> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.artific.nl/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.artific.nl/en/for-administrators/knowledge-base/search-tools.md).

# Search tools

A search tool is what makes a collection findable by an assistant. Found under **Knowledge base → Search tools**.

## Why this step exists

Collections store documents. Search tools make them searchable. Keeping the two separate means one collection can be exposed differently to different assistants, and that uploading a document never silently changes what an assistant can see.

Nothing in a collection is searchable until a search tool covers it *and* that tool is switched on for the assistant.

## Creating one

Choose **Create search tool**. The wizard has three steps.

### Step 1: Content

| Field           | What to enter                                                                                                |
| --------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| **Name**        | What the tool will be called. Use the subject, not the mechanism: *Support articles*, not *Vector search 1*. |
| **Collections** | Tick the collections this tool should search. At least one.                                                  |

Under **Advanced: content filters (optional)** you can narrow it further with rules, for example only files with a particular label, or only documents under a certain path. Leave it empty to include everything in the selected collections.

### Step 2: Search

How the search should work.

| Option             | What it does                           | Use it for                                                                        |
| ------------------ | -------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Smart search**   | Finds both meaning and exact words.    | Almost everything. This is the recommended default.                               |
| **By meaning**     | Understands synonyms and descriptions. | Questions asked in plain language, where the user will not know your terminology. |
| **By exact words** | Matches literally.                     | Article numbers, product codes, part names that must match exactly.               |

If you are unsure, keep **Smart search**. It combines the other two.

### Step 3: Review

A summary of what will be created. The **Technical details** section shows the settings chosen on your behalf; you do not need to touch them.

Choose **Create search tool**. Setup takes a few seconds, then your documents are processed in the background. You can carry on working.

### Attaching it

On the success screen, **Use it now** lets you attach the search tool to assistants and AI Toolbox elements straight away. You can also skip this and attach it later from the **Tools** tab of any assistant or element.

## The search tools list

| Status                       | Meaning                                                                   |
| ---------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Ready to use**             | Working. Documents are searchable.                                        |
| **Making files searchable…** | Processing, with a progress count. Normal after adding documents.         |
| **Indexing failed**          | Nothing could be processed. Check the documents in the collection.        |
| **Setup incomplete**         | The tool exists but no collections are routed to it. Edit it and add one. |

**Edit** reopens the wizard with the current settings. **Delete** removes the search tool and its search setup. The documents stay in their collection, but nothing can find them any more.

{% hint style="warning" %}
Deleting a search tool silently degrades every assistant using it: they keep working but lose access to that knowledge. Check which assistants have it switched on before you delete.
{% endhint %}

## Choosing how to slice your search tools

One search tool per collection is the simplest arrangement and usually the right one.

Deviate when:

* **Several collections belong to one subject.** One tool over all of them gives the assistant a single, coherent place to look.
* **One collection serves different audiences.** Build two tools with different content filters (one restricted by label to the public material, one covering everything) and give each assistant the appropriate one.

Avoid giving one assistant many overlapping search tools. It has to choose between them on every question, and overlapping scopes make that choice arbitrary.

## Keeping it healthy

* After a bulk upload, watch the status until it returns to **Ready to use**.
* If specific documents are not being found, open the file's detail panel and check its status under **Search configurations**. A single **Failed** document is easy to miss in a large collection.
* Filter a collection by status **Failed** now and then to catch documents that never made it in.