# User Guide Overview

This guide provides step-by-step instructions for end-users on how to perform common tasks within the PIARA platform.\
It covers core functionalities like searching, viewing, creating, and utilizing key PIARA features. Administrative tasks(installation, user management, etc.,) are covered in the [Admin Guide](../admin-guide)

## Getting Started

* **Logging In:**
  * Accessing the PIARA web interface.
  * Authentication procedures (username/password, SSO, MFA, etc.).
* **Navigating the Dashboard:**
  * Overview of the main landing page/dashboard elements (e.g., recent activity, key statistics, saved searches).
  * Understanding the main navigation menu (e.g., Search, Create, Reports, Tasks, Settings).
  * User profile and settings overview.

## Working with Threat Intelligence Data

* **Searching and Browsing:**
  * **Basic Search:** Using the search query builder, searching by keywords, object types, or IDs.
  * **Saving/Sharing Search Query:** How to save a query and how to share it with other users.
  * **Advanced Search with PiaraQL:**
    * Introduction to the PiaraQL interface.
    * Constructing simple PiaraQL queries (e.g., finding indicators of a specific type, objects related to a specific threat actor).
  * **Filtering and Sorting:** Refining search results using available filters/facets and sorting options.
  * **Browsing Collections:** Navigating data grouped within specific TAXII Collections visible to the user.
* **Viewing Objects:**
  * **Understanding the Object View:** Layout of an object's page (e.g., STIX properties, custom fields, metadata).
  * **Viewing Relationships:** How relationships (e.g., `related-to`, `uses`, `indicates`) are displayed; navigating to connected objects.
  * **Viewing Attachments:** Accessing and downloading attached files and images associated with an object.
  * **Viewing Object History:** Understanding the versioning information (if visible to users) - creation date, last modified date, published versions.
* **Leveraging AI:**
  * **AI:** How AI-generated insights or enrichments (e.g., summaries, content extraction) are displayed. Steps to manually request AI analysis or enrichment for an object(s).
* **Utilizing Translation Services:**
  * **Translations:** How to translate text.

## Creating and Managing Intelligence

* **Creating STIX Objects:**
  * Step-by-step guide for creating common STIX objects.
  * Filling required fields and common optional fields.
* **Creating Custom PIARA Objects:**
  * Creating `News` objects from open-source findings.
  * Creating and assigning `Task` objects for tracking work.
* **Adding Relationships:**
  * How to link existing objects together (e.g., linking an Indicator to a Malware object).
  * Specifying the relationship type.
* **Attaching Files and Images:**
  * Procedure for uploading and associating files/images with any STIX object.
* **Editing and Enriching Objects:**
  * Modifying existing objects.
  * Understanding the "Publish" workflow: how publishing creates an immutable version and subsequent edits create new versions.
  * Adding new information or relationships to already published objects.
* **Creating Reports:**
  * Steps to create a new Report object.
  * Writing the narrative content.
  * Adding relevant STIX objects (Indicators, Malware, TTPs, etc.) to the report.
  * Publishing a report.

## Using PIARA Features(Advanced)

* **Interacting with Workers (Feeders):**
  * Understanding which collections are populated by which workers.
* **Using Open FAIR Risk Calculation:**
  * How to use a risk calculator.
  * Interpreting the results presented within PIARA.
* **Working with PIARA Mesh:**
  * How to view or search data across connected PIARA instances.
  * Understanding any visual cues indicating data origin.

## Collaboration & Permissions

* **Using Tasks:** Assigning, tracking, and completing tasks within PIARA.**Controlling Object Access:**
  * **Restricting Visibility ("Closing"):** How to limit the general visibility of an object you own or manage.
  * **Granting Specific Permissions:** Steps to allow specific users or groups to view or edit an otherwise restricted object.

