# Projects

> Bring files, chats and project knowledge for a shared undertaking together in one place and share it with your team.

A project brings together everything that belongs to an undertaking with a start and an end: the files, your chats and the project context. In the project context you record what applies to the project but isn't written in any document, for example decisions, requirements and contacts. MAIA takes it into account in every chat of the project.

An example: for a customer project, you put the offer, the specification and the meeting minutes into the project and note in the project context which standard applies and who is responsible on the customer's side. MAIA then answers every question you ask in the project using these files and this knowledge.

**What everyone sees and what stays private:** all project members see the files and the project context. Chats stay private: only you see your chats in the project, the other members don't.

You find projects in the sidebar under “Projects”.

![Project overview with one project and the “New project” button](/images/docs/screenshots/projects/list.en.png)

## Create a project

1. In the sidebar, click “Projects” and then “New project”.
2. Enter a **Name**. Under “Description (optional)” you can add a project number, for example, so you find the project more easily.
3. Optional: under “What should MAIA know about this project?”, describe what it's about, who is involved and what applies. This becomes the first entry in the project context.
4. Optional: under “Documents (optional)”, upload files by drag and drop or with “Select Files”. You can upload more files later in the “Files” tab.
5. Click “Create project”.

![“New project” window with name, description and project knowledge](/images/docs/screenshots/projects/create-dialog.en.png)

You then own the project. As the owner, you can share, transfer, archive and delete it.

## Chat in a project

Open the project and type your question into the input field. A chat you start here begins with the project's files as sources and always knows its project context.

While MAIA is still processing new files, it shows how many are done. During that time, answers may be incomplete.

You find your chats in the project in the “Chats” tab and also in the history on the left, marked with the project name.

![Project chat with the project name above the chat and in the history](/images/docs/screenshots/projects/chat.en.png)

**Bring an existing chat into a project:** in the history, open the chat's menu and choose “Add to project…”. In the same menu, “Move to another project…” moves a chat, and “Remove from project” turns it back into a general chat. The chat stays private.

**Use a project as a source in another chat:** you can also pick a project as a source in a general chat. You find projects in the source selection under “Projects”. A selected project brings its files and its project context. To use only some files, open the project in the selection and pick them there. You can also select several projects at once.

## How a project is organized

![Project page with the input field, the tabs and the overview](/images/docs/screenshots/projects/overview-page.en.png)

| Tab                 | Content                                                                                                                                 |
| ------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Overview**        | your latest chats in the project, the files and the project context at a glance                                                         |
| **Files**           | all files of the project. Folders work as in the File Manager. The files live only in the project and don't appear in the File Manager. |
| **Chats**           | your own chats in this project                                                                                                          |
| **Project context** | the entries MAIA takes into account in every chat of the project                                                                        |

## Maintain the project context

The project context is meant for short statements: decisions, requirements, contacts, lessons learned. Put longer material into the project as a file.

1. Open the “Project context” tab.
2. Click “Add entry”.
3. Type your text or dictate it with the microphone. If you dictate, MAIA turns your recording into a structured suggestion. Click “Apply” to use it; you can edit it first.
4. Click “Save”.

![“Project context entry” window with a typed entry](/images/docs/screenshots/projects/context-entry.en.png)

Each entry shows who created it and who last edited it. You can edit and delete entries if you have edit rights in the project. A deleted entry is gone for all members; this can't be undone.

The project context holds at most 10,000 characters in total. The tab shows how much of it is used. If it's full, shorten existing entries before adding new ones.

Don't put passwords or credentials into the project context. All members see it, and MAIA uses it in every chat of the project.

## Share a project

1. Open the project and click “Share”.

2. Enter the name or email address of a member of your workspace.

3. Choose the access next to it:

   * **Read:** have own chats, view files and project context.
   * **Edit:** additionally add and remove files and maintain the project context.

4. Click “Invite” and finally “Done”.

Under “Groups” you share the project with “Everyone in the workspace”. Individual shares and the share with everyone apply together; the stronger one counts.

**When someone loses access:** if you remove a person and they then have no access at all, not even through “Everyone in the workspace”, their chats in the project become general chats. They keep their chats, but without the project files and project context.

To share a single result, share the answer directly in the chat. Nobody needs access to the project for that.

![“Share project” window with access, “Everyone in the workspace” and “Transfer ownership…”](/images/docs/screenshots/projects/share-dialog.en.png)

## Transfer a project

If responsibility changes, you can hand the project over to another member.

1. In the project, click “Share”.
2. Under “Hand over project”, click “Transfer ownership…”.
3. Choose the new owner and confirm with “Transfer ownership”.

You then stay in the project as a member with edit rights.

If the owner leaves the workspace, the project no longer has an owner. Workspace admins see such projects in the project overview and can become the owner with “Take ownership”.

## Convert a collection into a project

If you already work with a collection in the File Manager, you can convert it into a project. Only the collection's owner can do this.

1. In the File Manager, open the collection and click “Convert to project”.
2. Check the name and description. MAIA pre-fills both from the collection's name.
3. Click “Convert into project”.

What happens:

* All files, folders and analysis results are kept and then live in the project.
* The collection disappears from the File Manager. You and everyone with access then open it under “Projects”.
* Everyone who could see the collection becomes a project member with the same role as before (read or edit). Manager roles are removed: afterwards, only the owner manages sharing.
* **A finished project can't be converted back into a collection.**

Not every collection can be converted, for example not a collection managed by an integration or one shared with a group. MAIA checks this first and shows you what to change. If a conversion is interrupted, you can retry or undo it in the File Manager.

## Archive and delete

**Archiving** takes a finished project off the active list. Everything is kept:

* Files, project context and your chats stay readable and searchable.
* All members can keep chatting in the project and select it as a source in any chat.
* Files, project context, name and description are read-only.

In the project, click “Archive” and confirm. You find archived projects in the project overview with the “Archived” filter. “Reactivate project” makes a project editable again.

**Deleting** removes a project permanently. This can't be undone:

* All files and folders are deleted, including analysis results.
* All chats of the project are deleted, including those of other members.
* The entire project context is lost, and all members lose access.

If you only want to take a project off the active list, archive it instead. To delete, click “Delete” in the project and confirm with “Delete permanently”. Only the owner can archive and delete.

## Find projects faster

In the project overview, search by name or description and filter by “Active”, “Archived” or “All”. Pin projects you're currently working on to the sidebar with “Pin to chat history”.