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

# Thread continuity and follow-ups

> How follow-ups, summaries, and recommendations work in the same Slack thread

The AI Analyst keeps context within the **same thread** so your follow-up questions stay connected.

***

## Who this applies to

This applies to anyone using AI Analyst in Slack:

* Direct messages (DMs)
* Channels and private channel threads

If you start a new thread, the AI starts fresh context for that new thread.

***

## What continuity remembers in a thread

In the same thread, the AI carries forward recent analysis context so you can ask natural follow-ups like:

* “Break that down by channel.”
* “Summarize what we just found.”
* “What should we do next?”

Context is intentionally condensed, so very long threads may not preserve every detail word-for-word.

***

## DM vs channel behavior

| Context                            | Follow-up behavior                                                                                             |
| ---------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **DM**                             | Ask follow-ups naturally in the same thread.                                                                   |
| **Channel/private channel thread** | Mention the bot with `@SourceMedium` for follow-ups (for example, `@SourceMedium break that down by channel`). |

***

## Follow-up, summary, and recommendation prompts

Use the same thread for all of these:

* Follow-up analysis: “Show this by week.”
* Summary: “Summarize the findings.”
* Recommendation: “What should we do next?”

If you ask for a summary or recommendation before there is prior analysis in that thread, the AI will ask you to run analysis first.

If you ask a follow-up-style analysis question before prior context exists, the AI treats it as a fresh analysis request and runs it.

***

## What continuity does not do

Thread continuity does not:

* Carry context across different threads
* Carry context between separate channel threads
* Guarantee that every old detail in a long thread is retained exactly

For a clean reset, start a new thread.

***

## How to reset context (start a new thread)

When you want to reset or switch topics:

1. Start a new thread.
2. Ask your next question there.

This gives you a clean slate for that new analysis.

***

## Multi-store interaction note

For multi-store tenants, both continuity and store scope are thread-based:

* Store selection is locked to the same thread after confirmation.
* Follow-up continuity stays in that same thread.
* To switch stores and reset continuity together, start a new thread.

See [Using AI Analyst with multiple stores](/ai-analyst/multi-store-thread-scoping).

***

## Quick examples

### DM flow

<Steps>
  <Step title="Ask your first question">
    Example: “What was revenue last month?”
  </Step>

  <Step title="Ask a follow-up in the same thread">
    Example: “Break that down by channel.”
  </Step>

  <Step title="Ask for a summary or recommendation">
    Example: “Summarize the findings and tell me what to do next.”
  </Step>
</Steps>

### Channel flow

<Steps>
  <Step title="Start in a thread with a mention">
    Example: `@SourceMedium what was revenue last month?`
  </Step>

  <Step title="Ask follow-ups with a mention">
    Example: `@SourceMedium break that down by channel`
  </Step>

  <Step title="Stay in the same thread for continuity">
    Start a new thread only when you want a clean reset.
  </Step>
</Steps>

***

## Related

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Analysis workflows" icon="diagram-project" href="/ai-analyst/workflows/index">
    See how questions are routed across Standard Analysis, Deep Analysis, and Knowledge Retrieval.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Troubleshooting" icon="wrench" href="/ai-analyst/troubleshooting">
    See common follow-up and continuity issues.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>