What is the Canvas?
The Document Canvas is where you work with your documents in Arbiter. It’s a rich text editor similar to Microsoft Word or Google Docs, but with AI capabilities built in. You can:- Edit and format text like any word processor
- Right-click to access AI tools that improve your writing
- Upload documents by dragging them onto the canvas
- Track versions and compare changes over time
The Toolbar
The toolbar at the top gives you quick access to formatting and tools.Text Style
| Control | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Heading Dropdown | Choose between Title, Subtitle, Heading 1-6, or Normal Text |
| Font Dropdown | Select font: Times New Roman, Arial, Georgia, Calibri, Courier New |
| Width Dropdown | Adjust document width from 400px (narrow) to full width |
Text Formatting
| Button | Shortcut | What It Does |
|---|---|---|
| B | Ctrl+B | Bold |
| I | Ctrl+I | Italic |
| U | Ctrl+U | Underline |
| S | - | Strikethrough |
| x² | - | Superscript (for footnotes) |
| x₂ | - | Subscript |
| A (color) | - | Change text color |
| Highlight | - | Highlight text with color |
Lists and Alignment
| Button | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Bullet List | Create a bulleted list |
| Numbered List | Create a numbered list (Tab to indent, Shift+Tab to outdent) |
| Align Left/Center/Right/Justify | Change text alignment |
Text Direction
For documents in Hebrew, Arabic, or other right-to-left languages:- Auto (recommended) - Arbiter detects the language automatically
- LTR - Force left-to-right
- RTL - Force right-to-left
Insert Elements
| Button | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Quote | Create a blockquote for emphasized text |
| Code | Format text as inline code |
| Code Block | Insert a code block with syntax highlighting |
| Link | Add a hyperlink |
| Image | Insert an image from URL |
| Table | Insert and manage tables |
Tables
Click the Table button to access full table controls:- Insert Table - Choose size (2x2 up to 5x5, or custom)
- Add/Delete Rows - Insert rows above or below
- Add/Delete Columns - Insert columns left or right
- Merge/Split Cells - Combine or divide cells
- Toggle Headers - Set header row or column
- Delete Table - Remove the entire table
Other Tools
| Button | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Undo/Redo | Undo or redo recent changes (Ctrl+Z / Ctrl+Y) |
| Properties | View document info (word count, reading time, type) |
| Chats | See all chat conversations for this document |
| Section Summaries | Generate or view AI summaries of each section |
| Version Control | Save versions and compare changes |
| Upload | Upload a document file |
| Flags | Show/hide analysis flags in the document |
Right-Click Menu
Right-click anywhere in the document to access a context menu with formatting options and AI tools.
Right-click menu with AI Assist options expanded
Standard Editing
- Cut, Copy, Paste - Standard clipboard operations
- Undo, Redo - Undo or redo changes
- Format - Bold, italic, underline, highlight, clear formatting
- Paragraph - Change to heading, list, or quote
- Align - Left, center, right, or justify
- Insert - Add links, images, or horizontal rules
- Text Direction - Set LTR, RTL, or auto
AI Assist
The AI Assist menu lets you enhance selected text with AI. Select some text, right-click, and choose from: Writing Assistance| Option | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Summarize | Condense the selected text into a shorter summary |
| Expand & Elaborate | Add more detail and explanation |
| Simplify | Rewrite in simpler, clearer language |
| Make More Formal | Elevate the tone for professional documents |
| Translate | Translate into another language |
| Option | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Refine with Legal Framework | Improve legal precision and terminology |
| Add Jurisdiction Details | Include jurisdiction-specific considerations |
| Add Context & Examples | Provide supporting context or examples |
| Define Legal Terms | Add definitions for legal terminology used |
| Option | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Find Related Precedents | Search for relevant case law |
| Research Similar Cases | Look up similar legal scenarios |
| Option | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Identify Risks & Issues | Flag potential legal risks in the selection |
| Find Counter-Arguments | Generate opposing arguments or weaknesses |
Uploading Documents
You can bring existing documents into Arbiter in two ways:Drag and Drop
Simply drag a file from your computer onto the canvas. Arbiter accepts:- PDF - Including scanned documents (OCR enabled)
- DOC / DOCX - Microsoft Word documents
- TXT - Plain text files
- MD - Markdown files
- HTML - Web pages
Upload Button
Click the Upload button in the toolbar to open the file picker.What Happens During Upload
When you upload a document, Arbiter:- Extracts the text and preserves formatting
- Identifies document structure (headings, sections, lists)
- Detects tables and preserves their layout
- Prepares the document for analysis
- Opens it in the canvas ready for editing
Document Properties
Click the Properties button (info icon) in the toolbar to see:- Title - Document name
- Type - Legal Contract, Brief, Memo, etc.
- Language - Detected document language
- Word Count - Total words in the document
- Reading Time - Estimated time to read
- Created / Updated - Timestamps
- Version - Current version number
Section Summaries
Click Section Summaries in the toolbar to:- Generate Summaries - Arbiter reads each section and creates a brief summary
- View Structure - See your document’s outline at a glance
- Navigate Sections - Click any section to jump to it
- Download Summaries - Export as a document outline
- Deadlines - Time-sensitive provisions
- Restrictions - Limitations and prohibitions
- Obligations - What each party must do
- Rights - What each party is entitled to
- Definitions - Key terms defined
Version Control
Arbiter automatically saves versions of your document as you work.Automatic Versions
When you make significant changes (more than 50 characters), Arbiter saves an auto-version. These appear with an orange “Auto” badge.Manual Versions
Before major edits, click Save Version to create a checkpoint. These appear with a purple “Manual” badge. You can add a note describing what changed.Comparing Versions
- Click the Version Control button in the toolbar
- Select two versions to compare
- See changes highlighted:
- Green - Text that was added
- Red - Text that was deleted
- Click Restore on any version to revert to it
Analysis Flags
After running document analysis, you’ll see flags highlighting issues in your document.Viewing Flags
- Click the Flags button in the toolbar to show/hide flags
- Flags appear as colored highlights in the text
- Click any flag to see details and suggested fixes
Flag Importance
Use the importance slider in the Flags popover to filter what you see:| Level | Color | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Critical | Red | Must address before signing |
| High | Orange | Significant issue |
| Medium | Yellow | Worth reviewing |
| Low | Green | Minor concern |
| Minor | Blue | Informational only |
Flags Not in Text
Some issues relate to the document as a whole rather than specific text. These appear as a badge count next to the Flags button. Click to see what’s missing or needs attention.Keyboard Shortcuts
Text Formatting
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Ctrl+B | Bold |
| Ctrl+I | Italic |
| Ctrl+U | Underline |
| Ctrl+Z | Undo |
| Ctrl+Y | Redo |
Headings
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Ctrl+Alt+1 | Heading 1 |
| Ctrl+Alt+2 | Heading 2 |
| Ctrl+Alt+3 | Heading 3 |
Lists
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Ctrl+Shift+8 | Bullet list |
| Ctrl+Shift+7 | Numbered list |
| Tab | Indent list item |
| Shift+Tab | Outdent list item |
Text Direction
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Ctrl+Shift+L | Left-to-right |
| Ctrl+Shift+R | Right-to-left |
| Ctrl+Shift+D | Auto-detect |
Tips for Lawyers
Use Headings Consistently
Structure your document with H2 for major sections and H3 for subsections. This helps Arbiter analyze your document accurately and makes navigation easier.
Right-Click for AI Help
Select any text and right-click to access AI tools. Need to simplify complex language? Identify risks? Find precedents? It’s all in the right-click menu.
Save Versions at Milestones
Before major revisions or sending a draft for review, save a manual version. This lets you easily compare changes or revert if needed.
Adjust Document Width
For comfortable reading, try narrower widths (600-800px). For documents with wide tables, use wider settings or full width.
Troubleshooting
Document not saving
Document not saving
- Check your internet connection
- Try refreshing the page
- Your work is auto-saved, but you can manually save a version to be sure
Upload taking too long
Upload taking too long
- Large PDFs (100+ pages) may take several minutes
- Scanned documents require OCR processing, which is slower
- Try breaking very large documents into smaller files
Formatting looks wrong after upload
Formatting looks wrong after upload
- Complex layouts may not convert perfectly
- Use the toolbar to fix any formatting issues
- Tables and basic formatting should preserve correctly
AI Assist not working
AI Assist not working
- Make sure you have text selected before right-clicking
- Check that you have tokens available
- Try refreshing the page if options are grayed out
Flags not showing
Flags not showing
- Run document analysis first (from the Analysis panel)
- Make sure the Flags button is toggled on
- Check the importance filter isn’t hiding lower-priority flags