Citations: check every answer against the source
Use the numbered references under Co-Pilot answers to verify claims against the original contributions.
Every claim in a Co-Pilot answer carries a numbered reference — click the number to open the original contribution and check it yourself. An answer is only as good as its sources, and the sources are always one click away.
Read the references
The numbers sit right after the sentence they support; hovering shows "Click to view source". A click opens the cited contribution, so you can read the exact words in their original context. When many references back one sentence, they collapse into a "+N" badge — click it to reveal the rest (Show more sources) and use Show fewer to collapse them again.
Web sources vs contributions
Most references point to a participant's contribution — clicking opens the original words in the transcript. If you turned the Web toggle on for a question (see Meet your Co-Pilot), the answer can also carry web-source references. These behave differently: they open a Sources list where web results are marked Web and discussion contributions are marked Discussion data, and a web source opens in your browser rather than in a contribution.
Dig deeper on a claim
Some citations offer a More evidence link. It opens Evidence for this claim, a panel with two tabs:
- Supporting contributions — other statements that back the same claim.
- Pushback & different views — statements that qualify or contradict it.
Click View on any entry to open that contribution. This is the fastest way to judge whether a claim reflects broad agreement or a single loud voice.
You will mainly meet this link on large selections, where one claim stands for many voices. On small selections every piece of evidence is already cited inline, so there is nothing extra to open.
Why this matters
Cited answers let you trust the Co-Pilot without taking it on faith. Before you share a document or dashboard, spot-check the numbers behind its key claims. If a source does not actually support the sentence it is attached to, tell the Co-Pilot in the chat and ask it to correct the passage.
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Last updated: 2026-07-13
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