Platform Search
Platform Search finds documents, folders, projects, chats, Tabular Reviews, Playbooks, and agents across every project you can access. Open it with Search in the sidebar or by pressing Cmd+K (Mac) or Ctrl+K (Windows).
This video demonstrates how to use Platform Search across your August workspace.
Where to Find Platform Search
Click Search at the top of the sidebar, or press Cmd+K / Ctrl+K from anywhere in August. Press Escape to close it.
Search Your Workspace
Before you type, the search window lists your most recent items under Recents.
Type a name or keyword in the search box.
Review the matches under Results. Each result shows its type and, where relevant, its project and folder path.
Select a result to open it.
Selecting a document opens the folder that contains it and opens the document in the viewer. Selecting a folder, project, chat, Tabular Review, Playbook, or agent takes you straight to it.
Platform Search matches item names and descriptions, not the text inside documents. To find a passage within your documents, ask Assistant instead.
What Platform Search Indexes
Results only include items you have access to.
Content Type | What You Can Find |
|---|---|
Documents | Uploaded files, imported documents, synced files from integrations |
Folders | Document containers organized by matter, client, or document type |
Projects | The projects you belong to |
Chats | Assistant conversations, by title |
Tabular Reviews, Playbooks, and agents | Reviews, review standards, and agents you've created or that were shared with you |
Search Freshness
Platform Search keeps results current with your workspace activities:
New uploads and edits: Recently uploaded or edited documents appear in search within moments.
Moved documents: When you move a document to a different folder, search follows the new location, and the result shows the new folder path.
Deleted content: Documents and folders you delete are excluded from search results within seconds. Once excluded, deleted content does not appear in search or Assistant retrieval.
Sync timing: Search updates happen in the background after you delete or move items. The index typically syncs within seconds, so recently deleted items may briefly appear in results before the update completes.
How Platform Search Differs from Chat History
Platform Search and chat history serve different purposes:
Feature | Platform Search | Chat history |
|---|---|---|
Scope | Entire workspace across all content types | Conversation history only |
Location | Search in the sidebar, or Cmd+K / Ctrl+K | Search bar within chat history panel |
Best For | Finding specific documents, folders, or saved work by name | Reopening past conversations by topic or keyword |
Content Indexed | Names and descriptions of documents, folders, projects, chats, Tabular Reviews, Playbooks, and agents | Conversation titles, message content, attached document names |
Use Platform Search when you need to locate a specific document, folder, or artifact. Use chat history when you want to return to a past conversation and continue where you left off.
Tips for Effective Searching
Use specific terms: Search for document names, client names, or matter identifiers rather than generic terms.
Search by name, not content: Use words from the title of the document, folder, or review you want.
Use consistent naming: Maintain consistent document and folder naming conventions across your workspace to improve search results.
When to Use Platform Search
Use Platform Search when you need to:
Locate a specific document across multiple projects or folders
Find a saved Playbook for reuse in a review
Open a Tabular Review you created earlier
Jump to a folder or project containing matter documents
Return to a conversation when you remember part of its title
Related Search Features
August offers multiple search capabilities depending on your needs:
Chat history: search conversation history within the chat history panel
Web Search: research case law, statutes, and regulations from the Word Add-in
SharePoint Integration: search SharePoint sites and OneDrive from within August
Assistant: use @mentions and search to pull in specific items within chat
Assistant Document Retrieval
When you ask the Assistant questions about your documents, it uses both semantic and keyword search to find relevant content. Semantic search understands meaning and concepts, while keyword search matches exact terms. For details, see How Assistant Searches Your Documents.
What to Read Next
Document Management Overview to understand how projects and folders organize your content
Assistant Overview for document analysis and research workflows
Tabular Review Overview for multi-document comparison
Playbooks Overview to learn how to create and reuse review standards