Searching and Finding Documents
Keyword vs semantic, advanced filters, saved searches, smart folders, the Copilot, and what to do when you can't find something.
Searching and Finding Documents
How does search work?
Papyrus runs both keyword (SQL Server full-text) and semantic (vector similarity) search on every query, then fuses results. You don't need to choose. Just type what you want.
How is semantic search different?
Keyword finds documents that contain your exact words. Semantic finds documents that mean what you're asking about — even if they use different vocabulary. Useful for conceptual questions: “policies about working from home” finds documents about “remote work”, “WFH”, “telecommuting”.
What filters can I apply?
File type, date range, folder, author, owner, tags, classification, AI document type, status (Active/Approved/Archived), and any custom fields your admins have defined.
What are saved searches?
A query you can re-run with one click. Save any search to your sidebar; come back to it whenever. Useful for recurring needs: “Invoices over KES 500K awaiting my approval”, “Contracts expiring in next 90 days”.
What are Smart Folders?
Saved searches that look like folders in your sidebar. New documents matching the query automatically appear. Documents that no longer match disappear. The folder always reflects the current state.
When should I use the Copilot vs search?
- Search: when you want to find documents
- Copilot: when you want an answer
Search returns a list of documents. The Copilot reads documents and synthesises an answer for you, with citations.
Why isn't a document I know exists showing up in search?
Three possibilities, in order of likelihood:
- You don't have permission to see it (RBAC blocks results before display)
- The document was uploaded very recently and indexing isn't complete (try again in 60 seconds)
- The document's text isn't extractable (e.g., a low-quality scan that OCR failed on)
Does Papyrus search work in Swahili?
Yes. Both keyword and semantic search support Swahili. You can search in Swahili and find English documents (and vice versa) for related concepts.