> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.nested-knowledge.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.nested-knowledge.com/account-management/organization-management/organization-settings/usage-rights.md).

# Usage Rights

Learn how to assess and assign usage rights in Nested Knowledge.

Some journals and databases license their content on terms that don't permit AI/ML processing — even when you're otherwise entitled to read, print, or share the material. **Usage Rights** is where your organization records what those terms allow, so that Nested Knowledge's AI tools only run where you're licensed to run them.

Usage Rights covers two separate tiers of content:

* **Abstract** usage rights, tracked per **search engine** (PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and so on). Only **AI/ML Use** is tracked at this tier.
* **Full Text** usage rights, tracked per **journal** (by ISSN). Four rights are tracked here: **Print**, **Digital Use**, **AI/ML Use**, and **Reactive Sharing**.

While Abstract usage rights are populated manually, Full Text usage rights can be populated two ways:

* **Automatically**, from a connected rights-data source. **CCC RightFind** is currently the only such source, and it covers Full Text only. Nested Knowledge has worked with CCC to be able to display rights information from your CCC license into our platform. See [CCC RightFind](/integrations/ccc-rightfind.md) to connect it.
* **Manually**, by an admin — useful when you are managing usage rights from an external database.

{% hint style="info" %}
A RightFind integration isn't necessary to use Usage Rights.
{% endhint %}

Usage Rights is configured for the whole organization by an admin. It isn't a per-nest or per-study setting — see [View & Filter by Usage Rights](/review-workflow/study-inspector/filter-studies/filters-available-in-study-inspector.md#usage-rights) for how it shows up downstream.

### Configure Usage Rights

#### Set Abstract Usage Rights

Abstract usage rights control whether AI tools can process the abstracts your automatic searches and imports pull from a given search engine. Where duplicates are identified, Abstract usage rights only apply to the original database the record was imported from.

{% stepper %}
{% step %}

### Open Usage Rights

In **Organization Management**, select **Usage Rights**, then select the **Abstract** tab.

<figure><img src="https://305208404-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2Fxb7uNGATUgwQAjDVQRXG%2Fuploads%2Ff70jPKpvDybUvGZF6NNt%2FScreenshot%202026-08-24%20at%2017.00.37.png?alt=media&amp;token=057e3ec7-b8f6-4fdc-a7bd-7dc5900f285f" alt="The Usage Rights page with the Abstract tab selected, showing search engines and their AI/ML Use settings."><figcaption><p>The Abstract tab lists AI/ML Use settings for each search engine.</p></figcaption></figure>
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Set AI/ML Use Per Search Engine

For each search engine, set **AI/ML Use** to:

* **Unrestricted** — no known restriction; AI tools can process abstracts from this source.
* **Grant** — this source's terms explicitly permit AI/ML processing, and it's been confirmed.
* **Deny** — this source's terms don't permit AI/ML processing.

Search engines default to **Unrestricted**.
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}

#### Set Full Text Usage Rights

Full text usage rights are tracked per journal (ISSN), and — unlike Abstract usage rights — they only take effect once you turn on enforcement. They are unrestricted by default.

{% stepper %}
{% step %}

### Open Usage Rights

In **Organization Management**, select **Usage Rights**, then select the **Full Text** tab.

<figure><img src="https://305208404-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2Fxb7uNGATUgwQAjDVQRXG%2Fuploads%2FpzTeYDTOsh0GfWS87zZS%2FScreenshot%202026-08-24%20at%2017.05.31.png?alt=media&amp;token=2b9245f2-64dc-49ba-8802-bf5e6d16c246" alt="The Usage Rights page with the Full Text tab selected, showing journal rights by ISSN."><figcaption><p>The Full Text tab lists usage rights for each journal ISSN.</p></figcaption></figure>
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Review Or Edit Rights By ISSN

Each row shows a journal's ISSN, its **Origin** — **RightFind** if the data came from your connected integration, **Manual** if an admin entered it — and its **Print**, **Digital Use**, **AI/ML Use**, and **Reactively Share** values, each **Grant**, **Deny**, or **Unknown**.

Use **Filter** to find a specific ISSN.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Turn On Enforcement

The default setting for Full Text Usage Rights is Off. To turn on, select **Manage**, then turn on **Full Text Usage Rights**.

{% hint style="warning" %}
This toggle is off by default, and while it's off, full text is unrestricted across your nests regardless of what's in the table above.
{% endhint %}

Turning it on restricts full text according to the ISSNs listed — **and it also restricts any record whose ISSN isn't in the table.** Before turning this on, make sure every journal your reviews rely on is represented, or AI tools may be unexpectedly blocked from processing full texts you're actually licensed to use. Any missing ISSN is displayed as Unknown.

<figure><img src="https://305208404-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2Fxb7uNGATUgwQAjDVQRXG%2Fuploads%2Fv6GRHyPl0Y2RnjoD9aij%2FScreenshot%202026-08-24%20at%2017.05.51.png?alt=media&amp;token=e5135a6f-9d9e-46bc-bd06-5dd9f9004d3c" alt="The Manage panel with the Full Text Usage Rights enforcement toggle."><figcaption><p>Turn on Full Text Usage Rights enforcement in the Manage panel.</p></figcaption></figure>
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

#### Download Existing Rights (Optional)

In the **Download** panel, select **Download** to export every existing usage right — from RightFind and Manual entry alike — as a spreadsheet in the same format as the upload template. Useful as a starting point when you're editing rights for ISSNs you've already set up.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

#### Edit And Upload Rights

If you're starting fresh, select **download a template** for a blank spreadsheet with the required columns: **ISSN**, **Origin**, **Print**, **Digital Use**, **AI/ML Use**, **Reactively Share**. Fill in one row per journal — **Print**, **Digital Use**, **AI/ML Use**, and **Reactively Share** each take **Grant**, **Deny**, or **Unknown**.

<figure><img src="https://305208404-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2Fxb7uNGATUgwQAjDVQRXG%2Fuploads%2FALQGYRVjCpQHRglpdCsa%2FScreenshot%202026-08-24%20at%2017.11.08.png?alt=media&amp;token=e4304a84-85e8-44a0-b139-13a167fae8c0" alt="The Download and Upload panels for exporting or importing Full Text usage rights."><figcaption><p>Download existing rights or upload a completed rights spreadsheet.</p></figcaption></figure>

In the **Upload** panel, select **Upload** and choose your file.

{% hint style="warning" %}
Uploading **overwrites** existing rights for any ISSN in your file — including rights that came from RightFind.
{% endhint %}

Check **Delete missing ISSNs** to also delete any ISSN currently in your organization's usage rights that *isn't* in the uploaded file. Leave it unchecked to only add or update the ISSNs you've included, leaving everything else as-is.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

#### Clear All Rights (Optional)

To remove every Full Text usage right your organization has recorded — RightFind and Manual alike — select **Delete All** in the **Clear All** panel. This is irreversible.
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}

### View & Filter By Usage Rights

#### On An Individual Study

Select the **R** icon in a study's header to see its Usage Rights, alongside **Abstract**, **Full Text**, and **Supplements**. This view is read-only — it reflects your organization's Usage Rights configuration for that study's search engine and ISSN, and can't be changed from the study itself.

<figure><img src="https://305208404-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2Fxb7uNGATUgwQAjDVQRXG%2Fuploads%2FkQ0OvnjTGsD4RwLXQQfC%2FScreenshot%202026-08-24%20at%2017.13.12.png?alt=media&amp;token=10498f9e-cf0e-4ba1-a15f-8ec91f80e022" alt="A study header showing the R icon and the study&#x27;s Usage Rights details."><figcaption><p>Select the R icon to view a study's Usage Rights.</p></figcaption></figure>

#### In Study Inspector

Use the **Usage Rights** filter to find records by a right and status — for example, filter to **AI/ML Use: Grant** to isolate records you're licensed to process before running an AI tool such as Adaptive Smart Tags. Use **Usage Rights Ineligibility** to filter directly to records that aren't eligible for a selected use. See [Filters Available in Study Inspector.](/review-workflow/study-inspector/filter-studies/filters-available-in-study-inspector.md)

### FAQs

<details>

<summary>Can I set usage rights for a single study, or a single nest?</summary>

No. Usage Rights is configured once, for the whole organization, by an admin. Every nest the organization owns inherits the same configuration.

</details>

<details>

<summary>Do I need CCC RightFind to use Usage Rights?</summary>

No. RightFind is one way to populate Full Text usage rights automatically, but Manual entry works on its own — at both the Abstract and Full Text tiers — whether or not you have a RightFind subscription.

</details>

<details>

<summary>What happens to a journal that isn't in my Full Text usage rights table?</summary>

If **Full Text Usage Rights** enforcement is off, nothing — full text remains unrestricted. If it's on, any record whose ISSN isn't listed is treated as restricted, the same as an explicit **Deny**.

</details>

### Next Steps

<table data-card-size="large" data-view="cards"><thead><tr><th></th><th></th><th data-hidden data-card-target data-type="content-ref"></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><i class="fa-plug">:plug:</i><br><strong>CCC RightFind</strong></td><td>Connect RightFind to populate Full Text usage rights automatically.</td><td><a href="/integrations/ccc-rightfind.md">CCC RightFind</a></td></tr><tr><td><i class="fa-filter">:filter:</i><br><strong>Filters Available in Study Inspector</strong></td><td>Review usage-rights filters and other available filters.</td><td><a href="/review-workflow/study-inspector/filter-studies/filters-available-in-study-inspector.md">Filters Available in Study Inspector</a></td></tr><tr><td><i class="fa-pen-to-square">:pen-to-square:</i><br><strong>View and Edit Studies</strong></td><td>Review a study's usage rights and other record details.</td><td><a href="/review-workflow/study-inspector/view-and-edit-studies.md">View and Edit Studies</a></td></tr></tbody></table>


---

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