> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://documentation.deepmask.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Projects

> Create persistent AI workspaces in DeepMask that retain custom instructions, uploaded files, and multiple chat threads across every session for ongoing work.

Projects give you a persistent, context-rich workspace that remembers your instructions, files, and preferences across sessions. Instead of re-explaining background and re-uploading reference materials every time you start a chat, a project preserves everything in one place. You can run multiple focused chat threads within a single project and invite teammates to collaborate — making Projects the foundation for sustained, team-level AI work.

## What a project contains

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Custom instructions" icon="sliders">
    Define standing context — goals, tone, constraints — that every chat thread in the project inherits automatically.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Uploaded files" icon="folder-open">
    Attach reference documents, briefs, and data files once and reuse them across all threads in the project.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Multiple chat threads" icon="message-quote">
    Run parallel conversations on distinct sub-topics, all sharing the same project context and files.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Team sharing" icon="users">
    Invite teammates so everyone works from the same instructions, files, and conversation history.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Creating a project

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the projects panel">
    In the left sidebar, click **Projects** to view your existing projects or create a new one.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Create a new project">
    Click **New Project**, enter a name that reflects the work area (for example, "Automation Research Project"), and add an optional description.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Confirm">
    Click **Create** to open the project workspace.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Setting custom instructions

Custom instructions appear in every chat thread within the project, giving the AI consistent context without you having to repeat it each time.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the Instructions panel">
    Inside the project, locate the **Instructions** section in the project sidebar.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Write your instructions">
    Describe the project's purpose, the AI's role, preferred output formats, and any constraints. For example: "Build an end-to-end automated reporting workflow that collects data from multiple sources, analyzes it, generates insights, and delivers structured reports with minimal manual effort."
  </Step>

  <Step title="Save">
    Your instructions are saved immediately and applied to all current and future threads in this project.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Tip>
  Keep instructions focused on goals and constraints rather than procedural steps. The AI applies them as persistent context, not a one-time command.
</Tip>

## Uploading files to a project

Files uploaded to a project are available in every chat thread, so you only need to add them once.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the Files section">
    In the project sidebar, click the **Files** area.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Upload your documents">
    Drag and drop files or click to browse. Supported formats include PDFs, Word documents, spreadsheets, CSVs, and text files.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Reference files in chat">
    Start a chat thread and refer to the uploaded files by name or ask the AI to work with them directly — for example, "Analyze the Project Requirement Document."
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Working with multiple chat threads

Each chat thread within a project is a separate conversation that still inherits the project's instructions and files.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Start a new thread">
    Inside the project, click **New Chat** to open a fresh thread. Give it a descriptive name so you can distinguish it from others.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Organize by topic">
    Use separate threads for distinct sub-tasks. For example, an automation project might have threads named "Automation Workflow Setup," "Insights and Trend Analysis," "Report Structure & KPIs," and "Data Collection & Integration."
  </Step>

  <Step title="Switch between threads">
    Click any thread name in the project sidebar to resume it from where you left off.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Note>
  Each thread maintains its own conversation history. The project's custom instructions and files are shared across all threads, but individual thread contexts remain separate.
</Note>

## Sharing with teammates

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open project settings">
    In the project, click the settings or share icon in the project header.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Invite team members">
    Enter your teammates' email addresses or select them from your organization's team directory.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Confirm access">
    Invited teammates can view the project's instructions, files, and chat threads, and start new threads within the shared project.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Info>
  Project sharing is available on team plans. All shared data remains within your organization's EU-hosted DeepMask environment.
</Info>