Your First Search
Learn how to search effectively in ZenSearch and get the best results from your connected data sources.
The Ask Interface
The Ask page is your primary interface for searching and chatting with your data.
Interface Overview
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ ┌─────────┐ [Chat/Search Toggle] │
│ │Sidebar │ ┌─────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ │ │ │ ┌────────────┐ │
│ │Convers- │ │ Chat Messages / Results │ │ Sources │ │
│ │ations │ │ │ │ Panel │ │
│ │ │ │ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ └─────────────────────────────┘ └────────────┘ │
│ │ │ ┌─────────────────────────────┐ │
│ └─────────┘ │ Search Input │ │
│ └─────────────────────────────┘ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Key Components
- Conversation Sidebar: View and manage past conversations
- Main Content Area: Chat messages or search results
- Sources Panel: Documents cited in responses
- Search Input: Enter your questions or search terms
- Mode Toggle: Switch between Chat and Search modes
Chat Mode
Chat mode provides conversational AI responses with citations.
How to Use Chat Mode
-
Type your question naturally:
What are the key features of our new product launch? -
Press Enter or click Send
-
Watch as ZenSearch:
- Searches your connected sources
- Retrieves relevant documents
- Streams an AI-generated answer
Chat Features
- Streaming responses: See answers as they're generated
- Citations: Click numbered references to view sources
- Follow-up questions: Continue the conversation
- Regenerate: Get a new response if needed
- File upload: Attach files for context
Example Conversation
You: How do I request time off?
ZenSearch: To request time off, follow these steps:
1. Log into the HR portal at hr.company.com [1]
2. Navigate to "Time Off" → "Request Leave"
3. Select the type of leave (vacation, sick, personal)
4. Choose your dates and submit [2]
Your manager will receive an email notification and must
approve within 48 hours. [1]
Sources:
[1] Employee Handbook - Time Off Policy.pdf
[2] HR Portal User Guide - Confluence
Search Mode
Search mode provides traditional search results with faceted filtering.
How to Use Search Mode
- Click the Search toggle to switch modes
- Enter your search terms
- Browse results with:
- Document previews
- Relevance indicators
- Source information
Faceted Filtering
Narrow your results using filters:
| Filter | Description |
|---|---|
| Topics | Auto-extracted content categories |
| Departments | Organizational groupings |
| Languages | Document language |
| Date Range | Creation or modification date |
| Sentiment | Content tone |
Example Search
Search: "quarterly sales report"
Filters:
├── Topics: Sales, Finance
├── Date: Last 90 days
└── Department: Sales
Results:
1. Q4 2024 Sales Report.pdf (Relevance: 98%)
"...quarterly sales reached $2.4M..."
2. Sales Team OKRs Q4.xlsx (Relevance: 87%)
"...quarterly targets and achievements..."
3. Regional Sales Analysis - Confluence (Relevance: 82%)
"...breakdown by region for Q4..."
Scope Selection
Control which content is searched:
Selecting Collections
- Click the Scope dropdown above the search input
- Choose specific collections or "All Collections"
- View document count in each collection
When to Scope
- All Collections: General questions across your organization
- Specific Collection: Focused searches in one area
- Multiple Collections: Cross-functional research
Using Agents
Agents handle complex, multi-step queries.
When to Use Agents
Enable agent mode for:
- Research tasks requiring multiple sources
- Questions needing data analysis
- Tasks requiring calculations or comparisons
- Complex queries with multiple parts
Agent Mode Options
- Auto: ZenSearch decides when to use agents
- Research: Always use agents with planning
- Off: Simple chat without agents
Example Agent Task
You: Compare our Q3 and Q4 sales by region and identify
the top performing teams
Agent: I'll analyze the sales data for you.
[Planning] Breaking down the task:
1. Search for Q3 sales data by region
2. Search for Q4 sales data by region
3. Compare the results
4. Identify top performers
[Searching] Finding Q3 regional sales...
[Tool Result] Found 12 relevant documents
[Searching] Finding Q4 regional sales...
[Tool Result] Found 15 relevant documents
[Analyzing] Comparing quarterly performance...
Based on my analysis:
**Q3 vs Q4 Comparison by Region:**
| Region | Q3 Sales | Q4 Sales | Growth |
|--------|----------|----------|--------|
| North | $1.2M | $1.5M | +25% |
| South | $0.8M | $1.1M | +37% |
| East | $1.0M | $1.2M | +20% |
| West | $0.9M | $1.0M | +11% |
**Top Performing Teams:**
1. South Region - Team Alpha (+42% growth)
2. North Region - Team Bravo (+32% growth)
...
Search Tips
Writing Effective Queries
| Instead of | Try |
|---|---|
| "policy" | "What is our remote work policy?" |
| "sales data" | "Show me Q4 2024 sales by region" |
| "setup" | "How do I set up the development environment?" |
Best Practices
- Be specific: Include relevant details
- Use natural language: Ask complete questions
- Provide context: Mention relevant timeframes, departments, or projects
- Follow up: Ask clarifying questions for more details
Understanding Results
- High relevance: Direct answers to your question
- Medium relevance: Related content that may help
- Citations: Always verify important information in sources
Meta-Questions
ZenSearch recognizes special meta-questions about your knowledge base:
- "What topics are covered in our docs?"
- "What data sources are connected?"
- "Give me an overview of the engineering wiki"
- "What statistics do you have about our content?"
These provide insights about your indexed content rather than searching within it.
Next Steps
Now that you know how to search:
- Ask & Chat - Deep dive into all chat features
- Agents - Create custom AI agents
- Knowledge Management - Manage your data sources