Rules Suite
Understand any rule at a glance. Trace it, map it, compare it, and move around it.
40 capabilities in this suite
Feature reference
Your complete guide to SPR Sidekick
Learn how to inspect rules, search complex pages, capture review context, and keep your everyday tools close to the work.
Feature catalogInspect. Search. Capture. Reuse.
25+ features offering 110+ capabilities. Each is documented with what it does, how to open it, and its options when they matter.
Overview
25 features. 114 capabilities. One Sidekick.
Everything Sidekick offers, in five suites. Pick any feature to jump straight to its guide. The Rules Suite comes alive on a supported SPR rule canvas; everything else works across everyday pages where access is allowed.
Search Suite
Find anything on the page, even content within nodes.
7 capabilities in this suite
Workspace Suite
Open Sidekick your way: Spotlight, floating toolbar, side panel, or a shortcut.
15 capabilities in this suite
Productivity Suite
Notes, snippets, clipboard history, links, and quick capture, always beside the work.
38 capabilities in this suite
Atlas Suite
A new tab that greets you with your links, notes, and the work you left off.
14 capabilities in this suite
Getting started
Set up Sidekick
1
Choose a default view
In Preferences → Default View Mode, pick Side Panel, Popup, or Floating Mode (labeled Floating).
2
Select Platform helpers
In Preferences → Platform, enable helpers you need: Rule View Finder, Rule Nav, tab names, text selection, clipboard capture, or Smart Snippets.
3
Allow access
Grant page access so search, highlighting, screenshots, and rule tools can run on the current page.
4
Confirm
Finish setup. Change any choice later in Preferences.
First installation
The setup guide opens automatically. Reopen this feature reference anytime from Preferences → Other Settings → About.
Pin, refresh, version
Pin SPR Sidekick to the browser toolbar. After an update, refresh pages that were already open before using page-level tools. About shows product details and a link back to this guide.
Using Sidekick
Core workspace controls
Home
Main workspace entry for Rule Preview, Rule Map, Rule Compare, Universal Search, and common utilities. Press and hold any tool to customize Home in place.
Quick menu
Primary navigation rail for core tools, with expandable shortcuts to utilities.
- Utility shortcuts: Code / JSON, Quick Canvas, Screen Capture, Clipboard Manager, Smart Snippets, Quick Notes.
Active page
Sidekick keeps working with the page it was opened for, even when focus is in the extension UI.
Unavailable rule tools
Rule Preview, Rule Map, and Rule Compare stay visible but disabled until a supported SPR rule canvas is open and ready.
Rules Suite
SPR rule canvas features
The rule tools below require a supported SPR rule canvas and page access; the page helpers at the end of this suite only need page access.
Rule Preview
Traces a backend execution path across the visible SPR rule canvas.
- Enter a path such as
1,1,2,2,1, then Scan and Trace. - Native: blue connectors with subtle node emphasis. Highlight: stronger node-and-path treatment.
- Result summary lists node names, identifiers, types, partial-path warnings, and unresolved steps.
- Select Trace to return to the first node in the path, or choose a summary step to jump directly to that node.
- One trace can be active at a time. On another rule tab, use Switch to return to it or Clear to reset it and start there.
Rule Map
Compact overview of the loaded rule canvas with the current viewport marked.
- Select Load Map to scan the active canvas; use Refresh to re-scan after the canvas changes.
- Search condition and action names or content, including text in collapsed sections. Results show context snippets and mention counts where useful.
- Select a search result to jump to the node and briefly highlight the matching text.
- Hover a point for the node title; select it to jump.
- Viewport indicator updates while you navigate.
- Nodes from the current Rule Preview trace remain marked, including the path end, and pinned Rule Nav connectors mark their endpoints temporarily.
- Download PDF saves a one-page layout of the mapped rule for sharing or review outside the browser.
- One map can be active at a time. It remains only in memory, so it is loaded again when needed rather than persisted for restoration.
Structured View
Read-only, automatically organized layout of the loaded rule, opened from Rule Map without changing the source canvas.
- Open from Rule Map with View Structured Layout; the original canvas stays untouched underneath.
- Nodes keep their real canvas presentation, arranged in a clean top-down structure with orthogonal connectors.
- Hover a connector to identify it, click to pin it, then jump to its Source or Destination; double-click animates the flow direction.
- The built-in mini-map and Rule View Finder both navigate the structured layout while it is open.
- If the source rule changes while you review, a source-changed notice appears — exit and refresh Rule Map to load the latest version.
Rule Nav
Identify and follow connectors on the native rule canvas: hover to see a connector's relationship, pin it, and jump to either endpoint.
- Hover a connector or its label to see the relationship and both endpoint names.
- Click to pin, then choose Source or Destination to navigate; the selected node is briefly highlighted.
- Double-click a connector to animate its direction; press Escape or click elsewhere to clear a pin.
- Pinned connector endpoints also appear as temporary markers in Rule View Finder.
Rule Compare
Reviews configuration, readable nested text, and path changes between two rule versions kept open in different browser tabs.
- Capture the Source, keep that tab on the captured version, then open the Target in a different tab and select Compare This Tab.
- The Target can be another version of the same rule opened in a different tab, or the same rule from another environment.
- Review Configuration, Paths, Added, Removed, and Needs review filters; expand a change for stacked Source and Target values with token-level detail inside changed values.
- Swap Sides reverses the comparison direction. Download CSV Report saves the current results for sharing outside Sidekick.
- Use Show Changes on Canvas from either captured tab. A compact Previous/Next navigator moves between filtered results, and Rule View Finder shows coloured locations only. Green means present only here, dashed red means missing here, and amber means changed.
- Annotations are temporary, non-interactive, and cleared when the active tab changes. Sidekick does not modify or save the rule.
Rule View Finder
Lightweight mini-map that stays over a supported rule canvas so you can navigate without leaving your work.
- Click anywhere in the mini-map to move the rule canvas to that area.
- Drag or resize it; Sidekick remembers the chosen corner and size.
- Traced nodes and current playback progress remain visible while Rule Preview is active; Rule Compare and pinned Rule Nav connectors add temporary coloured markers.
- While Structured View is open, the mini-map follows the structured layout so navigation keeps working on the organized view.
Page helpers in this suite
Enable these in Preferences → Platform. Once enabled, they keep working as supported page content changes or loads without a full refresh.
Text selection
Makes text easier to select on rule cards and Audit Log widgets.
Page-aware tab names
Show rule, dialogue tree, and reporting dashboard names as browser tab titles.
Search Suite
Search features
Universal Search scans the active regular web page and supported scrollable lists for dynamically rendered content that ordinary browser Find may miss. A search may briefly scroll the page or use Auto Load to reveal supported content.
Search features need page access. Deep Search also needs Node Coverage and a Deep Search URL Path under Preferences → Deep Search Settings.
Universal Search
Search the active regular web page, including dynamically loaded content; open a result to return to it.
- On supported rule canvases, Sidekick can offer a direct handoff to Rule Map when node-level condition or action context is more useful.
- Result entries show how many times the term appears in each matching block, so heavy matches stand out.
Highlight all matches
Mark all available matches on the page, then clear highlights when finished.
Scroll Scope
Limit search to a page area you choose. Sidekick remembers that area for the site until you change or clear it.
Auto Load
Let Universal Search load additional supported content while scanning so you open or scroll fewer items manually.
Deep Search
Include supported unopened node details by requesting configured resources from the current site.
Setup
Under Preferences → Deep Search Settings, choose at least one Node Coverage source and enter the Deep Search URL Path from your team. If either is missing, Sidekick prompts before running Deep Search.
Node CoverageDT — Dialogue TreeGW — Guided WorkflowsJF — Journey FacilitatorIVR — Voice IVR
Deep Search URL Path
Use the internal content path supplied by your team. The path is masked by default, and Sidekick asks for confirmation before revealing it.
Hidden results
Unopened node details show a source badge and context snippet. If Sidekick cannot open a hidden result directly, it explains the available fallback.
Current-site request
When enabled and configured, Deep Search makes authenticated same-origin requests to the configured resource path on the current site. Your browser may attach its existing signed-in session; Sidekick does not read or store session credentials. Responses are processed locally, with no third-party analytics or telemetry.
Results
Page results come from content Sidekick can read on the current page. When enabled, Deep Search can add only node details available through the configured Deep Search URL Path. If content is available in neither place, it cannot appear in the results. Recent results restore only for the page where the search ran.
Workspace Suite
Ways to open Sidekick
Set the default in Preferences → Default View Mode: Side Panel, Popup, or Floating Mode (labeled Floating).
Side Panel
Docks Sidekick beside the page for longer sessions without covering the content you are inspecting.
Popup
Compact workspace from the extension button for quick checks and short tasks.
Floating Mode
Movable launcher on accessible pages. Expand into a resizable panel, pin, minimize, or switch to Popup / Side Panel.
Quick menu
Shows or hides the in-extension quick navigation rail, and sets its position, from Home's customize bar.
Sidekick Spotlight
Keyboard overlay to search tools, actions, Smart Snippets, Workspace Links, and open browser tabs.
- Search across actions, pinned and workspace links, and open tabs from one field.
- Use the filter buttons to browse a complete category without typing, then search within that category.
Tab Search
Find an open browser tab by its page title or address without leaving the page you are working on.
Tab Switching
Click on a tab result to switch directly to that browser tab, either through Tab Search results or the Open Tabs filter.
Session memory
Sidekick remembers the active tool for the page you opened it on, and recent Universal Search results can restore on that same page. Rule Preview keeps one active trace and Rule Map keeps one active map. Rule Compare shares its temporary Source and Target captures across Sidekick surfaces for the browser session.
Productivity Suite
Productivity features
Notes, snippets, clipboard history, and link folder references stay in this browser profile. Capture and canvas overlays need page access.
Workspace Links
Browse and open links from a connected Sidekick bookmarks folder. Initial connection may inspect the bookmark folder tree to locate it; afterward Sidekick uses that folder and its subfolders.
- Sidekick displays only the connected folder.
- Rename or reorganize links in Bookmark Manager; reconnect if the folder moves or is missing.
- If bookmark access is removed, Sidekick asks again before showing links.
Clipboard Manager
Recently Copied Items — review and reuse text (and screenshots) Sidekick has saved locally.
- Add current clipboard: reads the system clipboard and saves it into history as “Current Clipboard,” so you can retain text that was copied outside Sidekick’s page capture.
- Requires Clipboard capture on (Preferences → Platform). Sensitive clipboard content is not saved.
- With capture on and site access allowed, copies made on allowed pages are also saved automatically.
Smart Snippets
Save reusable text and insert or copy it with a short /shorthand trigger.
/shorthand+ Space or Tab inserts at the cursor in supported inputs and editors.//shorthand+ Space or Tab copies without inserting.- Skipped: password, hidden, file, button, checkbox, radio, range, color, read-only, disabled, and other sensitive fields.
- Also works inside Code / JSON Viewer, Quick Canvas, the Screen Capture annotator, and Sidekick's own panel fields.
Quick Notes
Persistent rich-text notepad beside your work.
- Live word and character counts; automatic saving; safe pasted content.
Code / JSON
Large local editor over the page to format and validate JSON, clean and transform plain text, or compare changes.
- Formatting, minifying, validation, and search run in the local overlay; editor content stays in this browser profile.
- Compare places original and changed text side by side, summarizes added, removed, and changed lines, and lets you swap sides or copy the result.
- When closing with changes, choose Save draft to reopen later, Discard changes, or Keep editing.
Quick Canvas
Freeform overlay for drawing, shapes, text, selection, move/edit, zoom, and pan.
- Build flowcharts with Step, Decision, and System shapes, arrows, text, and sticky notes. Hold ⌥ or ⌘ while drawing with Pen for smart shape recognition.
- Work in fullscreen, duplicate selected items, then copy the canvas as an image or download a PNG.
- Quick Canvas keeps one saved draft. It restores automatically on any page, and saving again replaces the previous draft.
- When closing with unsaved changes, Save draft updates the saved canvas, Discard changes closes without replacing the last saved draft, and Keep editing returns to the canvas.
Screen Capture
Capture the visible page without Sidekick floating controls, then crop or annotate it with rectangles, arrows, and text.
- Sidekick’s floating controls are hidden before capture and restored afterward.
- Crop the captured area first, then add rectangles, arrows, or text; Undo and Redo include crop changes.
- Screenshot Exit Confirmation under Preferences → Other Settings controls whether Sidekick asks before discarding annotated work.
Page helpers in this suite
Enable these in Preferences → Platform. They work on any allowed page and keep working as content changes or loads without a full refresh. Clipboard history and snippets stay local to this browser profile.
Clipboard capture
Observes copy events on allowed pages only while capture is enabled and saves permitted text into Clipboard Manager. It does not continuously poll the clipboard. Add current clipboard performs an explicit system clipboard read.
Textspander
Type /shorthand and press Space or Tab to expand, or //shorthand to copy without inserting.
Epoch time converter
Show readable timestamps beside likely epoch values, including ones that appear after load and ones inside code or API responses. Select any text containing a value to convert it on the spot. Badges never enter copied text; each carries its own copy icon for the date.
Browser Find
Use browser find (⌘F / Ctrl+F) instead of page-specific search on supported pages.
Atlas Suite
Companion new tab
Atlas is an optional companion extension that turns the browser new tab into a Sidekick workspace. Your links, clipboard, snippets, notes, and recent work greet you on every new tab.
Install from Preferences → Other Settings → Atlas new tabs. Turning Atlas off or removing the companion restores the browser's normal new tab; nothing else changes.
Sidekick Atlas
Optional companion extension that turns the browser new tab into a Sidekick workspace. When Atlas is off or not installed, the browser's normal new tab is untouched.
- Links come read-only from the connected Workspace Links folder, with pins and inline folder expansion.
- Clipboard and Snippets widgets reuse the same local data as the Sidekick panel.
- Customize themes, backgrounds, tracked URLs, and search sources from the Atlas Customize panel.
Atlas Continue
Resume tiles on the Atlas new tab: reopen Rule Preview, Rule Map, Rule Compare, or Universal Search on the right tab, or return to a tracked page.
- Context tiles reopen Rule Preview, Rule Map, Rule Compare, or Universal Search on the tab where that work happened.
- Recent tiles return to tracked pages — switch to the live tab when it is still open, or reopen the address.
Atlas Spotlight
Search from the Atlas new tab: web, Google, Knowledge Base, or a direct address, plus Sidekick actions and open tabs.
- Press
/on the new tab to focus search; Enter runs the selected result. - Queries go only to the engine you choose; with no match, Enter falls back to normal browser navigation.
Activity on Atlas
Continue tiles come from locally tracked visits and contextual activity described under Access & privacy. Everything stays in this browser profile and is cleared by Cache → Clear.
Preferences
Preference sections
Open Preferences from the gear icon or Home. All settings are stored locally in the current browser profile.
Default View Mode
Choose how Sidekick opens: Side Panel, Popup, or Floating Mode (labeled Floating in Preferences).
Interface
Sidekick Spotlight, Sidekick Atlas, Graphite mode and Intensity (Solid / Soft / Sheer), Floating pane size, Header logo (none or a bundled preset). Home layout and the quick menu are set on Home itself.
Platform
Text selection, Page-aware tab names, Rule View Finder, Rule Nav, Epoch time converter, Browser Find, Clipboard capture, and Smart Snippets.
Deep Search Settings
Node Coverage (DT, GW, JF, IVR) and Deep Search URL Path for unopened node details.
Shortcuts
View assigned shortcuts and open Chrome’s shortcut manager.
Workspace Links
Connect the Sidekick bookmarks folder and open Bookmark Manager to organize links.
Other Settings
Open side panel, Cache Clear, Site access, Screen Capture discard confirmations, About, and Hide info icons.
Cache → Clear
Clears clipboard history, screenshots, recent searches, viewer drafts, and temporary traces. Does not change preferences, Quick Notes, Smart Snippets, or Workspace Links.
About
Under Other Settings. Opens guide, product details, and feedback.
Keyboard shortcuts
Keyboard shortcuts
All shortcuts are customizable. These combinations are set by default.
Open Sidekick⌘ ⇧ SAlt ⇧ S
Sidekick Spotlight⌘ ⇧ KAlt ⇧ K
Universal Search⌘ ⇧ UAlt ⇧ U
Quick Notes⌘ ⇧ NAlt ⇧ N
Unassigned by default
Clipboard Manager · Workspace Links · Code / JSON Viewer · Screen Capture · Preferences
CustomizePreferences → Shortcuts → Manage Shortcuts
Manage Shortcuts opens chrome://extensions/shortcuts in Chromium-based browsers.
Access and privacy
Access, privacy, and data
Access when needed
Sidekick asks for page access after a user action. Access enables search, highlighting, screenshots, rule helpers, and optional clipboard capture. Manage it under Preferences → Other Settings → Site access.
Optional bookmarks access
Workspace Links requests bookmark access only when you connect it. Initial discovery may inspect the bookmark folder tree to locate Sidekick; afterward it reads the selected Sidekick folder and its subfolders, and changes bookmarks only after your action.
Local by design
Notes, snippets, preferences, recent clipboard items, and temporary working state stay in the current browser profile. Rule Map data and full Rule Compare working data stay in memory; only compact Rule Compare references and fingerprints use browser session storage.
Review, not execution
Sidekick reads and highlights supported page content. It does not execute rule actions, submit forms, change or publish rules, inspect network traffic generally, or require a rule export.
Current-site Deep Search requests
Deep Search is the only feature that intentionally requests application resources. When enabled and configured, it makes authenticated same-origin requests to the current site. No page, clipboard, note, or search data is sent to third-party services, and Sidekick has no analytics or telemetry endpoint.
Clipboard reads and downloads
Sidekick reads the system clipboard only when you choose Add current clipboard. It creates an image file only when you choose Download in Screen Capture or Quick Canvas.
Protected Deep Search path
The Deep Search URL Path is masked by default. Sidekick asks before revealing it.
Permissions and their purpose
Required permissions support the core workspace. Bookmarks and broad site access remain optional and user-controlled.
Data lifecycle
How local Sidekick data is retained, limited, and cleared.
Kept until you change or remove it
- Preferences
- Quick Notes
- Smart Snippets
- Workspace Links folder reference
- Optional header logo, chosen from bundled presets
Automatically limited or temporary
- Clipboard history: 100 items / ~7 days
- Tracked Atlas visits: 20 entries / up to 7 days
- Contextual Atlas activity: latest entry per tab, up to 12 entries / 7 days, removed earlier when the tab closes or navigates elsewhere
- Recent searches, the single active Rule Preview trace, Rule Compare captures and annotations, overlay drafts, target-page state, and Floating Mode sessions are temporary or page-specific
- The single active Rule Map remains in memory only
Removed by Cache → Clear
- Clipboard history and screenshots
- Recent searches and temporary traces
- Tracked and contextual Atlas activity
- Viewer drafts
Notes, snippets, Workspace Links, preferences, and site settings remain.
Common workflows
Feature combinations
01
Trace a rule execution
Supported rule canvas → Rule Preview → Scan → enter path → Native or Highlight → Trace → Step playback or summary jump.
02
Search a large page
Universal Search → optional Scroll Scope area → Deep Search / Auto Load if needed → keyword → review page and hidden-node results → Highlight all matches.
03
Configure Deep Search
Preferences → Deep Search Settings → Node Coverage (DT, GW, JF, IVR) → Deep Search URL Path → Universal Search → enable Deep Search.
04
Capture an issue
Screen Capture → annotate → copy or download.
05
Keep a system clipboard item
Clipboard Manager → Add current clipboard → item appears under Recently Copied Items (Clipboard capture must be on).
06
Use a Smart Snippet
Smart Snippets → add shorthand + expansion → enable → /shorthand + Space/Tab to insert, or //shorthand to copy.
07
Set up Workspace Links
Workspace Links → connect bookmarks → existing or new Sidekick folder → organize in Bookmark Manager → open from Sidekick or Spotlight.
08
Review a rule in Structured View
Rule Map → View Structured Layout → zoom or fit → focus nodes and pin connectors → the source rule stays untouched. If a source-changed notice appears, exit and refresh Rule Map.
09
Follow connectors with Rule Nav
Preferences → Platform → enable Rule Nav → hover a connector to identify it → click to pin → jump to source or destination → double-click to animate the flow.
10
Resume where you left off
Atlas new tab → Continue → pick a Work or Recent tile → Sidekick reopens the tool on the right tab, or returns you to a tracked page.
What's new
Latest updates
September 2026 · Launch
SPR Sidekick goes live with 25 features across five suites, this searchable reference, and the launch game. Future updates will appear here.
Availability
Where each feature works
| Feature | Supported rule canvas | General web page | Works without page access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rule Preview, Rule Map, Structured View, Rule Compare, Rule Nav & Rule View Finder | Yes | — | — |
| Sidekick Atlas (companion new tab) | — | — | Yes |
| Universal Search | Yes | Yes | — |
| Quick Notes & Workspace Links | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Smart Snippets | Yes | Yes | Library only |
| Code / JSON, Canvas & Capture | Yes | Yes | Separate viewer where available |
Browser-internal pages, extension stores, and other protected pages may block in-page tools. Sidekick explains the limitation and uses a separate viewer when a fallback exists.
Browser compatibility
Chrome provides the full Side Panel experience. Browsers without a reliable Side Panel—including some Arc configurations—default to Popup. Floating Mode requires page access. Protected addresses may block all in-page tools.
Terminology
Names used in Sidekick
- DT
- Dialogue Tree — Node Coverage / Deep Search source.
- GW
- Guided Workflows — Node Coverage / Deep Search source.
- JF
- Journey Facilitator — Node Coverage / Deep Search source.
- IVR
- Voice IVR — Node Coverage / Deep Search source.
- Execution path
- Ordered backend path (for example
1,1,2,2,1) used by Rule Preview. - Node Coverage
- Platform sources Deep Search may include (DT, GW, JF, IVR).
- Deep Search URL Path
- Internal content path from your team for unopened node details.
- Rule View Finder
- Draggable mini-map that stays over a supported rule canvas for quick navigation.
- Rule Nav
- Connector identification and navigation on the native rule canvas — hover, pin, jump to either endpoint.
- Structured View
- Read-only, automatically organized layout of the loaded rule, opened from Rule Map.
- Sidekick Atlas
- Optional companion extension providing the Sidekick new tab with links, widgets, Continue tiles, and search.
- Tab Search
- Find open browser tabs by title or address from Sidekick Spotlight.
- Tab Switching
- Click on a tab result from Tab Search results or the Open Tabs filter to switch directly to that browser tab.
- Smart Snippets
- Reusable text expansions inserted with
/shorthandor copied with//shorthand.
Troubleshooting
Common checks
A rule tool is unavailable
Open a supported SPR rule canvas and wait for it to finish loading. Rule tools stay visible but disabled until a compatible canvas is detected.
Search or capture cannot access the page
Use the access action Sidekick shows, or review site access in Preferences. Protected browser pages cannot grant normal extension access.
The Side Panel did not open
Your browser may not support Chrome’s Side Panel reliably. Choose Popup or Floating Mode in Preferences → Default View Mode (option labeled Floating); Sidekick may offer this fallback automatically.
A recent trace or search disappeared
Temporary results are tied to the page where they were created and clean up when stale. Notes, snippets, and Workspace Links are unaffected.
Deep Search says setup is incomplete
Select at least one Node Coverage source and enter the Deep Search URL Path in Preferences → Deep Search Settings.
An expected search result is missing
Page results depend on content Sidekick can read from the current page. Deep Search results depend on what is available through the configured Deep Search URL Path. If Deep Search cannot finish for an unusually large or unreadable flow, page matches remain available; try again, then contact support if it continues.
A Scroll Scope area is no longer available
The page structure may have changed. Choose the area again, or clear Scroll Scope to scan the full page.
Clipboard Manager cannot read the clipboard
Confirm Clipboard capture is enabled under Preferences → Platform. Use Add current clipboard to pull the system clipboard into history. Some browsers or protected pages block clipboard reading.
Smart Snippets does not insert text
Confirm Smart Snippets is enabled under Preferences → Platform, the shorthand exists, and you pressed Space or Tab. Password, sensitive, unsupported, read-only, and disabled fields are skipped.
Floating Mode is missing
Confirm Preferences → Default View Mode is set to Floating and the site has access. Protected browser pages cannot show Floating Mode.