Knowledge source best practices
Why a smaller, cleaner knowledge set creates better grounded answers than a large pile of overlapping documents.
Source hygiene matters more than source count
Operators often assume better grounding comes from adding more material. In practice, answer quality usually improves faster when you remove duplicate or stale content and tighten the scope of what the agent can cite.
The first question to ask is not “what else can we upload?” It is “what should the agent trust first?”
What earns a place in the first knowledge set
- Current policy language customers already see.
- Shipping, returns, and account guidance that changes rarely.
- FAQ entries written in the same language operators want the agent to use.
What to avoid in phase one
- Internal notes that contradict public policy.
- Archived campaign copy or outdated seasonal rules.
- Large uploads you cannot realistically review after indexing.
What is the best first knowledge source to add?
Start with one source of truth customers already depend on, usually a help center or FAQ set. A smaller, clean source beats uploading many overlapping files on day one.
How often should I refresh knowledge sources?
Refresh after any policy, shipping, refund, or product changes that would alter a customer-facing answer. During rollout, refresh after each major content edit until the answer quality stabilizes.
Add website and FAQ knowledge
Use the Knowledge section to ground the agent in one reliable help source so answers stay specific instead of slipping into generic support language.
Validate and refine before launch
Pressure-test the agent in the Launch section and tune behavior in Train, so the first live week teaches you about edge cases, not avoidable setup mistakes.