> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.contractor-co-pilot.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Ask Hank: your AI co-pilot for every workflow

> Hank is your built-in AI assistant. Ask about your data, get how-to help, run analysis, and reference specific projects or clients using @mentions.

Hank is your AI co-pilot, built into every page of Contractor Co-Pilot. Whether you want to look up data, understand platform features, or get a quick analysis of your estimates and financials, you can ask Hank in plain English — no filters, no reports, no digging.

## Accessing Hank

Open Hank by clicking **Hank** in the sidebar navigation. A chat drawer slides in and stays open as you work. You can keep the conversation going across any page.

**Keyboard shortcuts:**

| Shortcut               | Action                   |
| ---------------------- | ------------------------ |
| `Cmd/Ctrl + Enter`     | Send a message           |
| `Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + N` | Start a new conversation |

## What you can ask

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="About your data">
    Ask Hank to look up or summarize anything in your account:

    * "What's the total value of my active estimates?"
    * "Show me all estimates for ABC Construction"
    * "What materials did I use on the Johnson Kitchen project?"
    * "How many proposals have I sent this month?"

    Hank queries your live data, so answers reflect what's actually in your account right now.
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="How-to questions">
    Not sure how something works? Ask Hank instead of searching the docs:

    * "How do I create a takeoff?"
    * "How do I import my Excel data?"
    * "How do I change my subscription plan?"
    * "What's the difference between an estimate and a proposal?"

    Hank knows the platform and will walk you through the steps.
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Analysis">
    Ask Hank to surface patterns and insights across your data:

    * "What's my average estimate win rate?"
    * "Which clients have the most active projects?"
    * "Compare material costs between my last two estimates"

    Use follow-up questions to dig deeper — for example, "Can you break that down by project type?"
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

## Using @mentions

When you want Hank to focus on a specific item, type `@` to reference it directly. A dropdown appears with matching results as you type.

| Syntax          | What it references               |
| --------------- | -------------------------------- |
| `@ProjectName`  | A specific project               |
| `@ClientName`   | A specific client                |
| `@EstimateName` | A specific estimate              |
| `@MaterialName` | A material in your cost database |

**Example:** "What's the profit margin on @Johnson Kitchen Renovation?"

Using @mentions gives Hank precise context and produces more accurate, relevant answers.

## Specialized modes

Hank can shift into a focused mode depending on what you're working on. Select a mode from the chat interface to tailor Hank's responses:

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Financial Analyst" icon="chart-line">
    Revenue trends, profitability analysis, and cost breakdowns across your business.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Estimating" icon="calculator">
    Help with estimates, line items, cost matching, and takeoff questions.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Project Manager" icon="briefcase">
    Project status, timeline tracking, and budget vs. actual comparisons.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Account Manager" icon="users">
    Client relationships, communication history, and pipeline insights.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Conversation history

Hank remembers the full context of your current session, so you can ask follow-up questions without repeating yourself. Reference a previous answer directly: "Can you break that down by category?"

To revisit past conversations, open the **History** tab in the Hank drawer. Each session is saved so you can pick up where you left off.

## Tips for best results

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Be specific">
    "Show me estimates over \$50,000 created this month" returns better results than "show me big estimates". The more specific your question, the more useful the answer.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Use @mentions for precision">
    Referencing a specific project or client with `@` removes ambiguity when you have many records with similar names.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Ask follow-up questions">
    Build on previous answers to drill down. Start broad — "What's my win rate?" — then narrow it — "How does that compare to last quarter?"
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Use natural language">
    Hank understands everyday phrasing, not just keywords. Write questions the same way you'd ask a colleague.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Configuring Hank

Go to **Settings > AI & Automation** to:

* Toggle AI features on or off
* Set preferences for AI-powered suggestions throughout the platform
* View your AI usage and token consumption

## Privacy

<Note>
  Hank only accesses data within your own organization. Your data is never shared with other organizations and is never used to train AI models. All processing uses enterprise-grade encryption.
</Note>