# Search Assistant — Ask

![Search Assistant — Ask](/docs-content/56d3ffe377-01-ask.png.webp)

**Navigation:** Explore → Search Assistant → Ask  
**Primary audience:** all users with access to searchable business evidence

## Purpose

Ask answers natural-language business questions using only evidence the signed-in user is permitted to access. It cites the supporting sources, reports excluded or unavailable coverage, and returns No Evidence Found when an answer cannot be supported.

## Question and scope controls

The question box accepts a specific business question. Context controls can limit company, account, project, opportunity, period, source, or evidence type. The authorized-sources indicator makes the current permission boundary explicit.

## Answer

The answer presents a concise evidence-grounded response with inline citations. It also shows:

- confidence or answer support when calculable;
- number and type of sources used;
- source coverage and freshness;
- contradictions or unresolved ambiguity;
- restricted sources excluded by policy without revealing their content;
- saved-question and copy controls.

The answer distinguishes direct facts, accepted records, and qualified interpretation.

## Evidence thread

The side panel lists cited sources in the order used. Each source shows type, title, date, timestamp or clause, authorized excerpt, version, and **Open evidence**. Selecting a citation highlights the corresponding source.

## No Evidence Found

When the permitted material does not support an answer, the screen states that no evidence was found, lists searched scope, and offers safe suggestions such as adjusting filters or reviewing access. It does not invent a likely answer.

## Actions

- Ask or refine a question.
- Change scope and rerun.
- Open cited evidence.
- Copy the answer with citations.
- Save the question for reuse or monitoring.
- Review access when relevant sources are unavailable.
- Continue to Search Results for the underlying result set.

## Recommended procedure

Ask one precise question, set the business object and period, and inspect every citation used for a consequential decision. Refine ambiguous terminology. Treat No Evidence Found as a valid result rather than prompting for speculation.

## Limitations

The answer is bounded by permissions, indexed sources, current versions, and retrieval scope. It is not a substitute for legal, contractual, financial, or disciplinary authority. Changing access can change later answers.

## Related screens

[Search Results](/documentation/packages/bnd-search/screens/explore-search-results), [Saved Questions](/documentation/packages/bnd-search/screens/explore-search-saved-questions), and [Search History](/documentation/packages/bnd-search/screens/explore-search-history).