Context documents let you give agents access to reference material stored in Google Docs or Notion. This is perfect for runbooks, policies, procedures, contact lists, and other static knowledge that agents should reference.Documentation Index
Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.cotool.ai/llms.txt
Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
What Are Context Documents?
Context documents are external documents (Google Docs or Notion pages) that:- Are automatically fetched and loaded at agent runtime
- Provide reference material the agent can consult
- Are maintained by humans outside of Cotool
- Stay in sync with your source of truth
Examples
Runbooks & Procedures
Standard operating procedures for common scenariosExample: “How to respond to ransomware alerts”
Known False Positives
Lists of known false positives to avoid re-investigatingExample: “Approved admin tools that trigger alerts”
Contact & Escalation Info
Who to contact for different scenariosExample: “Security team on-call rotation”
Policies & Requirements
Compliance requirements and organizational policiesExample: “Data handling requirements for PII”
Glossary & Terminology
Org-specific terms and definitionsExample: “Our product names and what they do”
Historical Context
Background on recurring issues or past incidentsExample: “Known infrastructure quirks”
Adding Context Documents
Prepare Your Document
Create a Google Doc or Notion page with the reference materialTips:
- Use clear headings and structure
- Keep focused on one topic per document
- Update regularly
Make Document Accessible
For Google Docs: Share with “Anyone with link can view”For Notion: Make page public or share with Cotool integration
Add to Agent
In agent configuration:
- Click “Add Context Document”
- Select source (Google Docs or Notion)
- Paste document URL
- Add description (what’s in this doc)
Document Format Best Practices
Structure
Use clear hierarchy with headings:Keep It Scannable
Agents work best with structured, scannable content: Good:Use Lists and Tables
Agents parse structured data better than prose: Tables for reference data:| Team | On-Call | Escalation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Security | @john | sec@co.com | CISO |
| IT Ops | @jane | ops@co.com | IT Director |
- Check alert severity
- Search logs for related activity
- If confirmed threat, isolate endpoint
- Notify security team
Include Examples
Show the agent what good looks like:Document Size Limits
Limits:
- Max 50KB per document (plain text equivalent)
- Up to 10 documents per agent
- Total context budget: ~200KB (includes prompt + docs)
- Split large docs into focused topics
- Use summaries instead of full detail
- Split fast-changing reference data into smaller, easier-to-refresh documents
Sync and Freshness
How syncing works:- Documents are fetched fresh for each agent run
- Changes in Google Docs/Notion appear immediately
- No manual sync needed
- Keep docs updated as procedures change
- Note last update date in document
- Review docs quarterly for stale info
Real-World Examples
Example 1: False Positive List
Google Doc: “SentinelOne Known False Positives”Example 2: Contact Directory
Google Doc: “Security Team Contacts”Example 3: Alert Response Runbook
Notion Page: “Ransomware Response Runbook”Prompt Instructions for Context Docs
In your system prompt, tell the agent about context docs:Troubleshooting
Agent can't access document
Agent can't access document
Check:
- Is document URL correct?
- Is document shared publicly or with Cotool?
- For Google Docs: Is link sharing enabled?
- For Notion: Is page published or shared with integration?
Agent not using document info
Agent not using document info
Check:
- Is system prompt clear about when to use document?
- Test in Builder - can you see document in context?
- Is document too large (check size limits)?
- Is relevant info buried deep in document?
Document is too large
Document is too large
Fix:
- Split into multiple focused documents
- Remove unnecessary detail
- Use summaries instead of full text
Stale information in document
Stale information in document
Fix:
- Update source document (changes appear immediately)
- Add “Last Updated” date in document
- Set calendar reminders to review quarterly
Best Practices
One Topic Per Document
One Topic Per Document
Don’t create one massive document with everything. Split by topic:
- Separate FP list from contacts
- Separate runbooks by alert type
- One procedure per document
Keep Documents Updated
Keep Documents Updated
Stale docs lead to bad agent decisions. Review regularly:
- Update contacts when team changes
- Update procedures when processes change
- Note last review date in document
Use Templates
Use Templates
Create document templates for consistency:
- Standard runbook format
- Standard contact info format
- Makes docs easier for agents to parse
Test After Updates
Test After Updates
When you update a critical document, test agent in Builder to verify it uses new info correctly
Document Your Documents
Document Your Documents
In agent description, note which context docs it uses and why:
“Uses FP list to avoid re-investigating known tools”