microsoft / microsoft/simplechat

Public Workspace for Documentation in Simple Chat

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#476 0 comments 0 reactions 1 assignee Claimed by @paullizer View on GitHub
documentation
Dominant language
Python
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152
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116
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7h 7m
Merged PRs (30d)
122

Description

Add the ability to include documentation as a **Public Workspace** in Simple Chat so that it is automatically loaded into AI Search. This would allow users to directly ask questions about the documentation from within Simple Chat, instead of navigating externally.

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## Motivation

* Many users will want quick answers from documentation without leaving Simple Chat.
* Embedding documentation in a Public Workspace makes it discoverable in AI Search, improving usability and knowledge access.
* This also opens the door to using the **default agent** as a gateway to documentation APIs or linked resources.

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## Proposal

1. **Public Workspace for Docs**

* Enable admins to publish official documentation into a Public Workspace.
* Documentation would be chunked, indexed, and searchable by AI Search.

2. **Optional Admin Setting**

* Provide a toggle in Admin Settings to enable or disable this feature.
* If enabled, the documentation workspace becomes searchable across all users.

3. **Default Agent Integration (Optional)**

* Allow an admin to link the documentation workspace to the default agent.
* This could let users query documentation naturally, either via embedded context or via API calls to docs.

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## Alternatives Considered

* **External Documentation Site Only**

* Current state: documentation exists but is not searchable within Simple Chat.
* Downside: users must switch contexts, slowing workflow.

* **Dedicated Documentation Agent**

* An agent solely for docs, instead of a workspace.
* Could be useful, but adds extra navigation overhead.

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## Benefits

* Centralizes knowledge inside Simple Chat.
* Reduces friction for new users learning features.
* Provides a better self-service support experience.
* Aligns with how customers expect modern copilots to surface knowledge.

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## Next Steps

* Define whether documentation should be **always included** in Public Workspaces or **admin-enabled**.
* Explore whether this should tie directly to the default agent or remain a standalone workspace.
* Consider linking to external APIs (docs, changelogs, support articles) to keep the workspace current.

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Would you like me to also create a **checklist/acceptance criteria section** (like “When enabled, documentation appears in AI Search results” etc.) so devs can track readiness in GitHub?

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