> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://freshbase.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Product Owner Guide

> How Product Owners can use Freshbase to turn meetings into specifications and manage requirements.

This guide shows how Product Owners can use Freshbase to turn meetings into specifications, manage requirements, and maintain decision traceability.

## Your workflow in Freshbase

As a PO, your typical workflow in Freshbase follows this path:

```
Meeting takes place
    ↓
Transcription is captured (recording or import)
    ↓
AI extracts decisions, tasks, and requirements
    ↓
You review in the Inbox (approve, reject, refine)
    ↓
Approved items become documents in the Base
    ↓
You use Chat to refine and break down
    ↓
Specifications ready for the team
```

## 1. Capture knowledge from meetings

Meetings are the primary source of requirements and decisions. In Freshbase:

1. **Record** Google Meet meetings with the Chrome extension, or
2. **Import** transcriptions from tools like Granola, Fireflies, or Tactiq

After importing, the AI processes them automatically and sends extractions to the Inbox.

<Tip>
  Register all frequent participants in the **Team Roster** (Settings > Team) so the AI correctly identifies who said what.
</Tip>

<Card title="How to import meetings" icon="arrow-right" href="/how-to/import-meetings">
  Detailed guide
</Card>

## 2. Review extractions in the Inbox

The Inbox is where you exercise quality control:

* **Decisions** — "We decided to use PostgreSQL for the reporting module"
* **Tasks** — "Maria will map the checkout flow by Wednesday"
* **Acceptance criteria** — "The dashboard must load in under 3 seconds"
* **Follow-ups** — "Confirm with the security team about the password policy"

For each item:

* **Approve** what is correct — it becomes permanent knowledge
* **Reject** noise or incorrect interpretations
* **Defer** what needs more context

<Tip>
  Review the Inbox right after each meeting, while the context is still fresh in your memory.
</Tip>

<Card title="How to review Inbox items" icon="arrow-right" href="/how-to/inbox-review">
  Detailed guide
</Card>

## 3. Break down epics with Chat

Chat is your partner for turning big ideas into manageable parts:

### Breaking epics into stories

> "Break down the 'Payment System' epic into user stories. Consider the requirements already documented in the Base."

### Refining requirements

> "Review these requirements and identify ambiguities or gaps: \[paste requirements]"

### Defining acceptance criteria

> "Create acceptance criteria for the story 'As a user, I want to filter reports by date'"

### Identifying dependencies

> "What dependencies exist between the stories in the payments module?"

<Tip>
  Use **Pro** mode in Chat for complex tasks like epic decomposition. The output is more detailed.
</Tip>

<Card title="How to use Chat for planning" icon="arrow-right" href="/how-to/using-chat">
  Detailed guide
</Card>

## 4. Maintain traceability

One of Freshbase's greatest strengths is **complete traceability**:

* Each document knows which conversation or meeting it originated from
* Decisions approved in the Inbox maintain a reference to the original transcription
* Chat conversation history is preserved

### How to explore traceability

* In Chat, ask: *"Where did the decision to use PostgreSQL come from?"*
* In documents, check the frontmatter (`freshbase:`) to see the origin
* In the Inbox, each item shows its source

## 5. Integrate with task management

If your team uses **Linear**:

1. Set up the integration in **Settings > Integrations > Linear**
2. Ask the assistant: *"Create an issue in Linear for the advanced search story"*
3. Tasks extracted from meetings can be sent directly to Linear

This connects planning in Freshbase with execution in Linear.

<Card title="How to set up integrations" icon="arrow-right" href="/how-to/setup-integrations">
  Detailed guide
</Card>

## Suggested routine

| When                         | What to do                                              |
| ---------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------- |
| **After each meeting**       | Check that the transcription was imported, review Inbox |
| **Daily**                    | Review pending items in the Inbox                       |
| **At the start of a sprint** | Use Chat to break down and refine stories               |
| **Weekly**                   | Review documentation, update Glossary if needed         |
| **Monthly**                  | Verify that all important decisions are documented      |

## Tips for Product Owners

* **Glossary is your ally.** Register domain terms so that transcriptions are more accurate.
* **Document decisions early.** Use Chat to record decisions as soon as they are made — don't wait for the meeting minutes.
* **Trust the process.** The meeting > Inbox > document flow is powerful when used consistently.
* **Constitution helps.** If you have recurring business rules (e.g., "always prioritize accessibility"), put them in the Base's Constitution.