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Mesa is built to help governments research faster, draft with confidence, and keep every document in one place. This walkthrough takes you from logging in to your first completed request.
1

Log in and look around

When you log in, you land on the Mesa home page. The chat box sits in the center, your organization name is in the top-left, and the sidebar on the left holds your conversations, library, files, and customization options.
For a full tour of the interface, see Navigation.
2

Choose a model and effort level

Above the chat box, use the dropdown to pick a model and effort level. As a rule of thumb: use a lighter model on Fast for quick questions, and a higher-capability model on Balanced or Deep Research for research and drafting.
Not sure which to pick? Models compares every option and when to use it.
3

Ask your first question

Use the toggle above the chat box to choose between Search, which searches a curated legal corpus, and Ask AI, which sends your request to Mesa’s agents.
Specific prompts get better answers. Instead of “What are the reporting rules?”, try:
Summarize the financial reporting obligations for public companies in Delaware, formatted as a short memo for a senior partner.
Press Enter to send your message.
Writing effective prompts covers how to phrase requests for the best results.
4

Add a document

Mesa can ground its answers in your own documents. You have two options:
  • Click the paperclip icon or drag and drop a file into the chat box to attach it to this conversation only.
  • Type @ to tag a file you’ve already saved to Mesa, so you can reuse it across conversations.
Learn the difference between one-off uploads and saved files in Attachments and Tagging files.
5

Step away and let Mesa notify you

Long-running requests, like deep research or an exhaustive search, don’t need you to watch the screen. While an agent is running, click Notify me when done. Mesa sends you an in-app notification and an email the moment your request finishes.

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Where to go next

You’ve completed your first request. From here, build out the rest of your workspace:

Settings

Set your theme, sidebar layout, and how you send messages.

Files

Upload the documents you use most so they’re always ready to tag.

Library

Pin the jurisdictions and collections relevant to your practice.

Preferences

Give Mesa standing instructions so every conversation starts smart.
Last modified on July 8, 2026