Exa is Exayard's AI assistant, available throughout the application to help you work with construction plans and manage your projects. You can ask questions, upload images for analysis, and request actions on your takeoffs and estimates.

The chat panel appears on the right side of your screen. On the home page, use the central omnibox to start a conversation. Within a project, the chat panel is available in the sidebar and has context about your current project's plans, takeoffs, and estimates.

Type your message in the input field and press Enter or click the send button. Exa responds with streaming text that appears as it generates, so you can read the response as it comes in.

You can attach images directly to your messages by clicking the paperclip button in the input area. Supported formats include JPEG and PNG. Uploaded images are saved to your project and can be referenced in the conversation.

When you upload a plan image, Exa can initiate a takeoff assessment to identify measurable elements. This process runs in the background and the results appear in the chat when complete.

Exa can perform actions on your behalf using built-in tools. These include creating projects, managing takeoffs and estimates, reading canvas elements, and working with spreadsheets. When Exa needs to perform an action that modifies your data, you may see an approval prompt before it executes.

The approval prompt shows what action Exa wants to take. Click Approve to let it proceed or Reject to cancel. This keeps you in control of changes to your projects.

If Exa is generating a long response you no longer need, click the stop button (square icon) that appears during streaming. This immediately halts the response generation.

Chat messages consume credits from your organization's account. Credit usage depends on the length and complexity of the conversation. Click the credit balance in the header to see a breakdown of gifted, monthly, and purchased credits. From that popover you can buy additional credits directly.

Exa analyzes the content you provide and the data in your projects. It cannot access external documents, websites, or information outside Exayard. For pricing and cost estimates, you need vendors and materials configured in your organization settings first.

Questions about building codes, permits, or professional engineering matters should be verified with qualified professionals. Exa provides assistance with takeoff workflows but does not replace professional judgment.