The Knowledge Base section enables your chatbot to deliver more accurate and detailed responses by referencing external documents such as policy manuals, product catalogs, or process guides. Follow these steps to properly set up and manage your bot’s knowledge files.
Step 1: Understand What Knowledge Files Are #
Knowledge files are supplemental documents that your bot can access during conversations. Unlike Instructions, which tell the bot how to behave, these files supply factual content the bot can cite or use when answering user questions.
Use cases include:
- Company policies (e.g., HR, legal)
- Product information sheets
- Service offerings and pricing
- Process documentation
- Compliance templates (e.g., CMM maturity models)
Step 2: Upload a Knowledge File #
- Click the Knowledge tab in the workspace tab strip.
- In the Knowledge files section, add documents using one of the following methods:
- Drag and drop files into the drop zone to add them to your knowledge vault.
- Click Upload file to browse and select a file from your computer.
- Click Create from URL, paste a link, and click Create file to turn a web page into a knowledge file.
- Once uploaded, the file will appear in the Knowledge files table showing:
- Name: the file’s name
- Size: the file size
- Added: the date the file was added
- Actions: icons to open or delete the file
Supported formats: DOC, DOCX, HTML, JSON, Markdown, PDF, TXT, CSV, and XML. Maximum file size is 50 MB per file.
✅ Tip: Use clear, descriptive file names to simplify tracking and management.
Step 3: How the Bot Uses These Files #
The AI scans knowledge files in real time when generating a response. If a user asks a question covered by the uploaded document, the bot retrieves and uses relevant excerpts to form its answer.
For example:
A user asks: “What are the key phases in the onboarding process?”
The bot pulls that section from the “Onboarding_Guide.pdf” and answers with the extracted steps.
Notes:
- The bot does not memorize the full document.
- Answers are context-driven, pulled only when relevant to the prompt.
Step 4: Manage Existing Files #
- To delete a file: in the Actions column, click the trash icon.
- To replace a document: delete the current version and upload the new one.
- To audit document freshness: check the Added column to see when the file was added.
Step 5: Enable Automatic Updates (Business Plan and Up) #
This feature allows the bot to continuously update its knowledge from changing data sources like:
- News feeds
- Live pricing sheets
- Regularly updated reports
How to configure (if plan allows):
- Look for the Automatic knowledge updates option on the Knowledge tab.
- Add a URL or feed as a live source; noem.ai will keep the file in sync automatically.
⚠️ If your plan does not include this feature, you will see:
“Automatic knowledge updates is available on a higher plan.”
Click See upgrade options to explore plans if automatic syncing is needed for your use case.
Step 6: Review Best Practices #
- Ensure documents are searchable: Avoid scanned images or non-OCR files.
- Avoid duplication: Upload only the most current version of a file.
- Use concise, clean formatting: Structured documents with headings improve response quality.
- Do not upload sensitive content unless your platform is verified for compliance (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA).
Step 7: Proceed to the Next Section #
Once your knowledge files are uploaded and confirmed, click the Next button at the bottom right to continue to the next configuration step in your chatbot setup.
Summary #
The Knowledge Base allows your AI assistant to give accurate, reference-backed answers using your own uploaded documentation. By following these steps, you ensure your chatbot has the necessary content to handle real-world queries reliably. For advanced scenarios that require automatic content refresh, upgrading to the Business plan or higher unlocks continuous knowledge syncing.
