> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://sofiedocs.usetransfer.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Use Plan Mode

> Turn on Plan Mode to have Sofie create, revise, and execute a structured plan for complex work.

Plan Mode makes Sofie plan before doing the work. Use it when a request has several steps, needs source review, creates artifacts, or should pause for you to confirm the approach before execution.

## When to use Plan Mode

Use Plan Mode for work such as:

* Building a CoDraft from several source files.
* Creating or revising an Orchestration.
* Comparing regulatory, pharmacopoeia, or public sources.
* Preparing a deviation investigation work plan.
* Reviewing a batch record package.
* Creating a CoSheet analysis from imported data.
* Turning a CoMeeting into action items, a CoDraft, and a follow-up tracker.
* Designing a validation protocol outline from a Workspace.

You do not need Plan Mode for quick rewrites, simple summaries, or one-question chats.

## Turn on Plan Mode

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open chat">
    Start a new chat or continue the chat where you want the plan.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Open the sliders menu">
    Click the sliders control in the chat input.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enable Plan Mode">
    Turn on **Plan Mode**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add context">
    Attach files or add a Workspace, CoDraft, CoSheet, CoMeeting, Orchestration, or Saved prompt.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Ask for the work">
    Describe the outcome, source context, constraints, and what Sofie should not assume.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Tip>
  Turn on **Workspace search**, **Web search**, or **Deep research** at the same time when the plan depends on those sources.
</Tip>

## Write a good Plan Mode request

Use this structure:

```text theme={null}
Goal:
Sources:
Output:
Review points:
Constraints:
What not to assume:
```

Example:

```text theme={null}
Goal: Create a validation protocol gap analysis.
Sources: Use this Workspace and the attached URS.
Output: A table with section, gap, why it matters, source support, and SME question. Then create a CoDraft outline.
Review points: Ask me before drafting conclusions or creating the CoDraft.
Constraints: Preserve requirement IDs and acceptance criteria.
What not to assume: Do not invent missing acceptance criteria or test methods.
```

## Review the plan card

When Plan Mode is active, Sofie creates a plan before executing the work. The plan card can show:

| Plan card item         | What it means                                                                           |
| ---------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Title                  | The planned work.                                                                       |
| Description            | The approach or rationale.                                                              |
| Tasks                  | The ordered steps Sofie intends to follow.                                              |
| Status                 | The plan state, such as **Proposed**, **In progress**, **Completed**, or **Abandoned**. |
| Progress count         | How many tasks are completed or skipped.                                                |
| Suggested capabilities | The kinds of Sofie capabilities the plan expects to use.                                |
| **Execute Plan**       | Starts execution when the plan is ready.                                                |

Read the plan before executing it. Check whether the tasks match your intent and whether human review happens before conclusions, artifact creation, or shared Workspace saves.

## Revise a plan before execution

Ask Sofie to change the plan while it is still proposed.

Useful revision requests:

```text theme={null}
Revise the plan so it reviews source files before drafting any conclusions.
```

```text theme={null}
Add a step to create a CoSheet action tracker after the CoDraft summary.
```

```text theme={null}
Remove the regulatory research step. Use only the files in this Workspace.
```

```text theme={null}
Add a review checkpoint before creating the final CoDraft.
```

## Execute the plan

When the plan is ready, click **Execute Plan**. Sofie will work through the plan and update task status as it goes.

During execution, watch for:

* Tasks marked **In progress**, **Completed**, or **Skipped**.
* Sofie asking for input when a step needs your decision.
* Source or context gaps.
* Output that should move into CoDraft, CoSheet, Workspace, CoMeeting, or Orchestrate.

Plan Mode turns off when Sofie exits planning and is ready to execute. You may also see a message that **Plan Mode disabled — ready to execute**.

<Note>
  If you click **Execute Plan**, Sofie treats that as approval to work through the full plan. It should not stop between normal task boundaries unless it hits a real blocker or needs your input.
</Note>

## Use Plan Mode with sources

Plan Mode is most useful when you pair it with the right source controls.

| Source setting       | Use with Plan Mode when                                 |
| -------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------- |
| Attachments          | The source files are only needed for this chat.         |
| Workspace context    | The work belongs to a project or team package.          |
| **Workspace search** | Sofie should search across Workspace files.             |
| **Web search**       | The plan needs current public information.              |
| **Deep research**    | The plan needs broader public source gathering.         |
| CoDraft context      | A document should be reviewed or revised.               |
| CoSheet context      | Spreadsheet data should drive tasks or outputs.         |
| CoMeeting context    | Transcript, notes, or decisions should drive follow-up. |

<Warning>
  More context is not always better. Add the smallest set of sources that can support the plan.
</Warning>

## Use Plan Mode for artifact creation

Plan Mode works well when the result should become an artifact.

Examples:

```text theme={null}
Use Plan Mode to review this Workspace, identify missing evidence, and create a CoDraft investigation outline. Ask me before creating the CoDraft.
```

```text theme={null}
Use Plan Mode to import this spreadsheet into a CoSheet, inspect data quality, add formulas for status, and suggest one pivot table and one chart.
```

```text theme={null}
Use Plan Mode to design an Orchestration for batch record review. First propose inputs, tasks, review points, and output format. Do not create it until I approve the design.
```

## Use Plan Mode for life sciences work

<Accordion title="Deviation investigation">
  Ask Sofie to plan source review, timeline extraction, evidence table creation, missing evidence checks, SME questions, and draft report structure. Require review before any root cause conclusion.
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="CAPA effectiveness check">
  Ask Sofie to plan review of CAPA commitments, effectiveness criteria, observation window, metric data, source gaps, and draft conclusion. Require review before effectiveness language.
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Validation protocol drafting">
  Ask Sofie to plan source review, requirement extraction, acceptance criteria checks, sampling rationale, test method gaps, and CoDraft outline creation.
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Regulatory or pharmacopoeia research">
  Turn on **Web search** or **Deep research**. Ask Sofie to plan source gathering, source date checks, comparison tables, applicability limits, and open questions for internal review.
</Accordion>

## Stop or redirect a plan

If the plan is wrong, tell Sofie before execution:

```text theme={null}
Do not execute this plan. Replace it with a shorter plan focused only on Workspace source review and a CoDraft outline.
```

If execution has started, stop generation or send a correction:

```text theme={null}
Stop using Web search. Continue with only the Workspace files and update the plan accordingly.
```

## Common issues

<Accordion title="The plan is too broad">
  Ask Sofie to reduce scope, remove source types, or split the work into separate plans. Broad plans often produce shallow outputs.
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="The plan skips review before conclusions">
  Ask Sofie to add a review checkpoint before conclusions, recommendations, artifact creation, or Workspace saves.
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="The plan uses the wrong sources">
  Remove context chips that do not belong, add the right Workspace or file, and ask Sofie to update the plan.
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="The plan should become an Orchestration">
  Ask Sofie to convert the plan into an Orchestration design with inputs, agents, tasks, output mode, and human review points. See [Build an Orchestration with Sofie chat](/orchestrate/build-with-chat).
</Accordion>