How does searching with the AI Assistant work?
Instead of setting filters, you type "show my overdue tasks" and get a filtered list. The AI Assistant also understands commands like "show only chats", "show favourite chats", "high priority, status in progress" and "sort tasks alphabetically". A plain sentence is usually enough. The exception is cancelling a plan in a task or chat thread: in "AI Assistant" mode, the message must start with the word "cancel".
You can also ask about the content of a task or chat you have access to. You don't need to open it - just give its name: “summarise the Recruitment task” or “what was agreed in the Marketing chat”. The assistant retrieves the description, messages and attachments. It reads TXT, CSV, MD, JSON, XML and HTML text files, as well as DOCX, XLSX, XLS and PDF files. This lets you find out what's in the thread, rather than just find it in the list.
Filtering task and chat lists works only in the AI Assistant window. When you ask it to “search all tasks”, the assistant may retrieve only a few of the best-matching items at a time, rather than all of them.
What does the assistant see when it searches
Each conversation with the assistant is a separate thread with its own knowledge sources. A new thread starts as general and initially only has access to your tasks. Add other sources using the Sources button above the conversation. You can select several tasks at once, a chat, a note, an entire workspace, a calendar with upcoming due dates, your own folder from Files or a single document. You can only select your own folder as a source, even when it is in a workspace; it includes only your files and the notes you have access to. You cannot select a task or chat folder separately; its files are included with the task or chat. You can select up to 30 sources, with a content budget of 60,000 characters. The calendar covers seven days by default. So the question “what needs doing” can be about one project or an entire department, depending on the sources you select.
Browse the selection window just like the Files module. Click a row to select a source, use the › arrow to go one level deeper, and the ‹ bar to go back. The search box at the top searches everything at once. Selecting a task or chat also includes files uploaded to it, both in messages and in the Files module. The latter appear in the tree as “Workspace / thread name”. The number next to a thread name shows how many files are linked to it.
The bar below the source list shows how much information fits. If you select more than the model can handle, the assistant will tell you what it left out. It skips general sources first, keeping tasks you selected explicitly. You only see sources you have permission to access. If you lose access to a source, the assistant will leave it out the next time you ask a question.
You can also search your own conversations with the assistant. The field above the list searches names and content, and shows the number of matches. Filters narrow down the results by workspace, date, source type, favourites or conversations where the assistant made a change - for example, created a task or set a reminder. An active filter is marked with a blue dot, which remains visible even when the menu is closed.
What do you gain?
You don't have to remember how to set up a view to check what's overdue. Ask just as you would ask a colleague across the desk. If the result is too broad, ask a follow-up instead of starting again.
You don't have to open task after task just to recall what was agreed a month ago. Ask about a thread by name and get a summary of its content, including attached documents.
Keep conversations about proposals separate from conversations about recruitment. Each thread can have its own set of materials that you can return to a week later. If there are too many selected materials, you'll be told what the assistant left out of its answer.
An everyday example
Before the Monday review, a manager types “show my overdue tasks” in the AI Assistant window. They get a list and ask about two tasks by name. The assistant retrieves their content and messages. The manager can check not only which tasks are running late, but also what was recorded in their threads.
Next, they create a thread for the review. They select both workspaces they have access to and the calendar as sources. The conversation in this thread is private - not even an administrator can see it. They ask for a table comparing due dates, then for a Word file with a summary. The assistant writes the content, and Task Manager creates the document and provides a “Download” button. The manager has the materials ready before the meeting.
Frequently asked questions
Does list filtering work everywhere?
No. Commands such as “show only overdue tasks” work only in the AI Assistant window.
Can the assistant search files?
Yes, if you have permission to access them. The assistant reads the contents of TXT, CSV, MD, JSON, XML, HTML, DOCX, XLSX, XLS and PDF files. It can't read older DOC files or scanned PDFs without a text layer.
Can the assistant see other people's tasks?
The assistant can only access tasks and chats you have permission to access; the administrator can access everything. Your conversations with the assistant are private, and no one else can see them, including the administrator.
Can I save the result?
Yes. You can ask for a table in the response or a downloadable file in Word, PDF, Excel or CSV format. Spreadsheets require tabular data.