Platform Search
Platform Search is your global search tool across the entire August workspace. Use it to find documents, folders, conversations, and artifacts like Playbooks and Tabular Reviews without navigating through multiple panels.
This video demonstrates how to use Platform Search across your August workspace.
Where to Find Platform Search
The search bar is located at the top of the August interface. Click into it to start searching across your workspace.
What Platform Search Indexes
Platform Search covers the full scope of your work in August:
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 |
Conversations | Assistant chat threads and their attached materials |
Artifacts | Playbooks, Tabular Reviews, and other structured outputs |
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. Filter by project or folder scope to find moved content in its new location.
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 bar at top of interface | Search bar within chat history panel |
Best For | Finding specific documents, folders, or artifacts | Reopening past conversations by topic or keyword |
Content Indexed | Documents, folders, conversations, artifacts | 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.
Using Filters and Advanced Search
Platform Search supports filtering to narrow results:
Enter your search term in the search bar.
Results appear grouped by content type.
Use available filters to limit results to specific categories—documents, folders, conversations, or artifacts.
Click any result to open it directly.
Filter by Content Type
After entering a search, you can filter results to specific content types. This is useful when you know what you're looking for—for example, filtering to Documents to find a specific agreement without sorting through conversations.
Filter by Project
If you work across multiple projects, you can scope your search to a single project. This keeps results focused on the matter you're currently working on.
Tips for Effective Searching
Use specific terms: Search for document names, client names, or matter identifiers rather than generic terms.
Search for artifacts by type: If you're looking for a specific Playbook or Tabular Review, include the artifact type in your query.
Combine with filters: Enter a keyword first, then apply filters to narrow results efficiently.
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 containing matter documents
Return to a conversation when you don't remember the exact 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