Who This Is For
This guide is for anyone who uses Ask and is not sure what to ask Lumen. The "+" button gives you a starting point instead of a blank box.
What It Does
A short menu of things Lumen can do for you
On the Ask welcome screen, there is a "+" button in the composer, next to the microphone and send buttons. Clicking it opens a short menu of things Lumen can do for you.
- Run statistics
- Trends, averages, outliers, and rankings across your spreadsheets.
- Use our built-in accountant
- Totals and spend from your purchase orders, invoices, and receipts.
How It Works
Three steps from menu to answer
Open the menu
On the Ask welcome screen, click the "+" button in the composer, next to the microphone and send buttons.
Choose an entry
Choosing an entry types an opening line into the box for you, with a bracketed part like ‹name a spreadsheet or column› that you replace with your own detail.
Edit and send
The message is not sent and nothing runs automatically. Edit the bracketed part with your own detail, then press send like any other question.
What You Can Ask
A starting point, not a limit
The launcher answers the question "what can I even ask?" It is a starting point for discovery, not the only thing Lumen can help with. Once you have sent a question, you can keep asking follow-up questions in plain language, just as you would without the menu.
Why the List Changes
Only entries that will actually work
The menu only ever lists things Lumen can actually do right now. If something is not switched on for your organization, it does not appear in the list. That means the menu will never offer you something that then fails.
Your data still follows your normal permissions. The launcher does not give you access to anything you could not already ask for.
Common Questions
- Does clicking an entry send the question right away?
- No. It types an opening line into the box. You edit it and press send yourself.
- Why don't I see certain entries?
- The menu only shows things that are switched on for your organization, so it will never suggest something that would fail.
- Can I still type my own question?
- Yes. The launcher is a shortcut for people who are not sure what to ask. You can always type a question directly instead.
- Does this change what I have access to?
- No. Your data still follows your normal permissions. The launcher only surfaces things you could already ask for.