Easel is Portrait's workspace for open-ended, multi-step research. You describe an outcome; Easel plans and carries out supported work using the sources, tools, and context available to your account.
Easel availability, session quantities, included usage, data entitlements, and connected surfaces vary by account. Slack, Teams, and email using a linked Portrait account require full Easel access on the connected Portrait account. Easel ask and sessions in the CLI require full Easel access plus the account-enabled Easel CLI bridge; OAuth sign-in alone does not grant those operations.
When to use Easel
Use Easel when a task is multi-step or the route is not fully known in advance. Examples include comparing filings with estimates, investigating a change across several sources, or extending work already held in Portrait.
Use Deep Research when you can define the scope before execution and want a Portrait Review with a supporting Appendix.
Fixed session allowance
On beta accounts with a fixed Easel session allowance, the first research request Portrait accepts in a new session—or after resuming an inactive session—uses one unit. Reading a saved conversation or continuing an already-active session does not use another unit. The allowance applies to web and iOS, does not reset, and is not restored by deleting a conversation. See How sessions are counted before starting or resuming research.
Slack, Teams, email using a linked Portrait account, and Easel commands in CLI require full Easel access and do not use this beta allowance.
What Easel can use
Depending on your request, account, and surface, Easel can:
- search supported filings, transcripts, presentations, news, and entitled expert-call content;
- search the live web and link to the sources it used;
- retrieve supported market data and Visible Alpha estimates within your firm's entitlement;
- use files that you upload or explicitly reference from My Library;
- read selected Portrait work such as projects, research threads, case studies, primers, and monitors;
- follow Easel skills;
- propose or start supported Portrait workflows, with confirmation when required.
The web and iOS interfaces show activity and progress. Slack and Teams surface progress in channel-specific messages. The CLI returns the completed response, or streams answer records with --stream; email returns the completed response. None of these surfaces exposes private model reasoning.
What Easel returns
Easel usually answers in the conversation. When you request a file, or the task warrants one, Easel can create supported documents, spreadsheets, charts, and PDFs.
Portrait does not currently generate PowerPoint files. Visible Alpha data cannot be exported into generated Excel files.
See Save and export Easel work for the controls available on a response.
Evidence and limits
Easel can cite and link to sources where the workflow and source licence permit it. Some providers restrict full-text display, redistribution, or access from a connected surface. Generated analysis can still be incomplete or incorrect; verify material figures, quotations, and conclusions against primary evidence.
Easel is not exposed through Portrait MCP. MCP provides a separate set of Portrait data and workflow tools for connected AI clients.
Next
Ask Easel a research question.
Connected sources, memory, and recurring work
Eligible accounts can connect MCP providers inside Easel. These are distinct from connecting an external AI client to Portrait MCP or installing the Teams bot.
Analyst memory retains selected profile and company notes across sessions. Scheduled Research repeats a saved Easel instruction while you are away. Email a result sends a deliverable to your own account address from an interactive session. Each has its own access and verification requirements.
There is also a separate email-only trial for approved senders; it has a message cap and does not include app access.