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

# Understand context

> Choose where to put the knowledge Dawn needs for your work.

Context helps Dawn understand the meaning of your data and the way your organisation works. It includes the assets attached to a conversation, your personal preferences, and shared business knowledge.

These serve different purposes. Attaching a dataset tells Dawn what you want to work on now. Recording an agreed metric definition gives it knowledge that should be reusable later.

## Choose the right place

| Information                            | Where to put it                                         | Example                                                                |
| -------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Assets for the current task            | Conversation context using **+ → Add context or image** | The dataset and pipeline you want to investigate                       |
| Your role and working preferences      | **Context → Personal**                                  | Explain statistical results in plain language                          |
| How the organisation operates          | **Context → Business**                                  | Customer segments, products, and operating model                       |
| How business concepts relate to data   | **Context → Data**                                      | Orders come from the sales system and join to customers by customer ID |
| Calculations and metric definitions    | **Context → Catalogue**                                 | Net revenue excludes tax and cancelled orders                          |
| Analytics opportunities and priorities | **Context → Roadmap**                                   | Investigate the causes of late deliveries                              |
| Shared instructions and house rules    | **Context → Conventions**                               | Show currency and reporting period on every chart                      |
| A repeatable method                    | **Context → Skills**                                    | The steps for preparing the monthly performance review                 |

Some tabs and editing actions depend on permissions. A convention is an instruction to the agent; it is not a replacement for platform or source-system access controls.

## Start small

Open **Context → Overview**. Add one fact that would otherwise need explaining repeatedly, or use **Ask Dawn to check for gaps** before starting an analysis.

A useful fact includes a specific meaning and boundary:

```text theme={null}
For our monthly sales reports, net revenue excludes GST and cancelled orders.
Refunds are recognised in the month they are issued. This definition applies
from 1 July 2026. The finance team owns the definition.
```

Ask Dawn to help place it in the right section, then inspect the prepared update. Save related data locations and calculation rules in the appropriate sections rather than duplicating the same paragraph everywhere.

## Understand conversation context

Use the **+** beside the message box to select the dataset, connection, pipeline, report, dashboard, or other relevant asset. Check the selected context when switching between tasks or similarly named assets.

Do not assume that a detail mentioned in one conversation has been saved as shared context. If it matters later, explicitly ask for an update and verify the resulting entry.

## Personal context

In **Personal**, you can record your industry, function, analytics experience, and additional working information. Use shared context for definitions the whole team should follow.

Keep credentials in [Connections → Credentials](/guides/secrets), rather than in any context field.

## Maintain context over time

When a source, definition, or business process changes, review the associated context. Add the effective date and evidence, resolve contradictory entries, and check the impact on future analysis.

Continue with [maintaining and reviewing context](/context/maintaining-context) for a practical workflow.