Knowledge Base
Upload documents, FAQs, and policies that your AI assistant can reference during calls - without cluttering your instructions.
What is a Knowledge Base?
A knowledge base gives your assistant access to your business information. When customers ask questions, the assistant searches your documents for accurate answers.
Example:
Customer: "What's your refund policy?"
Assistant: "We offer full refunds within 30 days with receipt.
After 30 days, we provide store credit."
Upload your FAQ document and your assistant can answer questions about your policies.
Why Use It?
Instructions: Personality, tone, conversation flow, how to handle requests
Knowledge Base: FAQs, pricing, policies, service descriptions, product info
Benefits:
- ✅ Update one document vs. editing multiple assistants
- ✅ Assistant finds relevant info automatically
- ✅ More detailed, accurate answers
- ✅ Easy to keep information current
What to Include
✅ Good for Knowledge Base:
- FAQs (hours, payment methods, policies)
- Service menu with pricing
- Policies (cancellation, refund, late arrival)
- Product specifications and details
- Troubleshooting guides
❌ Keep in Instructions Instead:
- Personality and tone
- Conversation flow
- When to use tools
- How to greet customers
- Transfer logic
❌ Don't Use Knowledge Base For:
- Real-time info (today's wait times, current inventory)
- Use integrations or update frequently instead
Supported File Types
| File Type | Extension | Max Size |
|---|---|---|
| Text Files | .txt | 10 MB |
| PDF Documents | .pdf | 10 MB |
| Word Documents | .doc, .docx | 10 MB |
| Markdown | .md | 10 MB |
Best practices:
- Use descriptive filenames:
faq-general.pdf,pricing-2024.docx - Include dates in filenames for version control
- Organize by topic (one document per category)
- Review and update quarterly
Creating a Knowledge Base
- Go to Knowledge Bases in sidebar → Click "Create Knowledge Base"
- Name it clearly: "General FAQs", "Service Pricing", "Company Policies"
- Select region: US East, Central, or West (closest to your location)
- Choose your content source:
- Upload Files: Add documents from your computer
- Scrape Website: Automatically crawl and index web content
Files and scraped content process in the background. You'll see a green checkmark when ready.
Upload 1-2 essential documents first. Test, then add more as needed.
Adding Content to Your Knowledge Base
You can add information to your knowledge base in two ways: uploading files or scraping websites.
Option 1: Upload Files
Upload documents directly to your knowledge base:
- Click "Upload Files" in your knowledge base
- Select files (drag and drop or browse)
- Wait for processing - files are embedded automatically
- Green checkmark appears when ready
Supported formats:
- PDF documents
- Text files (.txt)
- Word documents (.docx)
- Markdown files (.md)
Option 2: Scrape Websites
Automatically crawl and index website content:
- Click "Add URL" in your knowledge base
- Enter the website URL (e.g.,
https://docs.example.com) - Click "Start Crawling"
- Voka AI crawls the page and up to 5 levels of linked pages
- Progress is shown in real-time
- Indexing happens automatically after crawl completes
For best results, use specific URLs rather than homepages. For example, use https://example.com/docs instead of https://example.com to avoid crawling unnecessary pages.
What can be scraped:
- Documentation sites
- FAQ pages
- Product catalogs
- Blog articles
- Public web content
What cannot be scraped:
- Pages behind authentication/login
- Password-protected content
- JavaScript-heavy sites (limited support)
How Web Scraping Works
Crawl depth: Voka AI starts at your provided URL and follows links up to 5 levels deep
Crawl time:
- Small sites (< 50 pages): 2-5 minutes
- Medium sites (50-200 pages): 5-15 minutes
- Large sites (200+ pages): 15-30 minutes
Best practices:
- Use the most specific documentation URL possible
- Verify the website allows crawling (check robots.txt)
- Test with a smaller site first
- Monitor crawl progress - you can close the modal and check back later
Managing Files and URLs
View content: Knowledge Bases → Click a KB → See list of files and scraped URLs with details
Add more files: Upload Files button (can add anytime, even while assistant is live)
Add more URLs: Add URL button → Enter URL → Start crawling
Download files: Click download icon to review locally
Delete files/URLs: Click trash icon → Confirm (permanent, cannot recover)
Clear all content: Clear All Files button → Removes all files and URLs but keeps KB
Delete knowledge base: Delete Knowledge Base button → Removes KB and all content
Deleting is permanent. Download files first if you might need them later!
Attaching to Assistants
- Go to AI Assistants → Select assistant → Knowledge Bases tab
- Toggle ON the knowledge bases to use (green = attached)
- Save changes
You can attach multiple knowledge bases to one assistant.
Optional - Update Instructions:
You have access to our knowledge base with FAQs, pricing, and policies.
Search the knowledge base for accurate information when answering questions.
Test it:
- Call and ask: "What are your hours?" or "What's your cancellation policy?"
- Verify correct answers from your documents
Using Multiple Knowledge Bases
Organize by topic for easier management:
- KB 1: "General FAQs"
- KB 2: "Service Pricing"
- KB 3: "Company Policies"
Multi-location example:
- Shared KBs: Company policies, service descriptions (all assistants)
- Location-specific KBs: Hours, address, local pricing (specific assistants)
Different service lines:
- General assistant: FAQs, company info
- Support assistant: Technical docs, troubleshooting
- Sales assistant: Pricing, promotions
Best Practices
Content Organization:
- ✅ Focused, topic-specific KBs with clear names
- ✅ Include dates in filenames for version control
- ✅ Remove outdated information promptly
- ❌ Don't dump everything in one document
- ❌ Don't include conflicting information
Writing for Knowledge Bases:
✅ Good: "We're open Monday-Friday 9 AM to 5 PM. Closed weekends."
❌ Vague: "We're usually open during the week."
✅ Good: "Full refunds within 30 days with receipt. Store credit after."
❌ Vague: "We have a flexible refund policy."
Use Q&A format:
Q: What payment methods do you accept?
A: Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Discover, cash, and checks under $500.
Update Schedule:
- Monthly: Review for outdated info, add new FAQs from calls
- Immediately: Price changes, new services, policy updates, hours changes
- After updates: Test with calls to verify correct answers
Example Knowledge Bases by Industry
Healthcare/Dental:
- Client FAQs (new client info, what to expect, emergency services)
- Services & Pricing (exams, cleanings, procedures)
- Office Policies (cancellation, payment, late arrival)
Home Services:
- Service Areas & Pricing (service fees, emergency rates, coverage areas)
- Common Issues & Costs (typical repair pricing)
- Guarantees & Licensing (warranty info, credentials)
Beauty & Wellness:
- Service Menu (haircuts, color, spa services with duration & pricing)
- Policies (cancellation, gratuity, discounts, gift certificates)
Professional Services:
- Practice Areas (service offerings)
- Fee Structure (consultation rates, hourly rates, payment plans)
- Client Information (what to bring, how process works)
Troubleshooting
Assistant not using KB:
- Check if KB is attached (Knowledge Bases tab → toggle ON)
- Verify information is actually in the file (download and check)
- Test with specific questions only KB can answer
- Check file format (convert to PDF if needed, ensure text is selectable)
- If using scraped content, verify crawl completed successfully
Wrong information:
- Outdated files: Delete old versions, upload current info
- Conflicting info: Keep one source of truth per topic
- Misinterpretation: Use Q&A format, simplify language
- Stale website content: Re-crawl the URL to get latest content
Upload fails:
- Check file size (10 MB max), compress or split if needed
- Check file type (.txt, .pdf, .doc, .docx, .md only)
- Avoid special characters in filename
- Ensure stable internet connection
Website crawl failing:
- Ensure URL is publicly accessible (not behind login)
- Check if site blocks bots (robots.txt)
- Try a more specific URL (e.g., /docs instead of homepage)
- Verify site doesn't require authentication
- Wait a few minutes and try again if server is busy
Limits & Storage
| Limit | Amount |
|---|---|
| Knowledge bases per account | 100 max |
| Files per knowledge base | 1,000 max |
| URLs per knowledge base | 50 max |
| File size | 10 MB max per file |
| Crawl depth | 5 levels |
| Crawl timeout | 30 minutes |
| File types | .txt, .pdf, .doc, .docx, .md |
Need higher limits? Contact support.
Quick Tips
- Start with 1-2 key documents, test, then add more
- Use multiple focused KBs instead of one huge one
- Update monthly and immediately when business changes
- Test after uploads to verify correct answers
- Review call transcripts to identify gaps
- Scrape your documentation site to keep KB current with web content
- Use specific URLs when scraping (not homepages) for better results
Next Steps
- Create your first knowledge base with FAQ or policies
- Attach to your assistant
- Test thoroughly
- Monitor and improve based on call patterns
Related Guides
- Writing Instructions - Instructions vs. knowledge base
- Tools & Actions - Combine with tools
- Testing - Test KB integration
- Best Practices - Optimization tips