Document search is not the same as a chatbot.
Where retrieval helps, where it can fail, and why inspectable evidence matters.
Retrieval-augmented generation supplies a model with relevant external material before it produces an answer. In a document workspace, that material comes from the sources selected for the conversation.
What is retrieval-augmented generation?
Retrieval-augmented generation supplies a model with relevant external material before it produces an answer. In a document workspace, that material comes from the sources selected for the conversation.
What changes for the reader?
The answer can point back to a specific source. You can follow that reference and inspect its context rather than relying only on the model’s wording.
Keep the claim and the evidence close enough to compare.
What does retrieval not solve?
It does not guarantee complete coverage or correct interpretation. Chunking, ranking, context limits and generation all affect the result. Evaluate these stages separately when an answer is wrong.
Try the workflow
Open the sample workspace, ask a question, and follow the citation to its passage. Add a note explaining what the passage does—and does not—support.
Explore an exampleRelated questions
How are answers connected to sources?
Citely retrieves relevant passages from your documents and associates answers with source references. Open a citation to inspect its context; a citation does not by itself guarantee that a claim is correct.
Can I try Citely without creating an account?
Prepared sources, conversations, citations and notes demonstrate the complete review workflow. Request demo access to try the actual product.
Editorial draft for design review. Product-specific details should be verified before publication.