Welcome to the Findr User Guide, your comprehensive guide to mastering Findr's AI-powered search capabilities. Whether you’re managing emails, collaborating on projects, or working across multiple platforms, Findr provides a unified search experience that consolidates data from various apps into one seamless interface. With Findr, you can effortlessly search, retrieve, and interact with your workplace knowledge, saving valuable time and effort. This documentation will walk you through Findr’s features step-by-step, providing detailed explanations, usage instructions, and visual aids to ensure you get the most out of this powerful tool. Whether you're new to Findr or looking to explore advanced capabilities, this guide will serve as your go-to resource.
Getting Started
Installation
Setting up Findr is a quick and easy process, designed to get you up and running across all your devices.
Findr offers two types of applications: a web app accessible from any browser and a desktop app for enhanced functionality on your computer. The web app also supports Progressive Web App (PWA) installation, allowing you to add Findr to your mobile device's home screen for a native-like experience.
This section will guide you through setting up Findr on your preferred platform, ensuring you can start searching and interacting with your data seamlessly.
1. Web App Setup
The Findr web app is the easiest way to get started with Findr. Accessible from any modern browser, it’s designed to be fast, secure, and user-friendly. You can simply visit app.usefindr.com from your browser and instantly access Findr's powerful features without needing installation.
2. Progressive Web App (PWA)
In addition to the web app, Findr offers a Progressive Web App (PWA) that can be added to your home screen for a more seamless, app-like experience on mobile devices. The PWA allows you to use Findr on your smartphone or tablet with the convenience of quick access, just like a native app.
To install the PWA on your device, follow the simple steps provided in our PWA setup guide. This is a great option if you prefer to use Findr on the go while maintaining fast and secure access to your workplace data.
3. Desktop App
The Findr desktop app is the recommended way to use Findr for a more streamlined and efficient experience. Unlike the web app, the desktop version eliminates the need to open your browser every time you want to use Findr. The app is lightweight, fast, and designed to consume minimal system resources, ensuring smooth operation on any computer.
Here’s how to install Findr on your computer:
On Windows
Download the desktop app. This will download an executable file (.exe). Once the download is complete, open the downloaded file, which will automatically set up Findr on your computer.
Once installation is finished, Findr will launch automatically. You’re all set to start using the app!
On Mac
Download the desktop app. This will download a zip file containing the Findr application. Extract the zip file and open the Install Findr application. A security popup will appear; click Open to confirm the installation. Once the installation is complete, Findr will be added to your Applications directory and will launch automatically.
Onboarding
The onboarding process helps tailor your Findr experience by gathering information about your work and preferences. This ensures that the platform provides relevant features and insights.
Once you have installed the app, complete the sign-up using your Google account or your email and a password.
Once you have completed the onboarding process, you can enhance your Findr experience by connecting your workplace apps. Findr supports a range of popular applications to streamline your workflow and improve productivity.
Once you connected the desired apps, click continue to start using Findr.
Search
Once you have completed the onboarding process and connected your accounts, you are ready to begin using Findr’s search functionality.
Performing a search
To start a search, first locate the search bar, which is centrally positioned in the middle of the screen for easy access.
Enter your query into the search bar. Try to use relevant keywords to improve the accuracy of the search results. After typing in your query, press the "Enter" key to execute the search.
The system will take a few moments to process your query. During this time, Findr will search across all your connected accounts. Once the search is complete, the relevant results will appear on the screen.
Chatting with the results
After executing a search, Findr will display the results on your screen. Below the search bar, you'll notice a chatbox containing an auto-generated response.
This response is created by Findr AI based on the search results for your query. You can chat with the results by using the input box located at the bottom of the chat card.
Setting up the chat context
By default, the most relevant results are used as context for the chat, typically the top 10 results. However, you can customize the context to suit your needs by adding or removing specific results.
To remove a result from the context, click the ‘X’ icon on the result. To add a result, simply click the ‘Add to Chat’ icon, which appears when you hover over a search result.
You can add up to 25 results to the chat.
Understanding the chat controls
There are a total of 5 options available for a QNA response.
There are five options available for managing a Q&A response:
- Copy: Copies the entire response to your clipboard.
- Regenerate: Generates a new response for the same query.
- Good/Bad Response: Provides feedback on the quality of the response, helping us improve the model for more accurate answers.
- Reset Conversation: Resets the entire chat for the current session.
- Stop Streaming: Cancels the streaming of a response by clicking the "Stop Streaming" button in the input box.
Model selection
Findr allows you to choose from various LLM models for generating responses.
To switch models, use the dropdown menu located next to the send button in the chat input.
Search filters
You can apply filters to the search results for a more refined view. The available filters are as follows:
- Sorting Results: You can sort results by relevancy (default) or by recency, depending on your preference.
- File Type Filter: A dynamic file type filter is generated based on the attachments in your results. It populates with all the file types found across the search results for a given query. This filter allows you to narrow down the results to include only those that contain a specific file type.
- App filter: On the right side of the search results, you’ll find an option to display results only from selected apps. Once an app is selected, only results from that specific app will be shown.
Interacting with search results
Similar to interacting with search results via chat, you have several options to engage with an individual search result.
Previewing a result
Clicking on a result opens it in a separate window, providing a detailed preview. In many cases, you may not need to open the dedicated app to view the contents of an email or document—the preview itself often provides sufficient information.
In the preview window, you can maximize the view to full-screen using the maximize icon, or close the window by clicking the close icon.
To open the result in the respective app in a new browser tab, click the Open in App button.
Chatting with individual results
The preview window also offers the ability to chat with an individual result. Use the input box at the bottom of the preview window to interact with the result being displayed. Just like the global chat, the preview chat includes controls for resetting, regenerating, copying, stopping response generation, and selecting different models.
Other operations on a result
In addition to chatting and previewing results, the following options are available for each search result.
Hover over a search result to reveal the menu in the top-right corner.
- Open in a new tab: If you prefer not to use the preview and want to open the result directly in its external app, click the "External link" icon.
- Add to chat: To include a result in the global chat context, click the "Add to Chat" icon.
- Add to collection: Collections allow you to group search results that function as a custom chatbot. To add a result to a collection, click the "Add to Collection" icon. You can then either select an existing collection or create a new one using the "Create Collection" button.
- Add to bookmarks: Bookmarking a result lets you easily access it later without having to search for it again.
Additionally, you can view detailed metadata for a result. Hover over the info icon next to the date to see more information about the result.
Integrations
Findr supports a wide range of workplace apps that can be integrated with just a few clicks.
Navigate to Integrations from the left-hand menu.
On the Integrations page, you'll see a list of all available integrations as well as your connected accounts. You can also use the search bar in the top right corner to quickly find a specific integration. If there’s an integration you need that isn’t currently supported, feel free to let us know.
Adding an account
To connect a new account, simply click the Connect button on the relevant app card. If the app is already connected and you’d like to add more accounts, click the Add More button. This will take you to the app’s OAuth page for authentication, and once completed, you’ll be redirected back to Findr.
Removing an account
To remove an account, click on View Accounts. This will display all the connected accounts for the selected integration. To remove an account, click the delete button next to the account you wish to disconnect.
Collections
A Collection in Findr functions as a custom chatbot with tailored context and instructions. Collections allow you to aggregate sources from various apps and interact with these results within a specific context. Additionally, you can provide custom instructions to the model, enhancing its capabilities.
To start with Collections, navigate to Collections from the side menu.
Creating a collection
To create a new collection, click the Create Collection button. In the modal that appears, enter a name for the collection and optionally provide a brief description. After filling in the details, click Create.
Click on the newly created collection to begin setting it up.
Adding sources to a collection
The first step is to add sources to your collection. Sources are search results from your connected accounts. Click the Add Source button, which will open a search bar. Search for the document, email, message, or other items you wish to include.
To add a result to the collection, click the plus icon next to the result. You can preview a result by clicking on it.
Once you have added the desired sources, close the search window. The added sources will then appear on the right side of the screen.
Setting custom instructions
Click on the Custom Instructions button to provide instructions to the AI model. The model will follow these instructions when responding.
Once you have added sources and set instructions, your custom chatbot is ready. You can begin asking questions, and the bot will respond based on the sources you’ve provided.
Bookmarks and History
To bookmark a search result for quick access later, click the bookmark icon on the result.
You can view your bookmarks by clicking on the Bookmarks & History button on the homepage.
Any search result you interact with is automatically added to your history.
