> 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/workspaces.md).

# Workspaces

A workspace gives your team one place to work on a stated purpose. It has a handling floor, members, an operating profile, and selected features. You must select a workspace before you use most operational pages.

## Choose an existing workspace

{% stepper %}
{% step %}

### Select Choose workspace

In **Operations & workspaces**, select **Choose workspace**.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Find the workspace

The **Workspaces** page opens on **Your workspaces**. Use **Find a workspace** and **Search** if the list is long.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Review the workspace card

Check its name, purpose, and handling marking. Select **Context and setup** to see more context and the operating profile.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Open the workspace

Select **Open workspace**. CORTEX selects it and opens **Workspace overview**.
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}

Select **Manage workspace** on the card if you need to inspect its details, connectivity, or members. On the **Workspaces** page, **Directory** shows the cards and **Map** opens **Workspace atlas**. The Map view helps you choose a workspace by place. It does not replace the card's purpose and handling check.

{% hint style="info" %}
If a workspace is absent, clear the search. Check that you are in the correct organisation. Your list contains only workspaces available to your account and handling scope. Ask a workspace Manager to check your membership and expiry if you expect to see another workspace.
{% endhint %}

## Create a workspace

The **Create workspace** tab appears only when your account has workspace creation permission. If it is absent, ask the authorised administrator to check your grant. Creating a workspace also creates your founding **Manager** membership.

{% stepper %}
{% step %}

### Open workspace selection

Select **Operations & workspaces** → **Choose workspace**.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Start creating a workspace

Select **Create workspace**.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Complete the workspace setup

Complete the five steps in order: **Basics**, **Profile**, **Features**, **Connectivity**, and **Review**.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Review the workspace

On **Review**, check the name, purpose, handling, expiry, profile, selected features, and connectivity.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Create the workspace

Select **Create workspace**. Wait for the success message. The new workspace then appears under **Your workspaces**.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Open the workspace

Select **Open workspace** on its card when you are ready to work in it.
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}

You can select **Back** to change an earlier step. You can select a completed step in the progress list. **Cancel** discards the draft. CORTEX does not save a partial workspace while you move between steps. The final **Create workspace** action attempts one retained save.

### Basics

Enter the following required fields:

| Field on the screen                              | What to enter                                                               |
| ------------------------------------------------ | --------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Workspace name**                               | A distinct name with 3 to 120 characters.                                   |
| **Operational purpose**                          | The decision or outcome the team will support, with 10 to 2,000 characters. |
| **Handling and founding access**                 | The classification and any required restrictions for the workspace.         |
| **Founding membership expiry (UTC, end of day)** | A future date within 366 days.                                              |

Select **Optional context and governance: add now or after creation** if you need to add subjects, targets, identifiers, a retained area of interest, or an approved governance profile. These details do not grant access or lower the handling floor. An authorised Manager can add or update context later.

Select **Continue**. If a required field is wrong, read its validation message, correct the field, and select **Continue** again. CORTEX keeps the draft on the page while you correct it.

### Profile

Choose an **Operating profile**. The profile selects an initial presentation and features for the workspace. It does not give a person a permission or enable a disabled node capability.

| Profile shown on the screen             | Starting focus                                                                         |
| --------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **General Intelligence**                | The usual requirement, collection, analysis, product, and feedback cycle.              |
| **Defence / UK Intelligence Community** | The usual cycle, plus defence context and futures.                                     |
| **Law Enforcement**                     | The usual cycle, plus police tasking, control strategies, and protective risk.         |
| **Corporate / Private Investigation**   | An investigation presentation without police or defence controls.                      |
| **Custom**                              | Required Direction and Collection features, with other features chosen by the creator. |

Choose the profile that matches the workspace purpose. Then select **Continue**.

### Features

Review **Workspace features**. Direction and Collection are required. Other choices include Analysis, Products, Dissemination, Feedback, Operational mapping, and Assurance. Open **Advanced and specialist features** for News and OSINT, Police tasking, Control strategies, Defence context, Futures, and Protective risk.

Select only the features the workspace needs. A selected feature controls presentation. It does not approve a source, grant a role, or make a node capability available. Select **Continue**.

### Connectivity

Read the **Connectivity** summary. It shows the effective host, organisation, and handling policy for this workspace. If a function needs connectivity that the current policy does not allow, ask the responsible administrator before you plan work that depends on it. Select **Continue**.

### Review

Check every value. In particular, check the handling floor and restrictions, the founding membership expiry, and the list of selected features. Select **Create workspace** only when the values match the task. CORTEX saves one workspace and your founding Manager membership. It does not create a requirement, source, plan, or product.

{% hint style="warning" %}
If the save fails, read the page error. Correct the named problem and try again. A changed permission, handling rule, or invalid optional context can stop the save even after earlier steps passed.
{% endhint %}

## Manage workspace details

{% stepper %}
{% step %}

### Open Workspace settings

Select **People & settings** → **Workspace settings**. You can also select **Manage workspace** on a workspace card.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Review workspace details

Read **Workspace details**. It shows the current version, name, and purpose.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Update the details

If you have permission to edit, change **Name** or **Purpose**. Enter **Reason for change**. Select **Save workspace**.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Confirm the update

Wait for confirmation. Check the new version and **Recent changes**.
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}

The reason must have 10 to 1,000 characters. The name must have 3 to 120 characters. The purpose must have 10 to 2,000 characters. CORTEX checks the saved version when you submit a change. If someone changed the workspace first, refresh, inspect the newer version, and make your change again.

{% hint style="warning" %}
Changing workspace details does not change earlier requirements, evidence, or decisions. Do not use a name change to move work to a different purpose without recording the correct reason and following your organisation's procedure.
{% endhint %}

## Manage the operating profile and features

An authorised Manager can edit **Operating profile and features** in **Workspace settings**.

{% stepper %}
{% step %}

### Review the current setup

Read the current **Operating profile** and **Workspace features**.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Select a profile

Select a profile if the workspace purpose has changed. Review the features that the profile selects.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Adjust features

Add or remove optional features as needed. Open **Advanced and specialist features** for the specialist choices.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Record the reason

Enter **Reason for change**.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Save the workspace experience

Select **Save workspace experience**.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Check the result

Check the confirmation and **Recent changes**.
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}

A feature change can make a menu item appear or disappear for a user who has the required permission. It does not delete retained records, revisions, or audit history. It does not add a permission. The node can still disable a selected feature.

## Check connectivity

In **Workspace settings**, read **Connectivity**. This is the effective policy for the current workspace and handling context. The badge in the header also links to this section. If it says a function is unavailable, use the explanation there. A Manager's workspace feature choice cannot override host or organisation policy.

## Manage members

Only an authorised person can add or change workspace membership.

{% stepper %}
{% step %}

### Open member settings

Open **Workspace settings** and find **Members**.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Review current membership

Review the current members, roles, and expiry dates.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Add or edit a member

To change a member, select **Edit member** on that row. To add one, use **Find an organisation account**, enter the email, and select **Find accounts**. Select the correct account.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Choose a role

Choose **Role**: **Reader**, **Analyst**, or **Manager**.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Set membership details

Set **Expires (UTC, end of day when changed)** to a future date within 366 days. Use **Membership enabled** to set the membership state.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Record the reason

Enter **Reason** with 10 to 1,000 characters.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Save and confirm

Select **Save membership**. Check the member list and **Recent changes**.
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}

{% hint style="warning" %}
At least one active Manager must remain. A workspace role is one part of access. CORTEX also checks the organisation grant, the exact task permission, handling, feature selection, and current record state. A membership change does not transfer ownership of a saved requirement or approve any work.
{% endhint %}

## Start work from the workspace page

The **Start working in this workspace** section gives the main sequence:

{% stepper %}
{% step %}

### Direct

Select **record a requirement** to state the question and intended use.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Collect

Select **plan collection** to answer the requirement. Register sources when needed.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Analyse

Select **create an analytical workspace** to work with the requirement and authorised material.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Product

Select **draft a product** to make an internal draft.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Feedback

Select **inspect releases** and record feedback against a shared, acknowledged release.
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}

Each link opens its own workflow. Each workflow has its own save and review checks. [Your first session](/getting-started/first-session.md) gives a short path through the same sequence.