---
title: "Get Data - part 2: scratchpads"
description: Get Data configuration.  Working with scratchpads.  Configuring shared scratchpads
---

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1. [Exponam Support](https://support.exponam.com/?hsLang=en)
2. [Getting started](https://support.exponam.com/getting-started?hsLang=en)
3. [Get Data](https://support.exponam.com/getting-started?hsLang=en#get-data)

# Get Data - part 2: scratchpads

## Configure scratchpads

Your primary scratchpad is your own. 

All of your SQL statements appear here - whether you write them yourself or you use natural language to generate them.  You can use the **find** and **jump** controls to quickly move through and find SQL statements.  Notice that every time the system generates a SQL statement, it is preceded by a note beginning "**# Query *n*:**"

![scratchFunctions](https://support.exponam.com/hs-fs/hubfs/scratchFunctions.png?width=467&height=321&name=scratchFunctions.png)

You can add shared scratchpads to your view by selecting the "configure access to shared queries" control.

![configSharedScratch](https://support.exponam.com/hs-fs/hubfs/configSharedScratch.png?width=475&height=297&name=configSharedScratch.png)

 ![configSharedScratch2](https://support.exponam.com/hs-fs/hubfs/configSharedScratch2.png?width=402&height=251&name=configSharedScratch2.png)

Click "Add" in the lower left corner.  Give the shared scratchpad a name and click the location finder to select the file folder location of the shared scratchpad.  (Get the location from your group administrator.)  You may configure an unlimited number of shared scratchpads (e.g. team, unit, division, organization).

Note that shared scratchpads are read-only.  They are designed for dissemination of "official" queries which have been approved for use across teams.

\*\*Note to administrator.  A shared scratchpad must have the same file name as the primary scratchpad for a given connection.  You can differentiate scratchpads by their directory folder names. 

[See part 1 for configuring connections.](https://support.exponam.com/get-data-connections?hsLang=en)  
[See part 3 for configuring an AI connections.](https://support.exponam.com/get-data-ai-options?hsLang=en)

 

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