How to use Dash Assistant

This article describes a beta feature available to customers on all Dropbox Dash plans.

Dropbox Dash Assistant is a powerful AI tool designed to enhance your productivity and streamline your content creation. It includes two main apps—Chat and Write—each optimized to help you in different areas of your workflow. By scanning the documents connected to your Dash account, Dash Assistant makes it easier to access, retrieve, and work with your content.

Dropbox Dash Assistant uses third-party AI (OpenAI) and does not train on the contents of your files. Our AI features leverage machine learning to quickly find, organize, and prioritize your content. Learn more details in the full Dropbox Privacy Policy.

How to access Dash Assistant

To start using the Dash Assistant, click the Dash Assistant icon in the left sidebar. From there, you can choose between the following apps:

• Chat. A conversational interface for quick information retrieval‍
• Write. A tool for creating various types of content

How to use Dash Assistant’s Chat App

With the Chat app, you can ask questions and receive answers based on the information in the documents connected to your Dash account. Using its advanced Q&A and summarization features, it provides accurate, context-rich responses in real-time, making it easy to get the information you need.

For example, you can ask Chat to:

• Summarize long documents without reading them in their entirety
• Identify key action items or tasks mentioned in project documents without combing through each document
• Clarify complex sections or explain difficult or technical content in simpler terms

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How to ask a question in the Chat app

To ask a question in the Chat app:

1. Click the Dash Assistant icon in the left sidebar.
2. Select the Chat app.
3. When asked, “What would you like to know?”, enter your question in the text field. For example, “What are the top customer complaints in Q4?”.
   1. If you want to add reference materials that contain the information you want to include, click Add sources.
   2. Click <span class="guide-list_amplify"></span> (search) to locate the document(s) you want to add. For the example above, you could add any documents that contain customer insights or research.
   3. Click + (plus).
   4. Click Save.
4. Click <span class="guide-list_paperairplane"></span> (send) to generate your answer.

How to use Dash Assistant’s Write app

The Write app streamlines the process of creating new content leveraging the documents connected to your Dash account. Write scans your documents to extract relevant information for use in the new content it generates. After the draft is generated, you can edit the content in real time and apply predefined writing styles to align it with your specific needs. This significantly reduces the manual effort you’ll spend compiling information from multiple sources, allowing you to create polished drafts quickly and efficiently.

Here are some examples of what you can create with the Write app:

• Client follow-up emails using existing documents as reference
• Financial summaries drawn from existing reports
• Project proposals based on various project plans
• Action item lists contained within meeting notes

How to create new content using the Write app

To create new content:

1. Click the Dash Assistant icon in the left sidebar.
2. Select the Write app.
3. Choose the type of content you want to create: Email, Report, Proposal, or Other.
4. If you want to add reference materials that contain specific information you want to include:some text
   1. Click Add sources.
   2. Click <span class="guide-list_amplify"></span> (search) to find the document(s) you want to add.
   3. Click + (plus).
   4. Click Save.
5. If you don’t want to add reference materials at this time, click Add later. Write generates content based on the information it finds in your connected files and general knowledge that the AI has.
6. When prompted, type details about the content you want to write in the text field.
7. Click <span class="guide-list_paperairplane"></span> (send) to generate the first draft of your content.
8. When the content displays in the right preview window, you can:
   1. Add more context or commands to refine your content.
   2. Select an option from the left style drop-down menu to change the tone or style.
9. When you’re satisfied, click Export in the upper left.
10. Choose Copy text or Copy markdown from the dropdown menu.
11. Paste the text wherever you’d like.