Quick Start

This page explains the shortest real workflow for getting started with Lens. It is designed for first-time use, so the goal is to establish the right operating order quickly.

Step 1: Enter the Workspace

When you open Lens, you first see the research workspace. The system is conversation-first by default. You can ask directly, or switch into Academic mode when the task requires plugins, files, or orchestration.

The default positioning message is:

A free research workspace with native LaTeX support, integrated academic writing assistance, and intelligent collaboration.

Step 2: Start a Standard Conversation

If you do not need files yet, ask directly in the input box. This is good for:

• brainstorming
• outline organization
• paragraph rewriting
• translation and explanation
• asking the model to break down a task before you move deeper

If the task is just quick discussion, you do not need to turn on Academic.

Step 3: Turn on Academic for Files or Academic Capabilities

There is an Academic switch in the bottom tool area. Once enabled, Lens moves into the academic workflow:

• you can choose a single capability or orchestration
• the upload button changes into Upload Academic File
• tasks shift toward papers, LaTeX, Word, arXiv, and code analysis
• the panel filters capabilities by your current plan so unsupported tools are not shown by default

Supported material types commonly include:

• PDF
• TXT
• DOC / DOCX
• PPT / PPTX
• XLS / XLSX / CSV
• MD / Markdown

Step 4: Upload Materials

For file-based tasks, upload the material before asking. A common sequence is:

1. Turn on Academic
2. Upload the file
3. Choose a plugin or a core capability
4. Enter the question or requirement
5. Send

If you send an empty message, Lens will prompt you to enter content or upload a file first.

Step 5: Choose a Plugin Instead of Asking Blindly

The value of Lens is not only chat. Its frequent academic tasks are exposed as explicit plugin entries. For first-time use, choose plugins by task:

• paper reading: Paper Quick Read, PDF Deep Reading
• batch material processing: PDF Batch Summary, Word Batch Summary
• LaTeX handling: LaTeX Summary, Precise LaTeX Translation, LaTeX English Polishing
• arXiv lookup: Arxiv Summary, Arxiv English Summary

If you only need a lightweight operation, you can use core functions directly, such as Chinese Polishing, English Polishing, or Chinese-English Translation.

Step 6: Use Orchestration When the Task Has Multiple Consecutive Steps

Orchestration chains multiple capabilities in order, and each step starts only after the previous one finishes. It is best for tasks like “read the material, reshape the expression, then produce a structured deliverable.”

Typical chains include:

• PDF Deep Reading -> English Polishing
• Arxiv Summary -> Chinese Polishing
• Paper Quick Read -> Chinese Polishing -> Mind Map
• Code Explanation -> Chinese Polishing

Plan boundaries apply here: Pro supports up to 2 steps, Max up to 3 steps, and Plus does not support orchestration. See Plans and Capability Boundaries for the complete rules.

Step 7: Write Prompts That Can Be Executed Directly

Lens works better with task-shaped input. Avoid vague questions and describe the goal plus the output requirement instead. Examples:

Please extract the research problem, method contribution, experiment setup, main conclusions, and limitations from this paper.

Please polish this LaTeX abstract into submission-ready English while preserving the original meaning and leaving formulas unchanged.

Based on the uploaded Word material, generate 5 key points suitable for a weekly team update.

For orchestration, state the overall objective clearly, then add step-specific constraints where needed. For example:

Please extract the key conclusions from the PDF first, then polish those conclusions into English phrasing suitable for a related work section.

Where to Watch Long-Running Tasks

PDF deep reading, Word batch summary, LaTeX handling, long papers, and multi-step orchestration can take longer. While they run, watch the progress area in the message:

• single-capability tasks show live thinking or processing progress
• orchestration shows the current step, completed steps, and states such as waiting, running, or failed
• if one step fails, check that failed step first before deciding whether to retry or split the task apart

Recommended First-Day Path

1. Start with one standard conversation to get familiar with the workspace.
2. Run Paper Quick Read on one PDF.
3. Try one real LaTeX or arXiv workflow based on your actual work.
4. If you are on Pro or Max, try one orchestration flow.

Once you finish these steps, Lens is usually ready to plug into your normal research or content workflow.