Using M-Files with SoterAI
Connect M-Files to SoterAI and ask questions about the documents in your vault — procedures, permits, risk assessments and records — without downloading or uploading anything.
Like every SoterAI connector, the M-Files connection is read-only: SoterAI can read and search your data, but it cannot create, edit, or delete anything in M-Files.
Assisted setup. M-Files is connected with help from our team. In the Connectors panel, its card shows Request setup instead of Connect. You bring the access details from your side, and we set up the connection to your workspace for you — there is nothing to install.
Each person signs in with their own M-Files account through your organisation’s identity provider, so SoterAI only ever sees the documents that person can already open in M-Files.
Before you request setup
Have the following ready before you send your request:
- Whether your vault is M-Files Cloud or hosted on-premises
- Your M-Files vault URL and vault GUID
- Your identity provider, with OAuth sign-in set up for M-Files
- Your M-Files administrator’s agreement to add SoterAI to the vault’s OAuth configuration
- On-premises vaults only: the M-Files REST API reachable over HTTPS from outside your network
If your vault is hosted on-premises, your organisation will also need to allow SoterAI’s outbound traffic through your firewall. Ask our support team for Soter’s egress IP address in your setup request so you can add it to your allowlist.
M-Files Cloud vaults don't need any firewall changes.
Keep your credentials safe. Don't paste passwords, secrets or tokens into the request email. List which details you have ready, and our team will confirm how to share them securely. Use credentials scoped to the minimum access you need.
What SoterAI can access
Once connected, SoterAI has read-only access to:
- Searching documents and files in the vault
- Document metadata such as classes and properties
- Vault views
- Reading and downloading file content
Access is always limited to what the credentials you provide are allowed to read.
What SoterAI cannot do
- Cannot create, edit, or delete records in M-Files
- Cannot submit forms or trigger workflows inside M-Files
- Cannot access data outside the scope of your credentials
- Cannot change configuration, permissions, or user access
How to request setup
- 1Click the puzzle piece icon in the chat input bar to open the Connectors panel.
- 2Open the Available tab and find M-Files under Files & documents (use the Search integrations bar if needed). The card shows a short summary of what we'll need.
- 3Click Request setup. A prefilled email to our support team opens, with the connector name and your workspace already filled in, plus the same checklist.
- 4Add any details you already have (without credentials) and send it.
- 5Our team will reply to arrange the next steps and set up the connection. Once it's live, M-Files appears in your Connected tab and you can use it in chat like any other connector.
If your email app doesn't open, write to help@soteranalytics.com with the subject ‘Connector setup request: M-Files’.
To remove access at any time, open the Connectors panel and click Disconnect on the M-Files card in the Connected tab.
Example queries
Once connected, just ask naturally.
Finding documents
- "Find the latest version of our lifting procedure in M-Files"
Reading and analysing
- "Which documents in M-Files are due for review this quarter?"
- "Summarise the risk assessments filed for the Warehouse 2 site"
Use cases
Finding controlled documents quickly
Ask for the current version of a procedure or permit in plain language instead of browsing vault views and filtering by class.
Checking procedures against incidents
Bring the relevant procedures and risk assessments into the conversation when you review an incident, so you can see whether they were followed and whether they need updating.
Audit preparation
Quickly gather the records an auditor is likely to ask for, and spot documents that are overdue for review before the audit starts.
Troubleshooting
| Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
| My email app didn’t open when I clicked Request setup | Write to help@soteranalytics.com with the subject ‘Connector setup request: M-Files’. |
| SoterAI can’t see certain records | Access is limited by the permissions of the credentials you supplied. Ask your M-Files administrator to confirm what they can read. |
| Slow responses on large queries | Narrow your question, for example to a date range, site, or single record type. |
| Connection fails for an on-premises vault | Check that the M-Files REST API is reachable over HTTPS from outside your network and that Soter’s egress IP is allowlisted. |
| A colleague can’t see a document I can see | Each person’s access follows their own M-Files permissions. Ask your M-Files administrator to check their access to that document. |
For more general help, see Troubleshooting external app connections.