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Sofie answers better when you give it the right sources. A source can be an attachment, Workspace file, CoDraft, CoSheet, CoMeeting, Orchestration, plan, selected text, or external search result.

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Choose the right source path

Your organization controls which search modes, integrations, and content sources are enabled.

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Attach files

Use attachments when the source file is not already in Sofie or should only be used for the current message. Sofie accepts common document, image, spreadsheet, presentation, text, and JSON formats. You can attach up to five files in one message.
1

Click the plus control

In chat, click +.
2

Choose Attach

Select Attach, then choose the files from your computer.
3

Check the attachment chips

Confirm the correct files are shown above the input. Remove any file that should not be included.
4

Tell Sofie what to do

Ask for a specific action such as summarize, compare, extract, import, draft, or analyze.
Good attachment prompts:
If a file will matter to the team later, upload it to a Workspace instead of leaving it only in chat.

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Add existing Sofie context

Use Add context when the source already exists in Sofie. Context can include:
  • CoDrafts
  • Orchestrations
  • CoSheets
  • CoMeetings
  • Workspaces
  • Plans in the current conversation
Sofie groups CoDrafts, CoSheets, and CoMeetings by Workspace when that relationship exists. This helps you choose the right artifact from the right project.

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Reference specific context inline

After you add context or attach files, type [[ in the chat input to reference a specific item. Select by clicking, or use the arrow keys and press Tab or Enter. References are useful when one message includes several sources:
See Reference attachments and context for the full workflow. Turn on Workspace search when Sofie should search files in a selected Workspace. This is useful for projects with several related files. Use Workspace search for:
  • “Find the latest finalized protocol in this Workspace.”
  • “Compare the URS and risk assessment.”
  • “Which files mention release assay readiness?”
  • “Summarize documents related to the equipment qualification package.”
  • “Identify source gaps before drafting a validation protocol.”
Workspace search works best when the Workspace has been curated as shared knowledge. See Workspace knowledge for how to include useful files, documents, and meetings while excluding noisy or stale sources.
1

Open or add the Workspace

Start from the Workspace, or click +, choose Add context, and select the Workspace.
2

Turn on Workspace search

Open the sliders menu and enable Workspace search.
3

Ask a source-specific question

Name what Sofie should find, compare, summarize, or extract from the Workspace files.
Use Workspace search for “what do we have?” questions. Use a specific CoDraft, CoSheet, or CoMeeting context for “use this exact artifact” questions.
Use Web search when the answer depends on current public information or source-backed external context. Good uses:
  • Public regulatory updates.
  • Company or market information.
  • Public scientific background.
  • Recent guidance or publication context.
Ask for source-backed output:
Web search uses external sources. Review source quality, date, scope, and applicability before using results in controlled work.

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Use Deep research

Use Deep research when the task needs broader source gathering and synthesis. It is slower than Web search. Deep research is useful for:
  • Comparing public regulatory positions.
  • Building a research brief.
  • Reviewing pharmacopoeia or guidance differences.
  • Preparing a source-backed landscape before drafting.
Deep research requires Web search. If Web search is off, Sofie cannot run Deep research.

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Use Sofie Guide

Use Sofie Guide when your question is about Sofie documentation. It searches the Sofie docs site from chat and can return documentation citations. Use Sofie Guide for:
  • How-to questions about Sofie features.
  • Choosing between Sofie surfaces.
  • Finding docs for Plan Mode, Workspaces, CoDraft, CoSheet, CoMeeting, Orchestrations, Saved prompts, Memory, or Directives.
  • Team onboarding or training prompts.
Sofie Guide does not search your Workspace files or the public web. See Sofie Guide for detailed examples.

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Use File Query and File Studio

Use File Query when Sofie needs to inspect what is inside a file, especially visual or layout-heavy content such as charts, diagrams, figures, images, PowerPoint slides, or formatted PDFs. Use File Studio when Sofie needs to create or transform a file in a code sandbox. Good prompt:
Another:
Turn on Plan Mode when the source work has multiple steps or should be reviewed before execution. Good Plan Mode uses with sources:
  • Search a Workspace, identify source gaps, then draft a CoDraft outline.
  • Use Web search to gather current public sources before creating a comparison table.
  • Use Deep research to build a broader research plan before synthesis.
  • Review a CoSheet, propose formulas, then create charts only after you approve the approach.
See Use Plan Mode for the full workflow.

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Understand citations and source cards

Sofie may show citations or source cards when it uses search or file-analysis sources that provide cited results. Citations help you:
  • Check where a statement came from.
  • Open source material for review.
  • Separate grounded findings from generated synthesis.
  • Find the source document that needs follow-up.
Ask directly when citations matter:

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Use file analysis carefully

When Sofie analyzes files, keep the source set focused. Too many unrelated files can make the answer less useful. Use this pattern for quality and technical review: The context indicator can help you notice when a source-heavy task is getting too large for one chat. For guidance on context windows and long-chat summarization, see Context windows and summarization.

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Protect sensitive context

Use the smallest source set that can answer the question.
  • Do not add a Workspace if one file is enough.
  • Do not attach unrelated files “just in case”.
  • Remove context chips that are not needed.
  • Keep sensitive project files in the intended Workspace.
  • Review summaries before sharing outside the intended audience.
Do not treat Sofie output as final evidence for controlled decisions unless your organization has reviewed that use. Sofie can help prepare work for human review.