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

# Answer from the project's documents, with citations

> An answer where every claim cites a passage of the current version. It names sources that disagree and prefers the document that the person says governs.

Guide · core

> **Use when**
>
> A person asks what the project's documents say about something.

> **Looking for something else?**
>
> Facts the Graph already holds as entities (card [Entity](https://docs.pnbr.io/concepts/entity.md)). Adding documents first (recipe [Bring a set of documents into the project](https://docs.pnbr.io/guides/bring-in-a-corpus.md)).

## Outcome

Each claim in the answer names its document, source date and passage.
Nothing in the answer comes from outside the project.

## Before you start

* The documents must be in the project and searchable. After you add them,
  check readiness first (recipe [bring-in-a-corpus](https://docs.pnbr.io/guides/bring-in-a-corpus.md), card rule [collection.3](https://docs.pnbr.io/concepts/collection.md#rule-collection-3)).
* Answer from Penumbra, not from local copies of the files. The person needs
  citations they can reopen.

## Steps

1. Search with the person's words and with the words a document would use:
   `penumbra files search "<query>" --collection-id <id>`. Read the mode the
   result states (card rules [search.1](https://docs.pnbr.io/concepts/search.md#rule-search-1) and [search.2](https://docs.pnbr.io/concepts/search.md#rule-search-2)). MCP: `omnisearch`.
2. If a search finds nothing, try other words and lexical mode before you
   conclude the project lacks the fact (card rule [search.10](https://docs.pnbr.io/concepts/search.md#rule-search-10)).
3. Read the text around each passage you will use: `penumbra files text <file>`
   (card rule [passage.9](https://docs.pnbr.io/concepts/passage.md#rule-passage-9)). MCP: `read`.
4. When two documents disagree, do not choose by date alone. First prefer the
   document that the person says governs. A newer draft or proposal does not
   replace a document that governs. Among the documents that remain, list their
   source dates with `penumbra files versions <file>`; the newest decision
   wins. Say what it replaced, and say that the sources disagree (card rule
   [search.8](https://docs.pnbr.io/concepts/search.md#rule-search-8)). If neither the person nor the documents show which one governs,
   keep both in the answer and say so.
5. Keep the File name, source date and passage ID for each claim (card rule
   [search.9](https://docs.pnbr.io/concepts/search.md#rule-search-9)).

## Check

* Each claim maps to a passage ID that `penumbra files chunks <passage-id>`
  reopens.
* No claim rests on a document outside the question.

## If it goes wrong

| You see | Read |
| - | - |
| Search returns nothing | problem [search-returns-nothing](https://docs.pnbr.io/troubleshooting/search-returns-nothing.md) |
| A File you added is missing from results | problem [new-file-not-searchable-yet](https://docs.pnbr.io/troubleshooting/new-file-not-searchable-yet.md) |
| Two editions of one document both answer | problem [two-editions-two-files](https://docs.pnbr.io/troubleshooting/two-editions-two-files.md) |

## Worth offering

* If two documents disagree, show both with their source dates, ask which one
  governs, and offer to say which one is current.
* If the answer states facts that the Graph does not hold, offer to add them as
  cited entities (recipe [capture-by-hand](https://docs.pnbr.io/guides/capture-by-hand.md)).
* If search finds nothing, offer to bring in the documents that hold the answer
  (recipe [bring-in-a-corpus](https://docs.pnbr.io/guides/bring-in-a-corpus.md)).

## Report

Give the answer first. Under each claim, name the document, its source date
and the passage. Say where documents disagree, which one you preferred, and
why. Say which questions the documents do not answer.

## Keep going

[Search](https://docs.pnbr.io/concepts/search.md) · [Passage and citation](https://docs.pnbr.io/concepts/passage.md) · [File](https://docs.pnbr.io/concepts/file.md) · [Collection](https://docs.pnbr.io/concepts/collection.md) · [Bring a set of documents into the project](https://docs.pnbr.io/guides/bring-in-a-corpus.md)

Penumbra Grammar 0.6.26


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