You can now import a PDF as a new version of an existing document in Gino. This enhancement avoids blockers when your counterpart sends a document back to you as a PDF instead of a Word file.
Until now, the "Import a new version" action only accepted .docx files.
As a result, when a document came back as a PDF, it was impossible to add it to the document's version history in Gino through this flow.
With this update, Gino lets you select a PDF file when importing a new version, then automatically converts it to Word format to integrate it into the existing document.
🛠 What's changing
The file selector now accepts both .docx and .pdf formats for the "Import a new version" action.
PDF files are no longer greyed out in the selection window.
When a PDF is selected, a confirmation window appears before the import. It states that:
the PDF-to-Word conversion may alter the formatting;
any comments are removed;
automatic change detection may not work correctly on this version.
If the user confirms, the PDF is imported and then automatically converted to .docx.
The new version is then saved as a standard Word version in the history. No specific indicator appears to signal that it came from a PDF.
✅ Why it's useful day to day
You avoid a frequent blocker when a new version is sent back to you as a PDF.
You keep the version history in Gino even when the returned file isn't in Word format.
You keep a usable document, since the imported version is converted to .docx.
You're warned before the import about the possible conversion limitations, so you can decide with full awareness.
💡 A few concrete use cases
Legal counsel receiving a reviewed version as a PDF: a document sent as Word comes back as a PDF after review. It can now be re-imported as a new version within the same Gino document.
Operational teams working with counterparts who aren't well set up with Word: when a partner systematically returns PDFs, the team keeps tracking versions without leaving the usual process.
⚙️ How it works
Open an existing document in Gino.
Click the … menu, then "Import a new version".
In the selection window, choose:
a
.docxfile: the import proceeds as it does today, with no change;a
.pdffile: a warning window appears.
If you selected a PDF, read the following message: "This conversion may alter the formatting, and any comments will be removed. Do you want to continue?"
Click Continue to start the import, or Cancel to go back.
If you continue, the PDF is converted to Word and then added as a new version of the document.
The version then appears normally in the history.
If a conversion issue occurs, the import is cancelled and an error message is displayed.
Known edge cases:
Password-protected PDF: the conversion fails.
Scanned PDF: the conversion may fail or produce an unusable result; the same error message applies.
PDF with interactive forms: the entered content may become static text, without preserving the form structure.
🎯 What it changes for your teams
This enhancement streamlines document management for legal, operational, and contract management teams who work with counterparts that don't always return Word files. It lets you keep versioning documents in Gino without breaking your flow, while staying transparent about the possible conversion limitations.
The Gino tip
If you receive a return as a PDF, import it into Gino to keep a complete version history — but take the time to check the formatting after conversion. If your tracking relies heavily on automatic change detection, keep in mind that a converted PDF may produce a partial result.
If you'd like to know more, contact your project manager!