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Overview

Creating a knowledge base is your first step toward giving your AI agent expert-level knowledge of your business. This guide walks you through the complete process, from creating the knowledge base to organizing content and following best practices.
Plan your knowledge structure before you start. A well-organized knowledge base is easier to maintain and more effective for your agents.

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Step 1: Create a Knowledge Base

  1. Log into your itellicoAI dashboard
  2. Click Knowledge Bases in the left navigation menu
  3. Click the + Create Knowledge Base button

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Fill in Basic Information

Create Knowledge Base dialog with name and description fields
Create Knowledge Base dialog with name and description fields
1

Enter Knowledge Base Name

Choose a clear, descriptive name that reflects the content category.Naming rules:
  • Letters, numbers, spaces, hyphens, and underscores only
  • No special characters (@, #, $, etc.)
  • Maximum 100 characters
Good examples:
  • “Customer Support FAQ”
  • “Product Documentation”
  • “Company Policies”
  • “Technical Troubleshooting”
Avoid:
  • “KB_001” (not descriptive)
  • “Misc Docs” (too vague)
  • “Everything!!!” (unprofessional)
2

Add Description (Optional)

Provide context about what this knowledge base contains and when to use it.Example descriptions:
  • “Customer-facing support documentation including FAQs, policies, and troubleshooting guides”
  • “Internal product specifications, feature documentation, and technical details”
  • “Company HR policies, compliance documents, and internal procedures”
3

Click Create

Your knowledge base is now created and ready for content!

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Step 2: Organize with Folders

Folders organize your knowledge items into logical groups.
A default folder is automatically created when you create a new knowledge base. You can rename it, add more folders, or start adding items right away.

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Add Additional Folders (Optional)

  1. Open your knowledge base
  2. Click the Create Folder button
  3. Enter a folder name
  4. Add an optional description
  5. Click Create

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Folder Naming Best Practices

Clear & Specific

  • “Billing & Payments”
  • “Return Policies”
  • “Product Specifications”
  • “Technical Issues”

Vague or Generic

  • “Stuff”
  • “Folder 1”
  • “Docs”
  • “Misc”

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How Many Folders?

3-5 folders is usually sufficientExample structure:
  • Customer Questions
  • Company Policies
  • Product Information
5-10 folders provides good organizationExample structure:
  • Billing & Payments
  • Technical Support
  • Product Features
  • Account Management
  • Shipping & Returns
  • General FAQ
10-15 folders keeps things manageableConsider splitting into multiple knowledge bases if you exceed 15 folders.Example structure:
  • Account Setup
  • Billing Issues
  • Payment Methods
  • Refunds & Credits
  • Product Categories A-F
  • Product Categories G-M
  • Product Categories N-Z
  • Technical Troubleshooting
  • Integration Guides
  • API Documentation
  • Returns & Exchanges
  • Shipping Options
  • Order Tracking

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Step 3: Add Knowledge Items

Knowledge items are the actual content - the documents, FAQs, policies, and information you want your agent to know.
Create New Item dialog showing Text Content, Upload File, and Web Page options
Create New Item dialog showing Text Content, Upload File, and Web Page options
You can add knowledge items in three different ways. Choose the method that best fits your content:
Best for: FAQs, policies, procedures, quick reference informationDirect text entry using the built-in editor. Perfect for content you’re creating specifically for your knowledge base.

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How to Add a Text Item

1

Click 'Add Knowledge Item'

In your folder, click the add button to create a new item.
2

Select 'TEXT' as category

Choose text if you’re entering content directly.
3

Enter a descriptive title

Good titles:
  • “Return Policy for Digital Products”
  • “Password Reset Instructions”
  • “Pricing Tiers Explained”
Avoid:
  • “Doc 1”
  • “Policy”
  • “Info”
4

Write or paste your content

Enter the information you want your agent to know. Be clear and comprehensive.Example:
Return Policy for Digital Products

Digital products can be refunded within 30 days of purchase if:
1. The product has a technical defect that prevents usage
2. The product description was materially inaccurate
3. The customer has not accessed or downloaded the product

Refunds are not available for:
- Change of mind after accessing the product
- Compatibility issues that were disclosed in product description
- User error or misunderstanding of features

To request a refund, customers should email support@company.com
with their order number and reason for the refund request.

Processing time: 5-7 business days
5

Click 'Create'

Your knowledge item is saved and will be processed immediately.
Best for: User manuals, product specs, legal documents, training materialsUpload documents in various formats up to 10MB. The system extracts and processes the text content.Supported formats: PDF, Word (.doc, .docx), Text (.txt, .log), Markdown (.md), CSV/TSV, JSON, YAML, XML

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How to Add a File

1

Click 'Add Knowledge Item'

In your folder, click the add button.
2

Select 'FILE' as category

Choose file for document uploads.
3

Enter a title

Give your file a descriptive title (the filename will be stored separately).
4

Upload your file

Click Upload and select your document.Requirements:
  • Supported formats: PDF, Word (.doc, .docx), Text (.txt, .log), Markdown (.md), CSV/TSV, JSON, YAML, XML
  • Maximum size: 10MB
  • Text-based documents and scanned images (advanced parsing handles most scans)
5

Click 'Create'

The system will upload and begin processing your file. Status will change from PENDING → PROCESSING → COMPLETED.
File processing time varies based on file size and complexity. Large files (5-10MB) may take several minutes to process.
Best for: Documentation pages, blog posts, help articles, external resourcesScrape content from a single web page (not entire websites).

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How to Add a URL

1

Click 'Add Knowledge Item'

In your folder, click the add button.
2

Select 'URL' as category

Choose URL to scrape web content.
3

Enter a title

Give the content a descriptive title.
4

Enter the source URL

Paste the complete URL including https://Example:
https://docs.company.com/api/authentication
5

Click 'Create'

The system will fetch and process the web page content. Status will change from PENDING → PROCESSING → COMPLETED.
URL scraping works best with simple, text-based web pages. Complex JavaScript applications or pages requiring authentication may not scrape successfully.

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Understanding Processing Statuses

After adding a knowledge item, it goes through two separate processing pipelines. You’ll see both statuses in the interface:

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Content Processing Status

This tracks whether the content was successfully extracted from your source.
Item created and queued for processing. Usually takes just a few seconds.
Content is being processed right now:
  • Files: Parsing documents using our advanced AI document parsers
  • URLs: Fetching and scraping the web page
  • Text: Skips this (goes directly to COMPLETED)
Content successfully extracted and stored. Vector indexing will begin automatically.
Content extraction failed. Common causes:
  • File is corrupted or password-protected
  • URL requires authentication or uses complex JavaScript
  • File exceeds 10MB limit
Quick fixes:
  • Try uploading the content as TEXT instead
  • Remove password protection from the file
  • Split large files into smaller documents
Need help?If the issue persists, contact our support team at support@itellico.ai with:
  • The knowledge item title
  • File type or URL you’re trying to add
  • Any error message shown

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Vector Indexing Status

After content is extracted, it must be indexed for RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation). This allows your agent to find relevant knowledge based on meaning.
Waiting for vector indexing to start. Content processing completed successfully.
Creating vector embeddings for RAG:
  • Content is split into chunks
  • AI embeddings are generated
  • Vectors are stored in the database
This can take several minutes for large documents.
Item is fully ready! The agent can now find and use this knowledge via semantic search.
Vector indexing failed. The content is extracted but won’t appear in RAG search results.Quick fixes:
  • Click the Reindex button on the knowledge item to retry indexing
  • If reindexing fails, try deleting and re-creating the item
  • Ensure the content isn’t too short (needs at least a few sentences)
Need help?If reindexing doesn’t work, contact our support team at support@itellico.ai with:
  • The knowledge item title
  • When you created the item
  • Content type (TEXT, FILE, or URL)
Both statuses must succeed for full functionality:
  • Content Status: COMPLETED
  • Vector Status: INDEXED
Only then can your agent use the knowledge in conversations.

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Content Quality Guidelines

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Write Clear, Comprehensive Content

Don’t assume knowledge. Explain clearly.Instead of: “Customers can return items within our standard window.”Write: “Customers can return items within 30 days of purchase. Items must be unused and in original packaging with all tags attached.”
Avoid jargon unless it’s industry-standard and your audience knows it.Instead of: “Utilize the authentication endpoint to generate a bearer token.”Write: “To authenticate, call the /auth endpoint. You’ll receive an access token to include in subsequent requests.”
Examples make abstract concepts concrete.Example: “Our pricing tiers include:
  • Basic: $29/month - Up to 1,000 contacts
  • Pro: $99/month - Up to 10,000 contacts
  • Enterprise: Custom pricing - Unlimited contacts”
Use headings and bullet points for scannable content.Good structure:
Return Policy

Eligible Items:
- Unopened products in original packaging
- Items purchased within 30 days
- Products without signs of use

Non-Eligible Items:
- Digital downloads
- Personalized products
- Sale items marked as final sale

Process:
1. Email support@company.com
2. Provide order number
3. Receive return authorization
4. Ship item within 7 days
Each item should cover one topic thoroughly. Split large topics into multiple items.Instead of: One 20-page “Complete Company Handbook”Create:
  • Return Policy
  • Shipping Options
  • Payment Methods
  • Product Warranty
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Information
Once your knowledge base has content, you’ll need to link it to your agents so they can access the information.

Assign Knowledge to Agents

Learn how to connect your knowledge base to agents and choose the right access method (Context vs RAG).

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Next Steps

Assign to Agents

Connect your knowledge base to agents

Context vs RAG

Choose how your agents access knowledge

Architecture Best Practices

Learn how to structure and organize knowledge bases