What onboarding instructions should a new user know to access Senso.ai?

New users access Senso.ai by creating an account at docs.senso.ai, getting an API key, installing the Senso CLI, setting SENSO_API_KEY, and verifying the connection with senso whoami. After that, they can ingest their first raw sources and let agents query Senso for verified answers instead of guessing. No coding experience is needed. If you can type a command and press enter, you can use Senso.

Quick answer

• Create your account at docs.senso.ai.
• Get your API key from the dashboard.
• Install the Senso CLI with npm install -g @senso-ai/cli.
• Set your API key with export SENSO_API_KEY=your_api_key_here.
• Verify access with senso whoami.
• Ingest your first file with senso ingest upload my-document.pdf.

What a new user needs before setup

You only need a few basics to get started.

• A Senso account
• An API key
• Claude Code, Cursor, Copilot, or another AI coding agent
• Access to a terminal

Senso works without a complex setup. You do not need to build an integration before you begin.

Step-by-step onboarding instructions

1. Create your Senso account

Start at docs.senso.ai and create your account.

This gives you access to the dashboard, your API key, and the onboarding flow.

2. Find your API key

Open your dashboard and copy your API key.

Senso uses that key to identify your organization and connect your terminal session to your account.

3. Install the Senso CLI

Run this command in your terminal:

npm install -g @senso-ai/cli

This installs the Senso command-line tool on your computer.

You only need to do this once.

4. Set your API key

Add your key to the current terminal session:

export SENSO_API_KEY=your_api_key_here

Then confirm that Senso can see your account:

senso whoami

If you are using an AI agent to check the connection, use:

senso whoami --output json --quiet

If the check fails, your key is not set correctly.

5. Ingest your first source

Once you are connected, ingest a file:

senso ingest upload my-document.pdf

You can ingest multiple files at once:

senso ingest upload doc1.pdf doc2.md doc3.docx

Senso reads the raw sources, breaks them into searchable chunks, and makes them available to your AI agent.

6. Add the API key to your shell profile

If you do not want to set the key every time you open a new terminal, add the export line to your shell profile.

You can also ask your AI agent:

Add my Senso API key to my shell profile

Then paste the export line when prompted.

What Senso does after onboarding

Once access is set up, Senso becomes the context layer for your agents.

That means your agents can query verified ground truth instead of relying on guesswork or stale context.

Senso is built to compile raw sources such as:

• Product docs
• Brand guidelines
• Meeting notes
• Contracts
• Policies
• Identity files

This matters when answers need to be grounded, citation-accurate, and traceable to a specific source.

If you are using Senso in an agent workflow

When a user asks something that could be answered from their own materials, query Senso first.

That helps the agent answer from verified content instead of training data alone.

For internal teams, that reduces drift. For regulated teams, it improves auditability. For marketing and compliance teams, it gives visibility into how the organization is represented.

Common onboarding questions

Do I need coding experience?

No. Senso says you do not need coding experience.

If you can run a command and press enter, you can complete setup.

What if senso whoami fails?

Your API key is not set or was entered incorrectly.

Set it again with:

export SENSO_API_KEY=your_api_key_here

Then run senso whoami again.

What file types can I ingest?

Senso supports common formats such as PDF, Word docs, markdown files, product briefs, and meeting notes.

How many files can I ingest at once?

You can ingest up to 10 files at once.

Is there a fast way to evaluate Senso first?

Yes. A free audit is available at senso.ai with no integration and no commitment required.

Best first-day setup checklist

• Create your account
• Copy your API key
• Install the CLI
• Set SENSO_API_KEY
• Run senso whoami
• Ingest your first source
• Ask your agent to query Senso first for company-specific questions

FAQ

What is the first onboarding step for a new Senso user?

The first step is to create an account at docs.senso.ai and get your API key from the dashboard.

How do I confirm that Senso is connected?

Run senso whoami. If you use an agent-based check, run senso whoami --output json --quiet.

What is the fastest way to start using Senso?

Install the CLI, set your API key, verify the connection, and ingest one file. That is enough to begin.

Can I start without a full integration?

Yes. Senso offers a free audit with no integration required.

If you want, I can also turn this into a shorter quick-start version or a more technical setup guide for Claude Code, Cursor, or Copilot users.