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Mesh Sources ​

Mesh Sources define the data repositories that MinuteView Mesh can search, access, and modify. Mesh is a powerful module that aggregates data from multiple platforms into a unified search interface with granular security controls.

Overview ​

Mesh integrates with various data sources to provide unified search and data access across:

  • Autodesk Vault – CAD file repositories
  • Autodesk Construction Cloud (ACC) – Project collaboration and document management
  • SharePoint – Microsoft document libraries and lists
  • Email – User-specific email archives
  • Additional Integrations – Extensible architecture supports many data platforms

Each Mesh Source represents a configured connection to one of these platforms, with optional role-based or user-based access restrictions.

Creating a New Mesh Source ​

1. Navigate to Mesh Sources ​

Go to Console → Mesh Sources and click New.

2. Configure Source Details ​

Name ​

Enter a descriptive name for the Mesh Source that indicates both the platform and its scope.

Examples:

  • "ACC - Engineering Projects"
  • "SharePoint - HR Documents"
  • "Vault - Production Files"
  • "Email - John Smith"

Data Source Type ​

Select from the list of available data source integrations:

  • Autodesk Vault
  • Autodesk Construction Cloud
  • SharePoint
  • Email
  • (Additional sources based on your MinuteView configuration)

Access Control and Security ​

Mesh Sources support granular security through role-based or user-based access restrictions.

Assign to Role ​

Restrict access to users who belong to groups with a specific role:

  1. Select a role from the available roles (configured in Console → User Management)
  2. Only users assigned to groups with this role can search and access records from this source

Example: Create a "Project Managers" role and assign it to a Mesh Source containing sensitive project data. Only users in groups with the "Project Managers" role can see results from this source.

Assign to Specific User ​

Restrict access to a single named user:

  1. Select a specific user from the user list
  2. Only that user can search and access records from this source

Example: Create an "Email - Jane Doe" source assigned exclusively to Jane. Only Jane can see search results from her email archive.

Multiple Sources for the Same Platform ​

A powerful feature of Mesh Sources is the ability to create multiple sources using the same data source type but with different security configurations.

Use Case: Segregated ACC Folders ​

Scenario: Your Autodesk Construction Cloud (ACC) contains multiple project folders with different access requirements.

Solution:

  1. Create "ACC - Public Projects" → Assign to "All Users" role
  2. Create "ACC - Confidential Projects" → Assign to "Executive" role
  3. Configure indexing automation to:
    • Index public folders into the "ACC - Public Projects" source
    • Index confidential folders into the "ACC - Confidential Projects" source

Result: Users only see search results from folders they have permission to access.

Integration with Automations and Indexing ​

Mesh Sources work in conjunction with MinuteView Automations to populate searchable data.

Indexing Process ​

  1. Configure Mesh Source in Console with appropriate security settings
  2. Create Automation Workflow that indexes data from the external platform
  3. Specify Target Source when configuring the indexer automation node
  4. Run Indexer to populate the Mesh Source with searchable records

Granular Indexing Example ​

Scenario: Index different SharePoint libraries with different security levels

Setup:

  1. Create Mesh Sources:

    • "SharePoint - Public Library" (Role: Everyone)
    • "SharePoint - Finance Library" (Role: Finance Team)
    • "SharePoint - Executive Library" (Role: Executives)

  2. Create three separate indexing automations:

    • Automation 1: Index Public library → Target: "SharePoint - Public Library"
    • Automation 2: Index Finance library → Target: "SharePoint - Finance Library"
    • Automation 3: Index Executive library → Target: "SharePoint - Executive Library"

Result: Users only search and access documents from libraries appropriate to their role.

Best Practices ​

Naming Conventions ​

Use clear, consistent naming that indicates:

  • Platform – What system is being indexed (ACC, Vault, SharePoint)
  • Scope – What subset of data (folder, library, category)
  • Security – Who should have access (role name, user name)

Examples:

  • ✅ "Vault - Manufacturing CAD Files"
  • ✅ "ACC - Project Alpha - Engineers"
  • ✅ "SharePoint - HR Policies - All Staff"
  • ❌ "Source 1"
  • ❌ "Data"

Security Strategy ​

  1. Apply Least Privilege – Only grant access to users who need it
  2. Use Roles When Possible – Role-based assignment is easier to manage than individual user assignments
  3. Audit Regularly – Review Mesh Sources periodically to ensure security settings remain appropriate
  4. Document Purpose – Maintain internal documentation about what each source contains and why it has specific security settings

Performance Optimization ​

  • Avoid Overlapping Sources – Don't index the same data into multiple sources unless security requirements demand it
  • Schedule Indexing Appropriately – Run indexers during off-peak hours for large data sources
  • Monitor Index Size – Large sources may impact search performance

Managing Existing Mesh Sources ​

Editing Sources ​

  • Modify the name or assigned roles/users as needed
  • Changes take effect immediately for search operations

Deleting Sources ​

⚠️ Warning: Deleting a Mesh Source will remove all indexed records associated with it. Users will no longer be able to search or access data from this source.

  • Only delete sources that are no longer needed
  • Consider disabling indexing automations before deletion to prevent accidental re-indexing

Viewing Source Details ​

Review configured settings including:

  • Source name and type
  • Assigned roles or users
  • Associated indexing automations (if applicable)
  • Record count and last index date

Troubleshooting ​

Users Cannot See Expected Search Results ​

  • Verify the user belongs to a group with the required role for the Mesh Source
  • For user-specific sources, confirm the source is assigned to the correct user
  • Check that indexing automation has run successfully and populated the source
  • Review Console → User Management to confirm role assignments

Duplicate Results Appearing ​

  • Multiple Mesh Sources may be indexing the same data
  • Review source configurations to identify overlapping indexing
  • Consolidate or refine indexing automation targeting

Indexing Failures ​

  • Verify service accounts configured in the indexing automation have valid credentials
  • Check that the Mesh Source exists and is properly configured
  • Review automation logs for specific error messages
  • Ensure the Elasticsearch service account is configured in Console → Global Settings

See Also ​

  • Console → Global Settings – Configure Elasticsearch and AI service accounts for Mesh
  • Console → User Management – Create roles and assign users to groups
  • Console → Service Accounts – Configure platform-specific service accounts (Autodesk, SharePoint, etc.)
  • Automations Documentation – Create indexing workflows to populate Mesh Sources
  • MinuteView Mesh User Guide – End-user documentation for searching across Mesh Sources

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