We are introducing a major enhancement to the PICO Portal platform with a new unified Search and Upload experience. This update is designed to remove barriers in evidence collection and provide more flexible ways to build and expand your research projects.
A More Flexible Way to Build Your Evidence Base
The new workflow brings search and upload into a single connected experience. In addition to traditional file uploads, you can now add studies, expand datasets, and discover new evidence without leaving the platform.
This creates a more iterative and efficient approach to evidence gathering, allowing research teams to move seamlessly from discovery to structured review.
Core Upload Capabilities
You can continue to use familiar upload methods with improved flexibility:
- Upload search results from PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, and more
- Supported formats include RIS, BibTeX, XML, and CSV
- Maintain continuity with existing workflows
New Capabilities
Direct PDF Upload with AI Processing
- Drag and drop PDF files directly into your project
- Automatic full text reading using built in AI
- Extraction of title, abstract, and key metadata
- Creation of structured records when available
DOI and PubMed ID Entry
- Enter one or multiple DOIs or PubMed IDs
- Automatic retrieval and structuring of study records
- Reduces manual upload steps
Snowball Search
- Start with one or more relevant articles
- Backward tracing to identify referenced studies
- Forward tracing to identify newer citing studies
- Expand your dataset with additional relevant evidence
OpenAlex Integration
- Access a large scale open scholarly database
- Run natural language queries
- Filter and refine results
- Import selected studies directly into your project
Flexible Workflow Options
To support a smooth transition, PICO Portal includes a toggle that allows you to switch between Classic Upload and the new Search and Upload experience.
- Classic Upload for existing workflows
- New Search and Upload for expanded capabilities
Both options will remain available for a limited time to allow teams to adopt the new experience at their own pace.
Why This Matters
This update reflects a shift toward more continuous and adaptive evidence workflows. Instead of separating search and upload, PICO Portal now supports a unified process where discovery, ingestion, and expansion happen in one environment.
- Reduce friction in evidence collection
- Expand discovery beyond traditional search strategies
- Leverage AI while maintaining transparency and control
These enhancements are part of our ongoing commitment to improving research workflows while maintaining the rigor and transparency required for high quality evidence synthesis.