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How to Practically Upload Your Know-How (Working with the Sources Folder)

Let's recall that all your knowledge materials are uploaded to the sources folder (and its subfolders Files, Texts, URLs) on your linked Google Drive account. After uploading or modifying these materials, you must always update know-how as explained in the previous step, so that the changes take effect and BuddyPro "reads" and processes the new information.

We recommend uploading Know-How in smaller portions and updating know-how after each portion. This way you have better control over processing and can also verify the cost for the processed portion using the /stats command.

Supported File Formats and Content Types -- Recap​

You can provide your know-how to BuddyPro in various formats:

  • Files from your computer (uploaded to the sources/Files folder):
    • Documents: PDF (ideally with text layer, not just scanned images), Microsoft Word .docx, plain text .txt.
    • Audio files: You can also upload a video file (e.g. MP4), BuddyPro will primarily process the audio track from it.
    • Video files: BuddyPro primarily processes the audio track for transcription to text. It does not currently analyze the video content (e.g., graphs in a video must be verbally commented for BuddyPro to understand them).
    • Images: BuddyPro will attempt to analyze the image and transcribe its textual content. It does not understand the general visual context of an image unless it is described by text.
  • Google Docs (created or moved to the sources/Texts folder): Ideal for text that you want to update frequently and easily (e.g. FAQs, latest practices, term definitions, fixes for errors you've encountered). BuddyPro works directly with the content of these Google Docs.
  • URL links (inserted into the sources/URLs/URL SOURCES.gdoc file -- each link on a new line):
    • Publicly accessible websites and blog articles: BuddyPro will attempt to download and process their textual content. Insert links to specific pages (e.g. a specific article), not to the entire website.
    • YouTube videos: Recommended maximum length is approximately 2 hours. Videos must be set to Public or Unlisted. BuddyPro can process entire channels and playlists.
    • Videos on Vimeo: You can transcribe an entire Vimeo folder if you have a Standard Vimeo plan or higher.
    • General rule: Always check the availability of a URL in the anonymous window of your browser. If the content loads there (without having to log in), BuddyPro should be able to handle it.

Working with Individual Subfolders in Sources -- What Goes Where?​

For proper functioning, it's crucial to follow the designated folder structure:

  • πŸ“ sources/Files: Upload files from your computer directly here (PDF, DOCX, MP3, MP4, JPG, PNG, etc.). Do not create any other custom subfolders in this folder! All files must be placed directly in the root. Use thoughtful file names for organization.
  • πŸ“ sources/Texts: Create new Google Docs here (right-click > New Google Doc) or move existing Google Docs from other parts of your Google Drive here. Don't use subfolders here.
  • πŸ“ sources/URLs: In this folder you'll find a pre-created Google Doc, usually named URL SOURCES.gdoc. Open this file and paste the URL links into it, each on a separate new line. Don't save other files here directly.

Important Tips for Preparing and Uploading Content​

  • ⭐️ Quality and relevance first: Focus on key, valuable, current, and relevant information for your target audience. Remember that BuddyPro also draws from the extensive knowledge of general AI models. Your specific know-how serves to have AI provide contextualized, accurate, and approach-appropriate advice. You are the curator of knowledge for your AI, selecting the "best" for the purpose.

  • βš–οΈ Respect copyright: As mentioned, only upload content to which you have full copyright, or that is freely distributable (e.g., public domain, Creative Commons with appropriate license). Or create your own unique materials (e.g., with AI help for in-depth research). Uploading content you don't have rights to violates the terms of service.

  • 🧩 Logical content division: If possible and sensible, divide extensive topics into multiple smaller, thematically coherent files (e.g., individual book chapters as separate PDF/DOCX, individual course lessons as separate audio/video files). This can help AI better identify specific areas and create higher quality expert subroles.

  • πŸ—‘οΈ Avoid duplicates: Try to avoid uploading absolutely identical content multiple times (e.g., the same PDF in the Files folder and also a link to the same PDF on the web in the URLs folder). Although AI has mechanisms for working with duplicates, a clean and unique set of sources is always better. Too many duplicates can negatively affect the relevance of retrieved information for AI. Minor overlaps in content (e.g., similar topic explained in different contexts in two different videos) can, on the contrary, be beneficial.

  • πŸ‘οΈ Visual elements in materials (graphs, diagrams, images): Remember that BuddyPro primarily processes text content. If your materials contain important graphs, diagrams, or images, make sure their meaning is also verbally described and explained either directly in the material (e.g., in video you verbally comment on the graph), or in accompanying text. AI can analyze the image itself (for text content), but context and explanation are key for proper understanding.

  • πŸ”„ Updating and deleting know-how: If you need to update a file, simply replace the old version with a new one in the sources/Files folder (with the same name) or edit the content in Google Doc in the sources/Texts folder or in the URL SOURCES.gdoc file. If you want to completely remove some know-how, delete the respective source file from the sources folder (not its transcript from the TRANSCRIPTIONS folder). After any such change (addition, modification, deletion), always run update know-how in the Dashboard with the Update Know-how button so that BuddyPro registers your changes and synchronizes its knowledge base.

  • βš™οΈ Transcription settings: Don't forget that in the Dashboard in the Configuration section, Transcription Settings part, you can influence the quality and details of audio and video file transcription (see chapter 9).

Working with the RAW SOURCES Folder​

In addition to the SOURCES folder, you now have a RAW SOURCES folder available in Google Drive.

It has the same structure (subfolders Files, Texts, URLs), but works differently:

  • Content uploaded to SOURCES is automatically divided into smaller chunks (approx. 1500 characters) so that BuddyPro can extract only the parts that are most relevant when answering.
  • Content uploaded to RAW SOURCES is not chunked -- each document is processed and stored in know-how as a whole (up to a length of approx. 6000 characters).

πŸ‘‰ This is useful in situations where you need BuddyPro to have an entire document available as a whole (e.g., a recipe, instructions, contract, or methodology). If the document were stored in SOURCES, BuddyPro might use only part of it when answering, which wouldn't make sense.

⚠️ Beware of costs:

If BuddyPro retrieves multiple files from RAW SOURCES when answering, AI credit consumption can increase significantly (e.g., 10 documents x 6000 characters is several times more than 10 regular chunks of 1500 characters). Therefore, use RAW SOURCES only for content that really must be kept as a whole.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for This Step​

Can I upload a scanned PDF that's actually just an image of text, without a text layer?

BuddyPro will attempt to recognize text from the image (OCR), but quality and accuracy will be significantly lower than with a PDF with an existing text layer. Prefer PDFs where you can select and copy text.

What if I have a video longer than the recommended 3 hours?

Consider splitting the video into shorter, thematically coherent parts. Alternatively, if you have a quality text transcript for the video, upload that instead (you'll also save AI credits on transcription).

Can I really not use subfolders in the sources/Files folder for better organization?

Really not. All files intended for processing must be directly in the root of the sources/Files folder (similarly for sources/Texts and sources/URLs). Subfolders will be ignored. Use thoughtful file names for organization.

How will BuddyPro process an image that doesn't contain any readable text (e.g., just a landscape photo)?

AI will attempt to analyze the image, but if it contains no recognizable text, the benefit for your knowledge base will be minimal. The primary goal of image analysis is extraction of textual information.

If I delete a file from the sources folder, will its transcript and knowledge automatically be deleted from BuddyPro?

Yes. After deleting the source file (e.g., PDF from sources/Files) and subsequently running update know-how, BuddyPro synchronizes its database and removes the corresponding knowledge and transcript.

Is it better to upload all materials at once, or can I add them gradually?

You can do either. If you upload content gradually, remember that for optimal creation of expert subroles, it's best to have as complete a set of know-how as possible before generating them. For large know-how updates, it may be appropriate to regenerate roles (see chapter 11). In any case, after each content addition or change, you must update know-how in the dashboard.

What if I have the same information in multiple different files? Is that a problem?

If it's absolutely identical content, try to avoid it because it can slightly reduce the variability of AI responses. However, if a similar topic is explained in different contexts or with different nuances in multiple sources, it can actually be beneficial for deeper understanding of the topic by your AI.

What's the difference between uploading an MP4 file to sources/Files and inserting a link to the same YouTube video (which is also MP4) into sources/URLs/URL SOURCES.gdoc?

Functionally, the result (audio track transcript) should be similar. Uploading the file directly to Files gives you more control over the source but may take up more space on your Google Drive. A YouTube link is simpler but you depend on the video's availability on YouTube. If you have the video file, it's often safer to upload it directly.

What happens if I upload a physical .docx file to sources/Texts instead of creating/moving a Google Doc?

The sources/Texts folder is primarily intended for native Google Docs (those you create directly in Google Drive). If you upload a .docx file from your computer here, Google Drive can display and allow editing it, but for BuddyPro it's safer when you work directly with Google Doc format. .docx files belong in the sources/Files folder.

What should I watch out for with URL links?

Make sure the linked page/video is publicly accessible and doesn't require login, payment, or specific permissions. BuddyPro cannot access content behind paywalls, in closed membership sections, or on non-public corporate intranets. Always verify link functionality in an incognito browser window.