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Adding Your Work Summary

Adding Your Work Summary

Work summaries are a critical component of your SR&ED claim, providing detailed evidence of the systematic investigation you’ve conducted. This guide will walk you through the process of preparing and uploading your work summary to SREDWise.

Get Started: Use Our Work Summary Template

Creating a work summary from scratch can be challenging. We’ve prepared a comprehensive template that follows CRA guidelines to help you document your SR&ED activities effectively.

Download our SR&ED Work Summary Template

What to Include in Your Work Summary

An effective work summary should include:

  • Technical challenges faced during the reporting period
  • Experimental approaches you implemented
  • Development iterations and why they were necessary
  • Technical uncertainties that were addressed
  • Testing methodologies used to validate solutions
  • Results and advancements achieved through your work

Uploading Your Work Summary

SREDWise currently accepts a single PDF upload for your work summary. Follow these steps to add your document:

  1. Navigate to the “Work Summary” section in your SR&ED claim
  2. Click the “Upload Document” button in the file upload area
  3. Select your prepared PDF file
  4. Wait for the analysis to complete (this typically takes 1-3 minutes)

Once processed, SREDWise will generate a structured work summary based on your document that you can review and edit.

Important: Combining Multiple Documents

Note: The system currently accepts only one file upload for work summaries. If you have multiple documents, you’ll need to combine them into a single PDF before uploading.

Options for Combining PDFs

Online Tools (Free)

Desktop Software

  • Adobe Acrobat Pro - Professional solution with additional editing features
  • Preview (Mac) - Built-in on Mac computers:
    1. Open the first PDF in Preview
    2. Open the sidebar (View > Thumbnails)
    3. Drag additional PDFs into the sidebar to combine them
    4. Save as a new file
  • Microsoft Word - Insert multiple PDFs and save as PDF

For Developers

If you’re technical, you can also use command-line tools:

  • PDFtk - pdftk file1.pdf file2.pdf cat output combined.pdf
  • Ghostscript - gs -dBATCH -dNOPAUSE -q -sDEVICE=pdfwrite -sOutputFile=combined.pdf file1.pdf file2.pdf

Using LLMs to Generate SR&ED Work Summaries

Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini can be powerful tools for creating comprehensive SR&ED work summaries. This guide will help you effectively use these tools to generate high-quality documentation for your SR&ED claims.

Gathering Your Data First

Before approaching an LLM, collect these key information sources:

  1. Version Control History

    • Git commit logs
    • Pull request descriptions
    • Issue tickets and their resolutions
    • Repository statistics (lines of code, number of commits)

  2. Project Management Tools

    • Sprint planning documents
    • Task descriptions from tools like Jira, Asana, or Trello
    • Time tracking data
    • Sprint retrospectives

  3. Technical Documentation

    • Architecture diagrams
    • Design documents
    • API specifications
    • Testing reports

  4. Meeting Notes

    • Technical discussion outcomes
    • Decision logs
    • Brainstorming sessions
    • Problem-solving meetings
    • WhatsApp, Slack, or other chat messages

  5. Developer Logs

    • Personal notes on challenges faced
    • Documentation of failed approaches
    • Learning resources consulted
    • Knowledge base articles

Effective Prompting Strategies for LLMs

Two-Stage Approach

For best results, use a two-stage prompting approach:

Stage 1: Data Organization

I need to create a SR&ED work summary document for my project [Project Name]. I have the following raw data:


[Paste relevant commit messages, meeting notes, etc.]


Please help me organize this information chronologically and categorize activities into:
1. Technical challenges faced
2. Approaches attempted
3. Learning components
4. Hours spent by category
5. Key technical uncertainties addressed

Stage 2: Structured Document Creation

Using the organized information below, please create a comprehensive SR&ED work summary following the template format. Focus on highlighting the systematic investigation process, technical uncertainties faced, and advancements achieved.


[Paste the organized information from Stage 1]


Please structure the document with these sections:
1. Overview
2. Timeline Analysis (by month)
3. Total Hours Breakdown
4. Technical Uncertainty Analysis
5. Development Iterations
6. Technical Advancements
7. Testing and Validation
8. Next Steps
9. Resource Allocation

Specific Enhancement Prompts

For improved sections, use these targeted prompts:

For Technical Uncertainties:

For each of these technical challenges, please elaborate on:
1. Why this was not routine development
2. Why existing solutions were insufficient
3. What specific knowledge gaps existed
4. How the approach was experimental in nature

For Development Iterations:

For each development iteration mentioned, please expand on:
1. The specific hypotheses being tested
2. How the approach was systematic
3. What technical variables were being manipulated
4. How outcomes were measured and evaluated
5. What new knowledge was generated

For Testing Methodology:

Please elaborate on the testing methodologies used, focusing on:
1. How test cases were designed to validate hypotheses
2. What metrics were used to evaluate success/failure
3. How test results informed subsequent iterations
4. What tools or frameworks were used in testing

Example Prompts for Specific Project Types

For Software Development Projects:

I'm creating a SR&ED work summary for our software development project that involved building [describe project]. Our main technical uncertainties were around [specific technical challenges]. We spent approximately [X] hours on this project between [start date] and [end date].


Key technologies used: [list technologies]
Main challenges faced: [list challenges]
Approaches attempted: [list approaches]


Please create a comprehensive SR&ED work summary that emphasizes the experimental development process and technical uncertainties we faced.

For Hardware/Physical Product Development:

I'm creating a SR&ED work summary for our hardware development project that involved designing [describe product]. We faced significant technical uncertainties in [specific areas]. The project spanned from [start date] to [end date] with approximately [X] hours invested.


Materials/components tested: [list materials]
Test methodologies: [list methodologies]
Prototypes developed: [describe prototypes]
Measurement tools used: [list tools]


Please create a comprehensive SR&ED work summary that highlights the systematic investigation process and technical advancements achieved.

For Algorithm/AI Development:

I'm creating a SR&ED work summary for our algorithm development project focused on [describe algorithm/AI purpose]. Our main technical uncertainties involved [specific challenges]. We invested approximately [X] hours between [start date] and [end date].


Datasets used: [describe datasets]
Performance metrics: [list metrics]
Baseline approaches tested: [list approaches]
Novel techniques developed: [describe techniques]


Please create a comprehensive SR&ED work summary that emphasizes the experimental nature of our approach and the advancements over existing methods.

Tips for Optimizing LLM Output

  1. Use Multiple Sessions

    • Don’t try to generate the entire document in one prompt
    • Break the work into logical sections
    • Use the output from one session as input for the next

  2. Iterative Refinement

    • Ask the LLM to improve specific sections
    • Request more technical detail where needed
    • Ask for simplification where explanations are too complex

  3. Avoid Generic Language

    • Request specific examples for each claim made
    • Ask for concrete metrics and measurements
    • Request precise technical terminology

  4. Verify Technical Accuracy

    • Always review the generated content for technical accuracy
    • Correct any misunderstandings before proceeding
    • Ask the LLM to explain anything that seems incorrect

  5. Focus on Eligibility Criteria

    • Remind the LLM of SR&ED eligibility requirements
    • Ask it to highlight how your work meets these criteria
    • Request emphasis on systematic investigation and technical advancement

What to Review and Edit After Generation

After generating your work summary with an LLM, be sure to:

  1. Add Project-Specific Details

    • Include insider knowledge that the LLM couldn’t know
    • Add team-specific context and terminology
    • Reference internal documentation or standards

  2. Verify Hours and Timelines

    • Ensure all time allocations are accurate
    • Confirm project milestones and dates
    • Verify resource allocation claims

  3. Strengthen Technical Descriptions

    • Add specific technical parameters
    • Include actual code snippets or algorithms where relevant
    • Reference specific tools, versions, and configurations

  4. Align with SR&ED Guidelines

    • Ensure all claimed work meets eligibility criteria
    • Verify that technological advancement is clearly articulated
    • Confirm that systematic investigation is well-documented

  5. Personalize the Voice

    • Adjust the tone to match your company’s communication style
    • Add personal insights from team members
    • Include direct quotes from technical leads

Remember, the LLM output should serve as a strong starting point for your SR&ED documentation, but human review and enhancement are essential for creating a compelling and accurate work summary.

After Uploading

After your work summary is processed:

  1. Review the generated summary for accuracy
  2. Use the editing feature to refine any sections that need clarification
  3. If needed, you can regenerate the summary up to 3 times by clicking the “Regenerate Work Summary” button

Best Practices

  • Prepare a comprehensive document that consolidates all relevant work evidence
  • Include technical details but avoid unnecessary jargon
  • Highlight technological advancement and systematic investigation
  • Clearly identify uncertainties that were addressed
  • Focus on eligible SR&ED activities rather than routine development

Troubleshooting

If you encounter issues with your upload:

  • Ensure your PDF is not password-protected
  • Check that the file size is under 10MB
  • Verify the PDF isn’t corrupted by opening it before uploading
  • If analysis fails, try using a different PDF creation method

If problems persist, contact our support team at support@sredwise.com.

Next Steps

Once your work summary is processed and refined, proceed to the next section to document your technical strategy and approach. The work summary forms the foundation of your SR&ED claim’s technical narrative.

Download SR&ED Work Summary Template

Please provide your information to download the template.