Manual Q&A
Manual Q&A is the highest-priority knowledge source type. Unlike files and websites where the agent retrieves passages and paraphrases them, Q&A lets you write the exact question and the exact answer you want the agent to give. Use Q&A for anything where precision matters: your return policy, pricing, hours, contact details, or any question that has one definitive correct answer.
Why Q&A is retrieved first
The retrieval system gives Q&A sources a special advantage. When a visitor asks a question, the system runs a dedicated search over all your Q&A entries before anything else. Up to 4 matching Q&A answers are reserved and placed at the very beginning of the context window, ahead of any file or website content. This means your manually written answers will almost always surface in the response — even if a website chunk scores slightly higher in the general search.
When to use Q&A vs other sources
| Use Q&A for | Use files/websites for |
|---|---|
| Exact answers that must not be paraphrased | Long-form documentation and articles |
| Pricing, hours, contact details | Product manuals and technical guides |
| Return and refund policies | Blog content and general information |
| Top 10 most-asked support questions | Large knowledge bases with hundreds of topics |
| Answers you want guaranteed to appear | Content that changes infrequently and is well-structured |
Adding Q&A entries
Open Knowledge Base → Q&A
Click Add Q&A
Write the question as a visitor would ask it
Write a complete, specific answer
Save
Tips for effective Q&A
- •Cover question variations. Add separate entries for "What is your return policy?", "How do I return an item?", and "Can I get a refund?" — all pointing to thorough answers. The system retrieves by semantic similarity, so more phrasings means better coverage of the ways visitors actually ask.
- •Be specific with answers. "We offer a 30-day return on unused items in original packaging, no questions asked. Email returns@yourstore.com to start a return." is far more useful than "We have a return policy."
- •Keep each Q&A focused on one question. Don't combine multiple topics in a single entry — split them into separate pairs so retrieval stays precise.
- •Update Q&A when your policies change. Because Q&A is prioritised in retrieval, an outdated Q&A answer can override correct information from your website. Keep it current.
- •Add your most frequent questions first. Start with the top 10 questions your support team receives — these will have an immediate impact on deflection and answer quality.
Managing Q&A entries
All Q&A entries appear in a list in the Q&A tab. You can edit any entry at any time — changes take effect immediately. Deleting an entry removes it from retrieval instantly; no reprocessing is needed.
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