---
title: Merged Data Sources
description: How to combine multiple existing data sources into a single unified source so you can search and browse them together.
---

# Merged Data Sources

A **merged data source** (also called a **Combined** source) lets you group two or more existing data sources into a single logical source. When you search or browse a merged source, the platform queries all member sources simultaneously and presents the results in one unified view — without having to switch between sources manually.

Merged data sources are managed on the [News → Data Sources]({APP_HOST}/documents/datasources/definitions) page alongside all other custom sources.

## Why Use a Merged Data Source?

Individual data sources each cover a specific website, social channel, or feed. When you need to monitor a topic across several of these sources at once, switching between them one by one is tedious and risks missing results. A merged data source solves this by acting as a single entry point for all the sources it wraps.

Common use cases include:

- **Unified media monitoring** — Combine several news site sources so you can search all of them with one query.
- **Cross-platform social tracking** — Merge YouTube, Facebook, and Reddit sources for a creator or brand to see all content in one place.
- **Topic-specific bundles** — Group all sources relevant to a particular industry, region, or project for reuse across searches and dashboards.

## Capabilities

A merged data source inherits the combined capabilities of all its member sources. If at least one member supports **Latest**, the merged source supports Latest. If at least one supports **Web Search** or **API Search**, those capabilities are available on the merged source too.

This means you can use a merged source anywhere a regular source would appear — in the [Search module]({APP_HOST}/documents/search), in [Deep Search]({APP_HOST}/documents/deepsearch), on dashboards, and as a target for entities.

For a full description of what each capability means, see [Data Source Capabilities](data-source-capabilities).

## Creating a Merged Data Source

1. Go to [News → Data Sources]({APP_HOST}/documents/datasources/definitions).
2. Click **+ Add** to open the data source wizard.
3. In the type list, select **Combined** under the **AI-enhanced** category.
4. In the Details step:
   - Enter a **Name** for the merged source (and an optional description).
   - Select **two or more existing data sources** from your organization to include as members.
5. Click **Add** to save.

The merged source appears immediately in the data source list and is available to all members of your organization.

> **Note:** You can only merge data sources that already exist in your organization. Built-in data sources (the platform's 100+ preconfigured sources) cannot be added as members. If you need to include a built-in source, first add it as a custom data source of its own type, then include it in the merged source.

## Editing and Deleting

Merged data sources appear in the data source list just like any other custom source. You can **rename** them using the pencil icon, or **delete** them with the bin button. Deleting a merged source does not delete the individual member sources — only the combination is removed.

For general instructions on managing data sources, see [Handling Data Sources](handling-data-sources).

## Searching Across Multiple Sources

If you want to search across several data sources without permanently grouping them, you can create a merged data source specifically for that purpose. This is the recommended way to run a single query against multiple sources at once.

See [About Search](../search/about-search) for details on running searches and selecting data sources.