speed | Instant | 1-3 minutes |
| Accuracy | Depends on document format | Adapts to any format |
| Hierarchy Detection | Based on headings/structure | Semantic understanding |
| Type Classification | Keyword-based | Context-aware |
| Methodology Support | No | Yes |
| Best For | Well-formatted docs | Unstructured docs |
| Tier Required | All tiers | Advanced+ |
Choose Smart Import When:
- Document is already well-structured
- Requirements use "shall" consistently
- IDs are already assigned
- You want to save AI credits
- Quick import is priority
Choose AI Import When:
- Document is unstructured narrative
- Requirements need interpretation
- Hierarchy needs to be inferred
- You want AI to apply best practices
- Accuracy is more important than speed
Troubleshooting
No Requirements Detected
Causes:
- Document lacks "shall/must/will" keywords
- Text is in images or tables (not parsed)
- File format issues
Solutions:
- Add "shall" statements to requirements
- Extract text from tables before import
- Save document as .docx format
- Use AI Import for unstructured documents
Wrong Hierarchy Levels
Causes:
- Document doesn't use Word heading styles
- Inconsistent structure
Solutions:
- Apply Heading 1/2/3 styles in Word
- Manually adjust hierarchy after import
- Use consistent section numbering
Missing Requirements
Causes:
- Requirement text lacks keywords
- Confidence score too low
Solutions:
- Add "shall" to requirement statements
- Use AI Import for better detection
- Manually add missing requirements
Wrong Type Classification
Causes:
- Keyword detection isn't perfect
- Requirement text is ambiguous
Solutions:
- Edit type after import
- Add type-specific keywords to text
- Use AI Import with methodology document
API Endpoint
For programmatic access:
Import:
POST /projects/{project_id}/import-document-smart
Content-Type: multipart/form-data
requirements_doc: [Word file]
Preview (without saving):
POST /projects/{project_id}/preview-smart-import
Content-Type: multipart/form-data
requirements_doc: [Word file]
Response:
{
"status": "success",
"message": "Successfully imported 25 requirements",
"requirements_created": 25,
"metadata": {
"total_extracted": 25,
"document_sections": 4,
"types_found": ["Functional", "Performance", "Security"],
"hierarchy_levels_used": 3,
"extraction_method": "smart_pattern_matching"
}
}
Related Topics
- AI Import - AI-powered document import
- Best Practices - INCOSE 42 rules for requirements
- Export & Import - All import methods compared
- Creating Requirements - Manual creation