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# Dashboard context

> Use dashboard context in Mammoth: create reusable contexts from text or files, attach them to dashboards, review what changes, and spot writing that is older than its context.

A **context** is a reusable bundle of knowledge, such as your goals, definitions and reference docs, that Mammoth grounds on when it writes a dashboard's text and answers its questions. You keep contexts in the **Context library** and attach them to any dashboard in the workspace. When a context changes what a dashboard says, you review the changes before anything is written.

## Open the Context library

Go to **Dashboards** and open the **Context** tab. The **Context library** lists every context in the workspace.

| Control | What it does |
| --- | --- |
| **New context** | Opens the context editor. |
| **Search contexts** | Filters the list by name. It shows a count such as "3 of 12 contexts". |
| Slot tags on a card | Click a tag such as **Definitions** or **Goals and targets** to show only contexts that fill that part. The filter shows as a chip you can remove. |
| ⋯ → **Edit context** | Opens the context in the editor. |
| ⋯ → **Delete context** | Asks, for example: "Delete "Q3 board context"? Dashboards that attach it will simply stop grounding on it." |

When there are none yet, the library says "No contexts yet".



## Create or edit a context

Open the editor with **New context** in the library, **New context…** in the attach dialog, or **Edit context** on an attached context.

Creating a context has two steps:

1. **Describe it or add files.** Type what Mammoth should know (your business, what matters, terms you use) or click **Add files**. Then click **Fill in details**. Mammoth reads what you gave it and fills in the details. After a change, the button reads **Update details**.
2. **Review and save.** Check the details, edit them, then click **Save context**. If the context already grounds the dashboard you're working on, the button reads **Save and see what changes**, which opens [Review changes](#review-what-a-context-changes).

### Files you can add

You can add PDF, Word, plain text, Markdown and CSV files: up to **20 files per context**, **10 MB** each. Each file shows what it filled (for example "Filled Definitions") and how much it skipped (tables, code and boilerplate). Use **Retry** if reading fails.

A file may be turned away with one of these messages:

| Message | What it means |
| --- | --- |
| "This is raw data (5,000 rows). Contexts ground writing — attach data as a source instead." | The file is a data table. Add it to the dashboard as data instead. |
| "This PDF has no text in it — it looks like a scan." | Export the PDF with its text layer, or paste the words. |
| "Can't read this file type. Try PDF, Word, plain text, Markdown or CSV." | Unsupported file type. |
| "The file is empty." | Nothing to read. |
| "Report.pdf is over 10 MB." | The file is too big. |
| "Up to 20 files per context." | The context already has 20 files. |
| "Report.pdf is already attached." | The same file was added twice. |
| "This reads as a finished report, not reference material." | Its figures describe one period, so later writing might repeat them as fact. Click **Use as context** if you still want it. |
| "Nothing context-relevant found — no slots filled." | Mammoth found nothing it could use. |

### Name and details

**Name** is taken from your first file or the first line of your description. Edit it and it stays yours. Names must be unique: "Another context already has this name."

The **Details** are five parts. Fill only the ones you need, and **Remove** any you don't:

| Part | What goes in it |
| --- | --- |
| **Background** | What the assistant should know, for example "B2B SaaS, fiscal year starts Feb, audience is the board." |
| **Goals and targets** | Thresholds and percentages to target. These are used as yardsticks. |
| **Definitions** | Glossary, acronyms, calendar. |
| **Emphasis and audience** | What to lead with, and tone. |
| **Guardrails** | Things never to say, things to avoid. |

A context is reusable across dashboards: editing it affects every dashboard that attaches it.

## Attach or detach a context

You can attach context:

- When you create a dashboard: **Add context** under the prompt.
- In the editor: **Data** tab → **Context** → **Attach context**.
- On a Q&A-format board: **Design** → **Format** → **Context**.

The attach dialog ("Pick the knowledge this dashboard should ground on.") has **Search contexts**, marks contexts already **Attached**, and offers **New context…**. When every context is already on the dashboard it says "All contexts attached". You can attach more than one.

Each attached context shows a summary card with **Edit context** and **Detach**. You see "Context attached" or "Context removed".

If the dashboard's writing leans on the context, attaching, detaching or editing it opens **Review changes**.

## Review what a context changes

**Review changes** shows exactly what a context would change on your board: "This context makes 4 changes to your board. Nothing is written until you accept."

| Control | What it does |
| --- | --- |
| **Changes (n)** / **Everything (n)** | Show only what changes, or every item. |
| Groups | Changes are grouped as Added, Changed, Rewritten, Removed, **Your edits**, Could not be planned, and Untouched. |
| **Before** / **After** | Each item shows its old and new text, with words marked as added or removed. |
| **Keep mine** / **Take new** | For text you edited by hand. **Keep mine** (the default) keeps the text you typed. **Take new** replaces it. |
| **Apply 4 changes** (with your count) | Writes the changes. This replaces the current version, and you can undo it afterwards. |
| **Not now** / **Discard** | Close without writing anything. |
| **Work it out again** | Re-plan the changes. |

Other things you may see:

- "Working out what this changes" while it plans (for a detach: "Working out what this removal leaves behind").
- "This context did not change anything": the writing reads the same with it. It's still used when anyone asks the board a question.
- "Nothing new here for this board": the context hasn't changed since the board last used it.
- "Could not work out what would change" or "Couldn't apply these changes" if something fails.
- A warning that wording in some places is replaced without asking, when the board doesn't record who wrote that text. Check those rows before you accept.

You can't review context changes while a format change is unsaved. Save or discard the format first (see [Dashboard themes](https://mammoth.io/docs/learn/dashboard/dashboard-themes/)).

## Spot writing that is older than its context

When a context changes after the dashboard's text was written, a marker appears in the **Data** tab's **Context** section (and in the **Context** section of a Q&A-format board): "The writing here is older than its context." Variants say the board's grounding has changed, or that the writing was shaped by a context you removed. Tags show which contexts were **edited** or **removed**.

Click **Review changes** on the marker to bring the writing up to date.

The **Share** panel also warns you when a context changed since you published: viewers still see wording written against the old guidance. Update the writing, then publish again. See [Share a dashboard](https://mammoth.io/docs/learn/dashboard/share-dashboard/).

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Source: https://mammoth.io/docs/learn/dashboard/context.md · Updated: 2026-11-03