# 📚 Nexus guide: best practices

*Published 2025-12-17*

<p>These best practices help you get the most value from Nexus while staying in control of your tools and data. You don’t need to be technical — small habits make a big difference.</p><p>‍</p><h2>#1 Connect only the tools you actually use</h2><p>Start by connecting the tools you rely on most.</p><ul><li>This keeps results focused and relevant<br></li><li>It’s easier to understand where answers are coming from<br></li><li>You can always add more tools later<br></li></ul><p>If a tool isn’t helping, you can remove it anytime.</p><p>‍</p><h2>#2 Review your connected tools regularly</h2><p>It’s a good idea to occasionally check which tools Nexus has access to.</p><ul><li>Remove tools you no longer use<br></li><li>Reconnect tools if access has changed<br></li><li>Keep permissions up to date<br></li></ul><p>A quick review helps keep things tidy and secure.</p><p>‍</p><h2>#3 Be clear when you ask for help</h2><p>Nexus works best when your request is specific. Clear requests lead to clearer results. Instead of:</p><ul><li>“What’s going on?”<br><br></li></ul><p>Try:</p><ul><li><a href="https://app.civic.com/web?prompt=What%20changed%20this%20week%20across%20my%20connected%20tools%3F&utm_source=nexus-guide_best-practice&utm_medium=GTM-Resource&utm_campaign=encode_prompt" target="_blank">“What changed this week across my connected tools?”</a><br></li><li><a href="https://app.civic.com/web?prompt=Summarize%20recent%20updates%20related%20to%20this%20project.&utm_source=deeplinkr&utm_medium=tool&utm_campaign=encode_prompt" target="_blank">“Summarize recent updates related to this project.”</a><br></li><li><a href="https://app.civic.com/web?prompt=Find%20documents%20about%20onboarding.&utm_source=nexus-guide_best-practice&utm_medium=GTM-Resource&utm_campaign=encode_prompt" target="_blank">“Find documents about onboarding.”</a><br></li></ul><p>‍</p><h2>#4 Start simple, then go deeper</h2><p>If you’re new to Nexus, begin with basic tasks. Good starting points:</p><ul><li>Finding information<br></li><li>Summarizing documents or conversations<br></li><li>Getting highlights or updates<br></li></ul><p>Once you’re comfortable, try asking for insights, comparisons, or patterns.</p><p>‍</p><h2>#5 Use Nexus for insights, not just answers</h2><p>Nexus can help you understand what’s happening, not just show you data. Try asking:</p><ul><li><a href="https://app.civic.com/web?prompt=What%20themes%20keep%20coming%20up%3F&utm_source=nexus-guide_best-practice&utm_medium=GTM-Resource&utm_campaign=encode_prompt" target="_blank">“What themes keep coming up?”</a><br></li><li><a href="https://app.civic.com/web?prompt=What%20changed%20compared%20to%20last%20week%3F&utm_source=nexus-guide_best-practice&utm_medium=GTM-Resource&utm_campaign=encode_prompt" target="_blank">“What changed compared to last week?”</a><br></li><li><a href="https://app.civic.com/web?prompt=Is%20there%20anything%20unusual%20I%20should%20look%20at%3F&utm_source=nexus-guide_best-practice&utm_medium=GTM-Resource&utm_campaign=encode_prompt" target="_blank">“Is there anything unusual I should look at?”</a><br><br></li></ul><h2>#6 Keep permissions in mind</h2><p>Nexus can <strong>only</strong> work within the permissions you approve.</p><ul><li>If Nexus can’t access something, it may need permission<br></li><li>If you remove access, related requests will stop working<br></li><li>You’re always in control of what Nexus can do</li></ul><p>‍<br></p><h2>#7 Clean up when you’re done</h2><p>If you connected a tool for a one-time task or test, disconnect it when you’re finished. You can reconnect it anytime. This helps:</p><ul><li>Reduce clutter<br></li><li>Limit unnecessary access<br></li><li>Keep your setup simple<br>‍<br></li></ul><h2>#8 When in doubt, ask Nexus</h2><p>You don’t need special commands or perfect wording. Nexus is designed to work in plain language: </p><ul><li>Ask Nexus what it can help with<br></li><li>Ask it to explain or rephrase results<br></li><li>Try a follow-up question<br><br></li></ul>

Source: https://www.civic.com/news/best-practices