Skip to main content

How to practically upload your know-how (working with the sources folder on Google Drive)

Recall that all your knowledge materials are uploaded to the sources folder (and its subfolders Files, Texts, URLs) in your linked Google Drive account. After uploading or editing these materials, you must always run the /update command in your BuddyPro instance in Telegram for the changes to take effect and for BuddyPro to "load" and process the new information.

tip

We recommend uploading your Know-How in smaller parts and calling /update after each part. This way, you will have better control over the processing and can also verify the cost of each processed part using the /stats command.

8.1 Supported file formats and content types​

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

Files from your computer (uploaded to the Sources/Files folder)​

  • Documents:
    • PDF: Ideally those that contain a text layer (not just scanned images without recognized text - OCR).
    • Microsoft Word: .docx format.
    • Plain text: .txt format.
    • Word documents.
  • 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.

Each link goes on a new line in the file.

  • Publicly accessible websites and blog articles: BuddyPro will attempt to download and process their textual content.
    • Tip: Insert links to specific pages (e.g. a specific article), not to the entire website (e.g. the main blog page).
  • YouTube videos:
    • The recommended maximum length of a video is approximately 2 hours. For longer videos, consider breaking them up or providing a good quality text transcript.
    • Videos must be set to Public or Unlisted (available via link). Private videos will not work.
    • BuddyPro can process entire channels and playlists. Just paste the channel or playlist link into the file sources/URLs/URL SOURCES.gdoc.
    • Note that if you paste in a channel link, shorts will be excluded. To transcribe shorts add a link to your channel's shorts, e.g. https://www.youtube.com/@yourchannel/shorts
  • Videos on Vimeo:
    • You can transcribe an entire Vimeo folder if you have a Standard Vimeo plan or higher.
    • How to transcribe Vimeo folders (click to expand)
warning

You can only use this feature if you are on a Standard Vimeo plan or higher.

To be able to transcribe Vimeo folders, you need to add an access token.

How to obtain an access token from Vimeo:

  1. Create a new app in the Vimeo developer portal - https://developer.vimeo.com/apps/new

    Screenshot 2025-11-15 at 11.19.02.png

  2. Go to Generate Access Token

    Screenshot 2025-11-15 at 11.23.18.png

  3. Select Authenticated (you)

    Screenshot 2025-11-15 at 11.20.02.png

  4. Under Scopes, select Private, Video Files and click Generate.

    Screenshot 2025-11-15 at 11.20.18.png

  5. Copy your token. You won't be able to see the token once you leave or refresh the page.

    Screenshot 2025-11-15 at 11.29.22.png

How to transcribe a Vimeo folder with Buddy:

  1. Add the access token using the following command:

    /setVimeoAccessToken:token

  2. Paste in a folder link (e.g. https://vimeo.com/user/<user_id>/folder/<folder_id>) to your URLS/URL SOURCES document on Google Drive and call the /update command.

Your Vimeo folder link will be replaced by a list of download links for the discovered videos from the folder (and any subfolders). Transcriptions of individual video links can be found under the URLS/TRANSCRIPTIONS folder.

--- Vimeo folder https://vimeo.com/user/<user_id>/folder/<folder_id> video download links ---
video link 1
video link 2
------------------------
  • Videos that are restricted to play only on a specific domain (called "domain-level privacy") may not work.
note

General rule of thumb for URLs: 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. Sites behind a paywall or requiring a login will not work.

8.2 Working with subfolders in sources - where does what belong?​

For proper functioning it is crucial to follow the specified folder structure:

sources/Files​

Upload files from your computer directly here (PDF, DOCX, MP3, MP4, JPG, PNG, etc.).

Note: Do not create any other custom subfolders in this folder (or in the other sources subfolders)! All files must be placed directly in the root of the respective subfolder (Files, Texts, URLs). Otherwise BuddyPro will not process the content in your own subfolders.

File naming. This will make it easier to navigate if you need to update or delete a file later. For BuddyPro itself, the name of the file is not as important as its content and uniqueness.

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.

Again: don't use subfolders here.

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, just keep this one document with a list of URLs.

8.3 Important tips for preparing and uploading content​

  • Quality and relevance first: Focus on key, valuable, timely and relevant information for your target audience. Remember that BuddyPro also draws on extensive knowledge of general AI models. Your specific know-how serves to ensure that AI provides contextualized, accurate advice that is relevant to your approach. You are the curator of knowledge for your AI, selecting the "best" for the purpose.
  • Respect copyright: As mentioned, only upload content that you have full copyright to or that is freely distributable (e.g., public domain, Creative Commons with appropriate licensing). Alternatively, create your own unique documentation (e.g. using AI for in-depth research). Uploading content that you do not have rights to is against the terms of service.
  • Logical content segmentation: If possible and if it makes sense, split large 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 better quality expert subroles.
  • Avoid duplication: Try to avoid uploading exactly identical content multiple times (e.g., the same PDF in the Files folder while linking to the same PDF on the web in the URLs folder). While AI has mechanisms for dealing with duplicates, a clean and unique set of resources is always better. Too many duplicates can negatively affect the relevance of the retrieved information for AI. Conversely, slight overlaps in content (e.g., a similar topic explained in different contexts in two different videos) can be beneficial.
  • Visual elements in materials (charts, diagrams, images): remember that BuddyPro primarily handles textual content. If your materials contain important charts, diagrams or images, make sure that their meaning is also verbally described and explained either directly in the material (e.g. in a video you verbally comment on a chart) or in the accompanying text. While the image itself can be parsed by AI (for textual content), context and explanation are key to proper understanding.
  • Updating and deleting know-how: If you need to update a file, simply replace the old version with the new one in the sources/Files folder (with the same name) or edit the content in Google Docs in the sources/Texts folder or in the URL file SOURCES.gdoc. If you want to remove some know-how completely, delete the corresponding source file from the sources folder (not the transcript from the TRANSCRIPTIONS folder). After any such change (add, edit, delete), always run the /update command so that BuddyPro registers your changes and synchronizes its knowledge base.
  • Transcription Settings: remember that you have a file called transcription_settings.gdoc in the root of your BuddyPro folder on Google Drive where you can affect the quality and details of the transcription of audio and video files (see Chapter 9).

8.4 Working with the RAW SOURCES folder​

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

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

  • Content uploaded to SOURCES is automatically split into smaller chunks (about 1,500 characters), so BuddyPro can pick only the most relevant parts when answering.
  • Content uploaded to RAW SOURCES is not chunked -- each document is processed and stored in your knowledge base as a whole (up to about 6,000 characters).

This is useful when you need BuddyPro to always have access to the entire document as one piece (e.g., a recipe, contract, manual, or methodology). If such a document were placed in SOURCES, BuddyPro might only use a part of it, which could break its meaning.

warning

Cost note: If BuddyPro pulls several documents from RAW SOURCES during an answer, the AI credit consumption can increase significantly (e.g., 10 documents x 6,000 characters each is much heavier than 10 regular 1,500-character chunks). Use RAW SOURCES only for content that really needs to be kept intact.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)​

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

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

What if my video is longer than the recommended 3 hours?

Consider breaking the video into shorter, thematically coherent sections. Alternatively, if you have a good quality text transcript for the video, upload that instead (you'll save AI transcription credits as well).

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

You really can't. All files to be processed 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 contains no readable text (e.g., just a photograph of a landscape)?

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

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

When you delete a source file (e.g., a PDF from sources/Files) and then run the /update command, BuddyPro synchronizes its database and deletes the corresponding knowledge and transcript.

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

You can do both. If you upload content sequentially, remember that for optimal creation of expert subtrees, it is best to have the most complete set of know-how available before generating them. For large updates to know-how, it may be appropriate to re-generate the roles (see Chapter 11). In any case, you must run /update after each addition or change to the content.

What if I have the same information in several different files?

If the content is exactly the same, try to avoid this, as it may slightly reduce the variability of AI responses. However, if a similar topic is explained in different contexts or with different nuances in multiple sources, this can in turn be beneficial to your AI's deeper understanding of the topic.

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

Functionally, the result (transcription of the audio track) 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. The YouTube link is easier, but you depend on the availability of the YouTube video. If you have a 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 for native Google Docs (those you create directly in Google Drive). If you upload a .docx file here from your computer, Google Drive may display it and allow you to edit it, but it is more secure for BuddyPro if you are working directly with the Google Doc format. .docx files belong in the Sources/Files folder.

What to watch out for with URL links?

Make sure the linked page/video is publicly accessible and does not require a login, payment, or specific permissions. BuddyPro cannot access content behind paywalls, in closed member sections or on non-public company intranets. Always check the functionality of a link in an anonymous browser window.

Last updated on