Getting Data into CORAS.ai

This section covers data ingestion — bringing structured data from external sources into CORAS. If you're an end user looking to start a Gary conversation, go to Gary AI — Getting Started.

Before GARY can analyze your data, surface insights, or run scenarios, that data needs to live somewhere in CORAS.ai. There are three ways to get it there. Each one serves a different purpose and produces a different result. Understanding which method fits your situation saves time and produces better outputs from GARY.

Why This Matters

• GARY's outputs are only as good as the data he's working from. Knowing how your data got into CORAS.ai — and which method is right for your use case — is the foundation of effective Gary conversations.

• The three methods aren't mutually exclusive. Most organizations use all three. Structured program data comes in through ingestion. Reference documents go into the Library. One-off files get uploaded directly in GARY.

• The method you choose determines who can see the data, how long it persists, and whether GARY can work from it across all conversations or just one.

The Three Methods

1. Central Ingestion

For structured data that needs to live in your SmartLists permanently.

Central Ingestion is how you bring spreadsheets, CSVs, and other tabular data into CORAS at scale. You upload a file, map its columns to CORAS fields, and import the records into a node and list. Once ingested, that data is available to GARY, SmartBoards, SmartLanes, and every other CORAS feature that reads from list data.

Use this when:

• You have structured data in a spreadsheet or CSV that belongs in a SmartList

• You're onboarding a new program, portfolio, or dataset into CORAS

• You need data to persist across sessions and be available to your whole team

• You want GARY to analyze that data as part of his standard list context

What to know:

• Ingestion is an admin-level action

• Records ingested here are visible to anyone with access to that node

• Data stays in CORAS permanently until removed by an admin

• GARY can analyze ingested data any time you point him at the right list

See Central Ingestion and Multi-Node Ingest for step-by-step instructions.

2. The Library

The Library is your organization's shared file store — documents, SOPs, references, and supporting materials that any user in your tenant can access and bring into a GARY conversation.

Unlike Central Ingestion, which processes structured data (like Excel files) into SmartLists, the Library is for documents GARY reads and reasons over — PDFs, Word docs, PowerPoint decks, and other unstructured files.

Library files are available in GARY as File Library files, a distinct source type separate from System Documents. They don't surface in GARY automatically — a user selects them from the Sources panel when they want GARY to reference a specific file.

Getting a Library file into GARY takes two steps:

1. An admin uploads the file in Admin Settings → Libraries

2. Any user analyzes and selects it from Sources → File Library in GARY

For the full walkthrough, see Libraries.

Note: Excel files (.xlsx) don't belong in the Library. Excel data should go through Central Ingestion so records land in a SmartList where GARY can analyze them properly.

3. In the GARY Window

For one-off files you need GARY to work from in a single conversation.

When you need GARY to analyze a specific document for the conversation you're in right now — a draft report, a data export, a policy memo — you upload it directly in the GARY chat window. The file is available for that session only and is visible only to you.

Use this when:

• You have a document relevant to one specific conversation

• The file doesn't need to be shared with your team or persist across sessions

• You want GARY to extract insights, summarize, or analyze a document alongside your list data

What to know:

• Supported file types: PDF, Word, Excel, .txt, .md, JSON

• Files uploaded this way are Conversation Documents — they disappear when the conversation ends

• Only you can see files uploaded directly in GARY

• You can drag and drop files directly into the text box or use the + icon at the bottom left of the GARY window

See GARY AI — Getting Started for the full upload workflow.

Which Method Should I Use?

• Structured data that belongs in a SmartList = Central Ingestion

• Reference documents the whole team needs in GARY = Library

• A one-off file for this conversation only = GARY Window

• Data that needs to persist and be analyzed by GARY over time = Central Ingestion

• A document attached to a specific list item = Attach to the item - it surfaces as a System Document automatically

Get Help

Contact your Customer Success Manager or visit the Customer Resource Center for additional support with data ingestion and GARY configuration.