Once Spekit is connected to your AI tool, you can search your library, open a full Spek, and cite an approved answer without leaving the conversation. You only see what your Spekit role already lets you see, so nothing you find here is content you were not meant to have.
ℹ️ This article covers the read tools. To create or change content, see Create and update content with Spekit MCP.
1. Before you start
You need the Spekit connector set up in your AI tool. If you have not done that yet, start with the Spekit MCP overview and the setup article for your tool.
Some tools also need you to select Spekit as a source for the conversation before it will use the connector. If your AI tool answers from general knowledge instead of your library, that is usually why.
💡 Pro Tip: Say "use Spekit" in your request. It is the simplest way to tell your AI tool where the answer should come from.
2. Ask a question and get an approved answer
Ask your question in plain language. Your AI tool runs a keyword search across every Spek you can access, then answers from what it finds.
| Ask for this | Example request |
|---|---|
| A single approved answer | "What is our approved answer on data residency? Use Spekit." |
| A comparison | "How do we position against our top competitor on pricing? Use our Spekit content." |
| A short version for a buyer | "Summarize our security overview Spek in 3 sentences I can send a customer." |
If the search returns nothing, the content may be filed under a term you did not use, or it may sit outside your role. Try the Topic name instead of the question.
3. Browse your Topics
Searching works when you know what you are looking for. Browsing works when you do not.
- Ask your AI tool to list your Topics. It returns the Topics you can access, with their direct subtopics.
- Pick a Topic and ask to go deeper. It returns that Topic's parents and subtopics, so you can move up or down the tree.
- Ask for the content in a Topic. It returns the Speks filed under it.
4. Open a full Spek
A search result gives you the answer. Opening the Spek gives you the whole thing.
Ask for a Spek by name or from a search result. Your AI tool returns the full body and the Topics it is filed under. Topic assignments tell you how the content is organized and what else sits beside it.
If a Spek has a file attached, you can also ask for the text contents of that file.
💡 Pro Tip: Asking for the Topic assignments along with the body is a fast way to find related content. The other Speks under the same Topic are usually the next thing you need.
5. Find Companies and Deal Rooms
The read tools also cover your account-facing records.
| Ask for this | What comes back |
|---|---|
| Your companies | The companies visible to you. You can filter by name. |
| Your Deal Rooms | The Deal Rooms visible to you. You can filter by name. |
Filtering by name is the quickest route when you know the account. Ask for Deal Rooms matching the company name rather than listing everything.
6. Cite your source
An answer is more useful when the reader can check it. Ask for the Spek title alongside the answer, so you can point a colleague or a buyer at the governed source rather than at a chat summary.
This matters most when you paste the answer somewhere else. The conversation is yours, but the Spek is the record your team maintains.
7. Best practices
| Practice | Why it helps |
|---|---|
| Name the Topic, Company, or Deal Room in your request | Narrows the search instead of scanning your whole library. |
| Ask for the Spek title with the answer | Gives you a citation you can share. |
| Browse when search comes up empty | The content may be filed under a different term than the one you used. |
| Check the Spek body before sending it onward | Summaries lose detail. The body is the approved wording. |
| Do not assume missing means deleted | If you cannot see a Spek in the web app, the connector cannot see it either. |