Key concepts in Contradic
Account vs Workspace
Section titled “Account vs Workspace”An account is the shared space for your organization in Contradic. It holds your plan, AI credits, and the list of people who can be part of the account. Think of it as the business container that you manage once.
A workspace is where the work happens. Each workspace contains the documents, notes, views, folders, and tags for a specific project or team. You can create multiple workspaces under the same account to keep work streams separate.
What you manage at the account level
- Your plan, seats, and AI credit balance
- The list of people invited to the account
- High-level roles (who can manage billing and invite others). See the Access control model (RBAC).
What you manage at the workspace level
- Which account members can access a workspace
- The workspace name, description, and structure
- The content inside the workspace (documents, notes, views, folders, tags)
If you switch workspaces, you stay in the same account. The billing and member list stay the same, but the content and access rules change based on the workspace you open.
Learn more
Section titled “Learn more”Manage collaborators
Document, Chunk, AI context
Section titled “Document, Chunk, AI context”A document is a file you import into a workspace. It keeps the original file and the useful details you see in Contradic, such as the title, file type, tags, and folder. You can open a document to read it, or download the original or PDF version. Learn how in Import documents.
A chunk is a short excerpt that Contradic creates automatically from a document during import. Chunks help the app understand the document and make search results more precise. They are not separate files, just small passages used for search and analysis.
The AI context is the selection attached to a specific chat conversation. It is what the assistant is allowed to use when it answers you. You can add whole documents and notes to the context. Chunks help you find the right passages.
Quick comparison
Section titled “Quick comparison”- Document: the full file stored in a workspace
- Chunk: a short excerpt generated from a document
- AI context: the selection used by the assistant in one conversation
Typical flow
Section titled “Typical flow”- Import documents into a workspace.
- Use search to spot useful chunks.
- Add the chunks you want to the AI context.
- Ask your question in chat. If the context is full, remove items or start a new conversation.
Learn more
Section titled “Learn more”How AI chat works
Views, Folders, Tags
Section titled “Views, Folders, Tags”A view is a saved way to display key information from your documents. It helps you compare and review without changing the documents. Learn the basics in Understand views.
A folder is the location of a document in your workspace library. Moving a document changes its location, not its content. See Organize your documents.
A tag is a label you attach to documents. Tags let you group documents across folders and apply multiple labels to the same document. The same guide covers folders and tags.
Quick difference
Section titled “Quick difference”- View: a display lens for reading and comparing information
- Folder: the main location where a document lives
- Tag: a flexible label that can span multiple folders
Learn more
Section titled “Learn more”More about views
A note is a rich text page you create inside a workspace to capture ideas, summarize findings, or keep working drafts. Notes belong to a workspace and can be reused later in other conversations.
Two ways to create a note
Section titled “Two ways to create a note”- Save a helpful answer from Contradic AI. The note includes a citation badge that keeps the source trail. You can edit that note at any time. Learn how citations work in Citations & sources.
- Write a note from scratch. Use the editor to add a title and content, then format the text as needed.
What you can do in the editor
Section titled “What you can do in the editor”- Create headings and structure your text
- Use bold, italic, and highlights
- Add lists, quotes, links, and tables
- Keep writing without losing your layout
Reuse notes in AI chats
Section titled “Reuse notes in AI chats”When you ask a question in AI chat, you can add notes to the AI context to guide the answer with your own insights.
Learn more
Section titled “Learn more”Go more in depth with notes
AI Expert
Section titled “AI Expert”AI Experts are ready-made, specialized assistants curated by Contradic. Think of them as focused guides you can use for a specific task without having to set anything up yourself. Their exact recipe stays protected, like a bit of Contradic secret sauce.
What an AI Expert includes
Section titled “What an AI Expert includes”- A clear title and short description so you know the goal
- A category to group similar Experts
- Keywords to help you find the right one faster
Find the right AI Expert
Section titled “Find the right AI Expert”- Open the AI Experts page.
- Search by name or description.
- Filter by category to narrow the list.
- Open an Expert card to see its description.
Use an AI Expert in a chat
Section titled “Use an AI Expert in a chat”Learn the full flow in Use an AI Expert.
- Click Use in chat on the Expert you want.
- Choose the workspace for your conversation.
- Ask your question in your own words.
You can switch Experts whenever you need. Each choice is meant to guide your next question with that Expert’s specialty.
Learn more
Section titled “Learn more”Pre-configured AI Experts