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

# Shared Datasources

> Collaborate and share knowledge across your team

A **Shared Datasource** is a knowledge base created in one Project that can be shared with other Projects. This enables multiple teams to maintain a single source of truth and ensure consistent information across all agents in different projects.

***

## What Makes a Datasource Shared?

* Single Knowledge Base
* Multiple Agents Access
* Centralized Management
* Consistent Updates
* Team Collaboration

A datasource is "shared" when it's assigned to multiple agents in your project. All assigned agents can:

* Search the same content
* Retrieve the same results
* Benefit from updates
* Reference consistent information

***

## Benefits of Shared Datasources

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Single Source of Truth" icon="target">
    Update knowledge once, all agents benefit
  </Card>

  <Card title="Consistency" icon="check">
    Ensure all agents have the same information
  </Card>

  <Card title="Efficiency" icon="zap">
    Reduce storage by avoiding duplication
  </Card>

  <Card title="Maintainability" icon="wrench">
    Easier to manage and update content
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

***

## Sharing Architecture

### Single Agent vs Shared

* **Single-use datasource**:
  * Agent A → Datasource X
  * Agent B → Datasource Y (separate copy)
* **Shared datasource**:
  * Agent A, Agent B, and Agent C → Datasource X (single copy)

### Benefits of Consolidation

| Metric          | Separate           | Shared         |
| --------------- | ------------------ | -------------- |
| **Storage**     | 3x                 | 1x             |
| **Updates**     | Manual sync        | Single update  |
| **Consistency** | Risk of divergence | Always in sync |
| **Management**  | Complex            | Simple         |

***

## Creating Shared Datasources

### Step 1: Create the Datasource

<Steps>
  <Step title="Go to Datasources">
    Navigate to **Datasources** in your project
  </Step>

  <Step title="Create New">
    Click **Create Datasource**
  </Step>

  <Step title="Choose Type">
    Select **Manual** or **Google Drive**
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set Details">
    Enter name, description, and purpose
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add Content">
    Upload files, add URLs, or enter text
  </Step>
</Steps>

### Step 2: Assign to Multiple Agents

<Steps>
  <Step title="Go to Agents">
    Navigate to **Agents** section
  </Step>

  <Step title="Edit Agent">
    Open an agent's configuration
  </Step>

  <Step title="Go to Datasources Tab">
    Find the Datasources section
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add Datasource">
    Click **Add Datasource** and select the shared datasource
  </Step>

  <Step title="Configure Settings">
    Set Top K, reranking, and other search parameters
  </Step>

  <Step title="Repeat for Other Agents">
    Assign to each agent that needs access
  </Step>
</Steps>

### Step 3: Test Across Agents

```
Testing Shared Datasource:

1. Test Agent A
   - Search for information
   - Verify results are relevant
   
2. Test Agent B
   - Use same search queries
   - Confirm consistent results
   
3. Test Agent C
   - Verify retrieval works
   - Check response quality
```

***

## Managing Shared Datasources

### Centralized Updates

When you update a shared datasource:

1. **Update Content**
2. **All Agents Notified**
3. **Changes Available Immediately**
4. **All Responses Use New Content**

**Timeline:**

1. Edit datasource (add/remove files or content)
2. Changes are indexed
3. All agents using this datasource see updates
4. Immediate effect on subsequent queries

### Versioning

Track changes to your shared datasource:

* **Version History**: See what changed and when
* **Content Timeline**: Track addition/removal of resources
* **Update Logs**: Monitor who made changes
* **Rollback**: Revert to previous versions if needed

### Monitoring Usage

Track how agents use your shared datasource:

* **Agent References**: See which agents access it
* **Query Analytics**: Monitor search patterns
* **Performance**: Track retrieval speed and accuracy
* **Coverage**: Ensure all relevant queries find answers

***

## Datasource Ownership & Cross-Project Sharing

### Project Scope Model

Datasources are created in a **Primary Project** and can be shared with other **Secondary Projects**:

* **Project A** (Primary — creates datasource)
  * Datasource X (owned here)
* **Project B** (Secondary — can use Datasource X)
  * References Datasource X
* **Project C** (Secondary — can use Datasource X)
  * References Datasource X

### Access Control

| Scenario         | Primary Project | Secondary Project |
| ---------------- | --------------- | ----------------- |
| **View**         | ✅ Full access   | ✅ Read-only       |
| **Edit Content** | ✅ Can modify    | ❌ Cannot modify   |
| **Edit Schema**  | ✅ Can modify    | ❌ Cannot modify   |
| **Delete**       | ✅ Can delete    | ❌ Cannot delete   |
| **Share Again**  | ✅ Can reshare   | ❌ Cannot reshare  |

### Role-Based Access (Within Primary Project)

| Role       | Create | Edit | Delete   | Share    |
| ---------- | ------ | ---- | -------- | -------- |
| **Owner**  | ✅      | ✅    | ✅        | ✅        |
| **Admin**  | ✅      | ✅    | ✅        | ✅        |
| **Editor** | ✅      | ✅    | Own only | Own only |
| **Viewer** | ❌      | ❌    | ❌        | ❌        |

### Secondary Project Access

All roles in secondary projects have:

* ✅ Read-only access to datasource
* ✅ Can assign to agents
* ✅ Can search and query
* ❌ Cannot modify content
* ❌ Cannot modify schema

***

## Real-World Scenarios

### Scenario 1: Support Team

* **Company FAQ Datasource**:
  * Product FAQ
  * Troubleshooting Guides
  * Support Procedures
* **Used by**:
  * Customer Support Agent
  * Technical Support Agent
  * Sales Support Agent

**Benefits:**

* All agents answer from same FAQ
* Consistent support experience
* Single update point for policies
* New team members can access existing knowledge

### Scenario 2: Company Knowledge Base

* **Company Datasource**:
  * Employee Handbook
  * Policies & Procedures
  * Benefits Information
  * Internal Processes
* **Used by**:
  * HR Assistant Agent
  * Onboarding Agent
  * Employee Support Agent
  * HR Reporting Agent

**Benefits:**

* Centralized HR information
* Consistent policy explanations
* Automatic updates for changes
* Audit trail of information source

### Scenario 3: Product Documentation

* **Product Docs Datasource**:
  * User Guide
  * API Documentation
  * Release Notes
  * Troubleshooting
* **Used by**:
  * Customer Support Agent
  * Product Assistant Agent
  * Sales Support Agent
  * Developer Relations Agent

**Benefits:**

* Keep documentation current
* Multiple agents reference same docs
* Quick updates for new releases
* Consistent technical information

***

## Best Practices for Shared Datasources

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Clear Naming" icon="tag">
    Use names that clearly indicate the content and purpose
  </Card>

  <Card title="Descriptive Metadata" icon="info">
    Document what's in the datasource and how to use it
  </Card>

  <Card title="Regular Audits" icon="clipboard">
    Review which agents use each datasource
  </Card>

  <Card title="Update Schedule" icon="calendar">
    Plan and communicate content updates
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

### Documentation

For each shared datasource, document:

* **Purpose**: What knowledge does it contain?
* **Coverage**: What topics are included?
* **Update Frequency**: How often is it updated?
* **Owner**: Who maintains it?
* **Related Agents**: Which agents use it?
* **Search Tips**: How to find information effectively?

### Content Organization

* **Structure**: Use consistent naming and organization
* **Metadata**: Add tags for easy categorization
* **Sections**: Organize by topic or department
* **Updates**: Version control and change tracking
* **Cleanup**: Remove outdated content regularly

### Performance Optimization

* **Content Quality**: Well-structured documents retrieve better
* **File Size**: Optimize large files for faster indexing
* **Specificity**: Avoid redundant or overlapping content
* **Reranking**: Enable for improved relevance
* **Top K**: Tune based on your use case

***

## Challenges & Solutions

### Challenge: Content Divergence

**Problem**: Different teams create duplicate datasources with similar content

**Solution**:

* Audit existing datasources before creating new ones
* Consolidate similar content
* Establish naming conventions
* Document datasource purposes clearly

### Challenge: Outdated Information

**Problem**: Shared datasource becomes stale, misleading agents

**Solution**:

* Assign ownership for updates
* Set update schedule and reminders
* Monitor usage patterns
* Archive old content clearly
* Enable version history

### Challenge: Conflicting Information

**Problem**: Multiple versions of policies or procedures

**Solution**:

* Single source of truth approach
* Clear deprecation process
* Version control
* Update notifications
* Audit trail of changes

***

## Migration from Individual to Shared

If you currently have separate datasources for each agent:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Audit Content">
    Review all existing datasources for duplication
  </Step>

  <Step title="Consolidate">
    Merge similar content into single datasource
  </Step>

  <Step title="Update Agents">
    Reassign agents to shared datasource
  </Step>

  <Step title="Test">
    Verify all agents work correctly
  </Step>

  <Step title="Cleanup">
    Delete old individual datasources
  </Step>

  <Step title="Document">
    Record the new shared datasource structure
  </Step>
</Steps>

***

## Next Steps

* **[Resource Types](./resource-types.mdx)** - Learn about files, URLs, and content
* **[Datasource Metadata](./datasource-metadata.mdx)** - Configure metadata and properties
* **[Types of Datasources](./datasource-types.mdx)** - Understand Manual and Google Drive options
* **[Agent Configuration](../agents/configuration.mdx)** - Assign datasources to agents