Understanding the Vault
How Zedly securely stores, indexes, and retrieves your documents.
Two Concepts: Vault & Active Desk
The Vault
Your secure document storage. Upload any file here—it's encrypted and safely stored until you need it. Think of it as your filing cabinet.
Active Desk
Your working surface. Documents on the desk are processed and searchable via AI. This is where you interact with your documents.
The distinction matters because processing documents (extracting text, creating embeddings) uses your plan's token quota. By separating storage from processing, you only pay for what you actively use.
Document Processing Flow
When you add a document to your Active Desk, here's what happens:
- Text Extraction: We extract all text from your PDF, Word doc, or other file format.
- Chunking: The text is split into semantic chunks (~500-1000 tokens each) with overlap to maintain context.
- Embedding: Each chunk is converted into a vector using Voyage AI's embedding model, enabling semantic search.
- Indexing: Vectors are stored in a secure vector database, tagged with your user ID.
Most documents process in 10-30 seconds. Large PDFs (100+ pages) may take 1-2 minutes. You'll see a "Processing..." status while this happens.
Security & Privacy
Encrypted Storage
All files are encrypted using AES-256 encryption before being stored. Your data is unreadable without proper authorization.
User Isolation
Your documents are completely isolated from other users. Vector searches only return results from your own documents.
No Training on Your Data
We never use your documents to train AI models. Your data is used solely to answer your queries.
Clear the Desk
Use "Clear Desk" to permanently delete all processed data. Original files in the Vault can also be deleted at any time.
For more details, see our Data Lifecycle Policy.
Managing Your Documents
Organizing Files
While the Vault doesn't have traditional folders, you can:
- Use consistent naming conventions (e.g., "Contract_Acme_2024.pdf")
- Search by filename in the Vault
- Add only relevant documents to your desk for focused analysis
Removing from Desk
To remove a document from your Active Desk without deleting it:
- Click the document in your Active Desk view
- Select "Remove from Desk"
- The file stays in your Vault but is no longer searchable until re-added
Deleting Permanently
To fully delete a document:
- Remove it from the Desk first (if active)
- Navigate to Vault view
- Click the trash icon on the file
- Confirm deletion—this cannot be undone
Storage Limits by Plan
| Plan | Documents | Embedding Tokens |
|---|---|---|
| Free | 20 | 50,000 |
| Starter | 100 | 500,000/mo |
| Pro | 500 | 2,000,000/mo |
| Business | Unlimited | 10,000,000/mo |