> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.crew.you/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.crew.you/tools/deep-work.md).

# Deep Work

Deep Work is Crew's autonomous AI workspace for complex tasks that need more time and depth than a regular chat. Instead of answering instantly, Crew works in a dedicated environment for up to 30 minutes — researching, analyzing, and creating polished deliverables.

## When to Use Deep Work

Use Deep Work when you need:

* **In-depth research** — Multi-source research reports with citations
* **Document creation** — Professional PDFs, Word docs, spreadsheets, or presentations
* **Data analysis** — Complex analysis across multiple files with charts and insights
* **Competitive analysis** — Detailed comparisons with pricing, features, and recommendations

For quick questions and everyday tasks, regular chat is faster. Deep Work is for the jobs that need thorough, focused effort.

## How It Works

1. **Describe what you need** — Be detailed about what to produce, the format you want, and any specific requirements
2. **Crew launches an autonomous agent** — The agent works in a secure, isolated environment with full internet access
3. **The agent researches and creates** — It can search the web, browse pages, read your files, write code, and create documents
4. **Results are delivered** — Finished files appear in your chat and are saved to My Files

Deep Work runs in the background — you can keep chatting or close the app while it works. You'll be notified when results are ready.

## What Deep Work Can Do

### Research Reports

> "Research the current state of AI regulations worldwide and create a comprehensive PDF report comparing policies by country."

### Data Analysis

> "Analyze the sales data in my files (reports/Q1-sales.xlsx) and create a summary report with charts and trends."

### Competitive Analysis

> "Research and compare the top 5 project management tools. Create a detailed comparison with pricing, features, and pros/cons."

### Document Synthesis

> "Read all the contract files in my files (contracts/ folder) and create a summary highlighting key terms and deadlines."

## Using Your Files

Deep Work can access files from My Files. Mention the file paths in your prompt:

> "Use the data in reports/quarterly.xlsx and contracts/NDA.pdf to create a summary document."

The agent reads your files as reference material and produces output files saved back to My Files.

## Output Formats

Deep Work can create:

* **PDF** — Professional layouts with formatting, tables, and charts
* **DOCX** — Word documents
* **XLSX** — Spreadsheets with data and formulas
* **PPTX** — Presentations
* **CSV** — Data files
* **Markdown** — Text documents

## Chat vs. Deep Work

|                     | Chat          | Deep Work                |
| ------------------- | ------------- | ------------------------ |
| **Response time**   | Instant       | Up to 30 minutes         |
| **Web research**    | Simple search | Multi-step deep research |
| **Document output** | Text in chat  | PDF, DOCX, XLSX files    |
| **File analysis**   | Read one file | Analyze multiple files   |
| **Complexity**      | Quick answers | Multi-step workflows     |

## Plan Limits

| Plan  | Max Duration | Concurrent Tasks |
| ----- | ------------ | ---------------- |
| Free  | 30 minutes   | 1                |
| Basic | 30 minutes   | 1                |
| Plus  | 30 minutes   | 1                |
| Pro   | 30 minutes   | 2                |

Pro plan users get access to the most powerful AI model for Deep Work tasks.

## Tips

* **Be specific** — The more detail you give, the better the output. Include the desired format, structure, and any must-have sections.
* **Reference your files** — Mention specific file paths from My Files for the agent to use as input
* **Don't wait around** — Deep Work runs in the background. Start a new chat or come back later.
* **Check the results** — Deep Work delivers polished output, but always review before sharing important documents