Live Assets integrate seamlessly with Spaces, Projects, and Athena Agents for enhanced workflow automation!
Key Concepts
Live Assets vs Regular Assets
Understanding the distinction between Live Assets and regular assets is crucial for effective workflow automation: Regular Assets- Uploaded directly to Athena’s secure storage
- Processed and converted by Athena (PDF conversion, embedding generation, etc.)
- Static content that doesn’t change unless explicitly updated
- Permanently stored with dedicated storage keys
- Remain in external provider systems (SharePoint, Gmail, Google Drive, etc.)
- Accessed via provider APIs using secure authentication
- Dynamic content that reflects the real-time state of external files
- Fetched on-demand with intelligent caching for performance
- Require provider-specific authentication and credentials
The Catalog System
Live Assets are organized through a Catalog-based architecture:-
Catalog Asset: Represents your connection to an external provider (e.g., a specific SharePoint site or Gmail account)
- Contains provider metadata and connection settings
- Acts as the parent container for all assets from that provider
- Manages authentication credentials securely
- Appears in your workspace’s Catalogs section in Spaces
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Live Assets: Individual files, folders, emails, or records within the catalog
- Referenced using unique compound IDs that link to both the catalog and external resource
- Can be files (rendered in viewers) or folders (navigable in Drive view)
- Accessible through search, mentions, and direct navigation
Supported Providers
Athena supports Live Assets from multiple enterprise platforms, enabling unified access to your organization’s distributed knowledge:Gmail
Access email threads and messages directly from your Gmail account
- Email threads with full conversation history
- Individual email messages
- Attachments and inline content
SharePoint
Connect to SharePoint sites and access files in real-time
- Office documents (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
- PDF files and plain text documents
- Folder navigation and file browsing
Google Drive
Integrate files and folders from Google Drive
- Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides
- Shared drive content
- Real-time file access
Salesforce
Access Salesforce records and data
- Account and contact records
- Opportunity and case data
- Custom object records
Slack
Connect to Slack workspace messages
- Channel messages and threads
- Direct messages
- File attachments from Slack
Notion
Access Notion workspace pages
- Workspace pages and databases
- Hierarchical page structures
- Real-time content updates
Jira
Integrate Jira project data
- Issue tracking and management
- Project boards and workflows
- Attachments and comments
More Providers
Additional providers can be integrated through Athena’s extensible architecture
- Contact team@athenaintel.com for custom integrations
How Live Assets Work
Authentication and Connection
Live Assets use secure authentication through Athena’s integration system:- Connect a Provider: Navigate to your workspace settings and connect to supported providers
- Create a Catalog: Each connected account or site becomes a catalog in your workspace
- Access Assets: Browse, search, and reference files from the catalog as if they were native Athena assets
- Automatic Sync: Changes in the external system are reflected in real-time within Athena
Live Asset connections are managed per-user. Multiple team members can independently connect to the same provider resources while maintaining individual authentication.
Asset Identification
Live Assets use a compound ID format that uniquely identifies both the catalog and the external resource: Format:asset_<catalog_uuid>_<external_provider_id>
Example: asset_39c9c2ac-6891-4075-b457-a4da13e9c742_014TH7SXZNCVAYSY4YVBGZTNOB266HQ56
This ensures that assets remain uniquely identifiable across different providers and catalogs within your workspace.
Caching and Performance
To ensure optimal performance while maintaining real-time accuracy:- Intelligent Caching: Content is cached with provider-specific TTL (Time To Live) settings
- On-Demand Fetching: Fresh data is retrieved when cache expires or on explicit refresh
- Efficient Storage: Only metadata is stored permanently; content is cached temporarily
- Background Refresh: Athena can proactively refresh frequently accessed assets
Use Cases
Knowledge Management
Access company documents stored in SharePoint or Google Drive without migrating them to Athena:- Maintain a single source of truth in your existing document management system
- Search across all connected catalogs from Athena’s unified search interface
- Reference documents in conversations with Athena agents
- Generate summaries and insights from external files without manual uploads
Real-Time Collaboration
Work with live folder contents that reflect current state:- Browse SharePoint libraries and Google Drive folders with up-to-date file listings
- Access the latest versions of documents automatically
- Collaborate on external files while using Athena’s AI capabilities
- Share live asset links with team members
Cross-Platform Integration
Bring external content into Athena workflows:- Link Gmail threads to Projects for context and tracking
- Reference Salesforce records in agent workflows
- Include Notion pages in Athena Spaces layouts
- Search across Slack messages, Jira issues, and emails simultaneously
Unified Interface
Manage both internal and external content through a single interface:- View Live Assets alongside uploaded files in Spaces
- Search finds results from both regular assets and connected providers
- Use @ mentions to reference live assets in conversations
- Apply the same organizational structures (tags, folders, projects) to all asset types
Integration with Athena Features
Spaces
Live Assets work seamlessly within Athena Spaces:- Open live assets in flexible workspace layouts
- Drag and drop live assets into Spaces panels
- View multiple live assets simultaneously
- Maintain context when switching between internal and external content
Projects
Link Live Assets to Projects for comprehensive context:- Associate external files with project initiatives
- Track changes in connected documents
- Generate project reports that include live asset data
- Maintain relationships between Athena assets and external resources
Agents and Automation
Leverage Live Assets in agent workflows and automation:- Agents can search across connected catalogs
- Reference live assets in Agent Operating Procedures (AOPs)
- Automate workflows that process external files
- Generate insights from live data sources
Search and Discovery
Live Assets are fully integrated into Athena’s search capabilities:- Unified search across all connected catalogs
- Filter results by provider, file type, or date
- Quick Actions available on all live asset search results
- Citation and reference support in documents
Getting Started
To start using Live Assets in your workflows:- Connect Providers: Navigate to Settings → Integrations and connect to your desired providers (Gmail, SharePoint, etc.)
- Browse Catalogs: Access your connected catalogs from the Spaces sidebar under the Assets section
- Reference Assets: Use live assets in conversations, projects, and spaces just like regular assets
- Automate Workflows: Create agents and tasks that leverage your connected external data
Some provider integrations may require admin approval or specific permissions. Contact your workspace administrator or team@athenaintel.com for assistance with enterprise integrations.
Additional Resources
- Connect Your Data - Learn about importing files and connecting data sources
- All Integrations - Browse all available integration options
- SharePoint Integration - Detailed guide for SharePoint connection
- Email with Athena - Working with Gmail integration