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First Steps

The Data Model​

Five main entity types form the core data model:

  • Resources - Files you upload (images, documents, videos, etc.)
  • Notes - Text content you create
  • Groups - Collections that contain Resources, Notes, and other Groups
  • Tags - Labels you attach to Resources, Notes, and Groups
  • Categories - Types for your Groups (e.g., Person, Project, Topic)

Dashboard after first setup

Step 1: Create a Category​

Categories define what kind of thing a Group represents (e.g., "Person", "Project", "Location"). Groups can optionally have a Category, but creating a few early helps keep things organized.

  1. Navigate to Categories under the Admin dropdown in the top navigation bar
  2. Click the Add button
  3. Enter a name like "Project"
  4. Click Save

Step 2: Create Some Tags​

Tags are labels you can attach to Resources, Notes, and Groups.

  1. Navigate to Tags in the top navigation bar
  2. Click the Add button
  3. Enter "In Progress" as the name
  4. Add an optional description
  5. Click Save

Repeat to create "Completed" and "On Hold" tags.

Step 3: Create a Group​

Groups hold related Resources, Notes, and other Groups.

  1. Navigate to Groups in the top navigation bar
  2. Click the Add button
  3. Enter a name like "Research Project"
  4. Add an optional description
  5. Click Save

Set a parent Group to create a hierarchy.

Step 4: Upload Resources​

Add files to your Group.

  1. Navigate to Resources in the top navigation bar
  2. Click the Create button
  3. Select one or more files to upload
  4. Add a name and description
  5. Under Groups, select "Research Project"
  6. Under Tags, select "In Progress"
  7. Click Save

Each Resource can belong to multiple Groups and have multiple Tags.

Step 5: Create a Note​

Add a Note linked to your Group.

  1. Navigate to Notes in the top navigation bar
  2. Click the Create button
  3. Enter a title like "Initial Observations"
  4. Write your note text
  5. Optionally select a Note Type
  6. Under Groups, select "Research Project"
  7. Optionally link to specific Resources
  8. Click Save

Global search finds items across all entity types -- resources, notes, groups, tags, categories, and more.

  1. Press Cmd+K (Mac) or Ctrl+K (Windows/Linux)
  2. Start typing your search query
  3. Results appear instantly, showing Resources, Notes, and Groups
  4. Click a result to navigate directly to it

Results come from the FTS5 full-text index and appear as you type.

Step 7: Explore Relationships​

See how items connect to each other.

  1. Open the "Research Project" group
  2. See all Resources and Notes in this group
  3. Click on a Resource to see its details, including all Groups and Tags
  4. Use the related items to navigate between connected content

Tips for Effective Organization​

  • Use Groups for projects or themes - Keep related items together
  • Use Tags for cross-cutting concerns - Status, priority, type of content
  • Use Categories to type your Groups - e.g., Person, Project, Location
  • Link Notes to Resources - Connect your thoughts to source materials
  • Use global search often - It's faster than clicking through menus

What's Next?​

From here, you can:

  • Create Saved Queries to store and re-run searches
  • Set up Group Relations to link Groups to each other with typed relationships
  • Use the JSON API to script and automate operations
  • Enable Image Similarity to find visually related images