> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.cortex.aic.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.cortex.aic.io/getting-started/choose-a-workspace.md).

# Choose a Workspace

Select the right workspace and begin an authorised intelligence workflow.

**Open this area:** In the CORTEX menu, select **Operations & workspaces → Choose workspace**.

Choose the protected workspace, understand its purpose and handling, then follow the connected intelligence lifecycle.

**Who uses this:** Requirement owner, Collector, Analyst, Author, Reviewer, Recipient, Administrator.\
**Open in CORTEX:** `/workspaces`.\
**In-app guide:** `/help?topic=getting-started`.

**Expected result:** You are working in the intended workspace and can identify your next authorised action.

## Before you start

* Sign in with your own provisioned account.
* Have a current global access grant and active membership of the intended workspace.
* Know the decision or task you are supporting and the handling rules that apply.

## What to do

{% stepper %}
{% step %}

## Select the workspace

Open Workspaces on the **Your workspaces** tab, use **Find a workspace** if needed, and select **Open workspace** on the intended card.

The handling badge and additional restrictions are shown before opening it. Authorised creators use the separate **Create workspace** tab.

Confirm purpose and membership; similar names do not mean interchangeable access.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

## Read the context and markings

Read the workspace brief and the protective banners above and below the page.

Operational subjects and objectives supply context; compartments and caveats are separate handling restrictions.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

## Find a tool quickly

Choose **Go to** in the header from any page, or use its **Alt+K** shortcut, then type a permitted page name or area and open it directly.

The finder and sidebar use the same current organisation, workspace and authority-filtered catalogue; every destination still rechecks access.

Operations and workspace choices stay together at the top. The selected workspace's Direction, Collection, Analyse, Products and Feedback intelligence cycle stays open. Sources and evidence, release, assurance, police operations, Defence and futures, people and help follow in focused groups.

Leadership views explain their appointment prerequisite; record-specific Defence context and Futures begin from an analytical workspace. The Field guide remains in the footer.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

## Choose a comfortable appearance

Open **Appearance** in the workspace header and select **Light**, **Dark** or **Auto**.

Auto follows the operating-system preference and updates when it changes. The choice stays in this browser and also applies to sign-in screens; it does not change permissions, handling, saved records or another user's display.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

## Set up a focused workspace

When authorised, use the Bootstrap stepper to create a workspace through **Basics**, **Operating profile**, **Features**, **Connectivity** and **Review**.

Completed steps remain selectable so you can correct the browser-only draft without extra forward/back clicks.

General Intelligence, Defence / UK Intelligence Community, Law Enforcement, Corporate / Private Investigation and Custom seed presentation choices.

Check the proposed features before the one final save; moving between steps does not create a partial workspace.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

## Adjust the experience deliberately

Open **Workspace settings** beside the current profile.

A current workspace Manager can save an operating profile and explicit feature selection with a reason and expected version. A hidden feature keeps its retained records and history.

Profiles never grant permissions or override handling, membership, host modules or organisation policy; existing workspaces keep all previously permitted features until a Manager makes an audited choice.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

## Choose the work

Use **Direction** for a question, **Collection** for tasking and evidence preparation, **Analyse** for interpretation, **Product** for authoring and controlled release, or **Feedback** for recipient observations.

On detail pages, open the named **Tasks** menu to find related work in lifecycle order.

An action remains subject to current permissions and retained-record checks.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

## Check what the overview means

Read your attention items and **Lifecycle Readiness** before opening detail.

Readiness presents a bounded, authorised requirement page with owner, state, priority, due date, observed stage status and next action. Partial, unavailable and restricted sources remain explicit; summary metadata does not certify source authority, retained pins or release readiness.

Use the full operational lists and detailed checks when needed.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

## Keep confirmed changes distinct

Use the saved version and confirmation after an action as evidence of persistence.

Read a conflict or connection message before retrying; a typed draft or loading indicator is not a saved decision.

Second-precision retained and audit timestamps are shown in UTC and expose the exact instant to assistive tools.
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}

## Check the result

* Is this the correct purpose and workspace?
* Have I checked the full protective marking, including compartments and caveats?
* Am I using the current record rather than an older read-only revision?
* Does the result show a confirmed saved version?

## If you get stuck

<details>

<summary>What do the guided workflow labels mean?</summary>

The progress bar reports your current step position, not how much of the draft is complete.

* **Ready** can proceed.
* **Required input** identifies a step that blocks progress.
* **Optional** can be skipped.
* **Not started** has not yet been assessed.

Read the missing-input list before **Continue**; final service validation still rechecks access and retained records.

</details>

<details>

<summary>Where did the prerequisite details go?</summary>

When every **Before you begin** check is **Ready**, its compact summary keeps the first form field in view. Open the summary to read each record and permission check.

A check that needs action, is still checking or is unavailable opens the details automatically with its status and direct preparation link.

The service checks current authority and retained records again when you save.

</details>

<details>

<summary>When do list filters take effect?</summary>

On Evidence memory, Analytical workspaces, Collection plans, Sources, Products and Releases, choose the page's **Search**, **Find** or **Apply filters** action to submit edited controls.

A pending-filter message identifies unsent edits. Previous and Next retain the last submitted query; changing a control alone does not change the displayed results or empty guidance.

Evidence memory's **Clear all filters** removes both pending and applied controls and returns to the first page.

Counts and empty guidance describe only records visible within your current access.

</details>

<details>

<summary>Why is an element unavailable or missing?</summary>

Workspace feature choices, enabled modules and your current authority all affect navigation.

Inspect Workspace settings, then ask the relevant Manager or administrator to check membership, expiry and capability.

A profile does not grant authority, and unavailable never means an empty dataset.

</details>

<details>

<summary>Why do another user's totals differ from mine?</summary>

Totals are scoped to the current account, workspace and full handling.

Do not infer that hidden records do not exist or copy another user's information to work around access.

</details>

<details>

<summary>Why did the appearance return to Auto?</summary>

Appearance is stored by BlazorBootstrap in the current browser. Clearing site storage or using a different browser starts from Auto again.

Select Light or Dark if you do not want operating-system changes to update CORTEX.

</details>

<details>

<summary>Will changing workspace in another tab retarget my draft?</summary>

An existing connected page retains its initial workspace selection.

Save or cancel deliberately, then reopen the intended workspace and verify its brief before starting new work.

</details>

## Responsibility and limits

* Use only your own authority and handle downloaded or copied information under organisational policy.
* Use this guidance to support professional judgement; completing a screen is not evidence of doctrinal compliance.

**Reference and scope:** JDP 2-00 (4th ed.), 1.7–1.12 and 3.1–3.9 inform directed intelligence work. Workspace selection is CORTEX implementation guidance, not a doctrinal appointment.

**Related workflows:** [Use your dashboard and tasking lifecycle](/menu-areas/operations-and-workspaces/personal-dashboard.md); [Define and manage an intelligence requirement](/workflow-guides/direction/requirements.md); [Manage accounts, grants and workspace membership](/workflow-guides/assurance/access.md); [Work through connection and deployment limits](/workflow-guides/assurance/offline.md).