AI Chat Overview
Guide to the Formula Bot AI chat interface, including data panel, AI model selection (Base, Advanced, Expert), and chat settings.
The AI Chat is the heart of Formula Bot. It's where you interact with your data using natural language to get insights, create visualizations, and export results.
Interface Layout
The chat interface has three main areas:
Left Panel - Data Sources
- View your uploaded files
- See connected databases and their schemas
- Select which data to include in your analysis
- Resize the panel by dragging its edge
Center Panel - Chat
- Type your questions and prompts
- View AI responses with insights and visualizations
- Interact with generated charts and tables
- Access your conversation history
Top Bar - Settings
- Select your AI model (Base, Advanced, Expert)
- Toggle features like web search and interactive charts
- Access chat settings and export options
Starting a Conversation
- Select your data - Click on files or connectors in the left panel
- Ask a question - Type in the chat input at the bottom
- Review the response - The AI will analyze your data and respond
The AI remembers context from earlier in the conversation, so you can ask follow-up questions naturally.
AI Models
Choose the right model for your task:
| Model | Description | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Base | Fast and efficient | Simple queries, quick lookups |
| Advanced | Balanced performance | Most analysis tasks, visualizations |
| Expert | Maximum capability | Complex multi-step analysis, detailed insights |
Start with the Base model for simple questions. Switch to Advanced or Expert when you need deeper analysis.
Chat Settings
Access settings via the gear icon in the top bar:
- Analytics Mode - Executes Python/R code in a secure sandbox environment to generate charts, create files, and perform data transformations. Automatically enabled when you add files or data connectors. Enable manually when you want to create mock datasets or interact with external APIs via Python/R.
- Web Search - Allow the AI to search the web for context
- Interactive Charts - Enable clickable, interactive visualizations
- Code Language - Choose Python or R for generated code
- Web Scraping - Enable fetching data from URLs
Keyboard Shortcuts
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
Enter | Send message |
Shift + Enter | New line in message |
Cmd/Ctrl + Enter | Send with Expert model |