Column Types and Response Formats

When building a Tabular Review, each column extracts a specific type of information from your documents. Choosing the right response type ensures consistent, usable output across all rows.

Response Type Reference

Select the response type that matches the data you're extracting:

Type	Description	Example Use
Text	Free-form text output	Party names, clause summaries, descriptions
Yes/No	A yes or no answer	Does the contract contain an arbitration clause?
Number	Numeric values	Contract value, liability caps, term length
Date	Date values in ISO format	Effective date, expiration date, renewal dates
Single Select	One option from a predefined list	Governing law jurisdiction (one of N states)
Multi Select	Multiple options from a predefined list	IP types covered (patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets)
Verbatim Quote	Exact language from source document	Specific clause text, defined terms, quoted provisions
Auto	August chooses the most suitable format	When you want the system to infer the best type

Choosing a Response Type

Use Text for open-ended extractions like names, summaries, or descriptions.
Use Yes/No when you need a yes or no answer, such as presence checks.
Use Number for quantitative data that will be compared or aggregated.
Use Date for timelines, term tracking, and deadline calculations.
Use Single Select when the answer is exactly one option from a known set.
Use Multi Select when multiple options can apply simultaneously.
Use Verbatim Quote when you need exact language from the source, such as for comparison or verification.
Use Auto when you're unsure or want August to infer the best format. Auto is the default for new columns.

Creating Columns

Click Add Column in a review and fill in:

A prompt describing what to extract, for example "Extract the names of all parties involved". Click Improve to have August rewrite the prompt.
An optional column name.
The response Type from the list above.
For Single Select and Multi Select, the Options to choose from. Click Add Option for each one; these types need at least two options. Auto columns can take options too.

You can also set these optional inputs on a column:

Web Search: lets August search the web when answering this column.
Referenced Columns: gives the column the answers from other columns in the same row as context. This option appears once the review exists, when you add a column to it.
Referenced Documents: gives the column one or more reference documents, such as a standard form, to compare each row against.

Verbatim Quote vs. Other Types

Verbatim Quote extracts exact language from the source document. This is useful when you need to:

Preserve specific clause wording for comparison
Capture defined terms exactly as written
Verify language matches across documents

Other types normalize the output. For example, Text may paraphrase or summarize, while Verbatim Quote preserves the original.

Consistency Across Reviews

Use consistent column typing when creating reusable templates. If you save a review as a template, the column types and options are preserved for future use.