Document-scoped chat
Use document scope when you want EtherAssist to answer from a specific evidence set instead of relying only on general model knowledge.
Before you begin
- Upload or attach only documents you are authorised to process.
- Remove credentials, keys, unrelated personal data, and unnecessary customer information.
- Decide whether the answer must use only the document or can include topic knowledge.
Scope options
| Scope | Use when |
|---|---|
| Current attachments | You uploaded files for the current question only. |
| Selected documents | You want EtherAssist to use documents already stored in Document Manager. |
| Documents plus topic knowledge | You want document evidence plus approved specialist topic sources. |
| Documents plus web | You need current public information and your administrator allows web search. |
Ask from selected documents
- Open Chat.
- Attach files or select documents from Document Manager.
- Choose the scope that matches the task.
- State the task, audience, and output format.
- Tell EtherAssist what to do when the document does not contain an answer.
- Review the answer for cited evidence, assumptions, and missing context.
Expected result: EtherAssist grounds the answer in the selected document scope.
Good examples
| Scenario | Prompt pattern |
|---|---|
| Policy review | Review the attached access control policy against ISO 27001. Return gaps, evidence needed, and suggested wording. |
| Technical plan | Use the selected design notes to create an implementation checklist for Intune rollout. |
| Support summary | Summarise the attached ticket history into root cause, impact, actions taken, and next steps. |
Tips
- Use wording such as "using the attached document only" when the file is authoritative.
- Ask EtherAssist to write
Not foundorNot specifiedwhen a value is missing. - Use Document Manager for files you will reuse across chats, templates, or Agent Mode.
Troubleshooting
| Issue | What to do |
|---|---|
| The answer includes general knowledge | Re-run with "use the selected documents only". |
| The answer misses a detail | Name the section, heading, table, or field you want reviewed. |
| The file is too broad | Ask for extraction first, then ask a follow-up question from the extracted summary. |
Limits
Document scope improves grounding, but users remain responsible for checking business, legal, security, and compliance decisions before publication.