> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.serval.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Connect to External Sources

> Sync knowledge from Notion, Confluence, Google Drive, Microsoft 365, ServiceNow, Zendesk, or Freshservice

If your documentation already lives in a supported app, connect it as a knowledge source. Serval syncs the content read-only, keeps it up to date automatically, and the help desk agent searches and cites it — linking users back to the original document.

## Supported sources

| Source            | What you can sync                      |
| :---------------- | :------------------------------------- |
| **Notion**        | Pages and databases                    |
| **Confluence**    | Spaces and pages                       |
| **Google Drive**  | Docs, Sheets, and Slides               |
| **Microsoft 365** | SharePoint sites, libraries, and files |
| **ServiceNow**    | Help center articles                   |
| **Zendesk**       | Help center articles                   |
| **Freshservice**  | Knowledge articles                     |

<Note>
  Content in a system that isn't listed here? If it has an API, you can still bring it in — see [Building Custom Ingestion Workflows](/sections/documentation/knowledge-base/custom-ingestion).
</Note>

## Setting up a connected source

<Steps>
  <Step title="Connect the app integration to your team">
    Before you can sync content, the documentation app must be installed as an integration on your team.

    1. In Serval, go to **Teams** and select your team
    2. Navigate to **Integrations → Available**
    3. Find the app you want to use (for example, Confluence, Notion, or Google Drive) and click **Connect**
    4. Complete the authorization flow - this typically involves signing in to the app and granting Serval access

    For detailed setup instructions, see the integration guide for your app: [Notion](/sections/integrations/notion), [Confluence](/sections/integrations/confluence), [Google Drive](/sections/integrations/google-workspace), [Microsoft 365](/sections/integrations/microsoft-graph), or the full [Integrations overview](/sections/integrations/overview).

    <Note>
      You only need to connect each app once per team. If a teammate has already connected the app, you can skip this step.
    </Note>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add the app as a knowledge source">
    Once the app is connected, add it to your knowledge base:

    1. In the sidebar, open **Knowledge Base**
    2. Click **Add source** and select the connected app
    3. Browse folders, spaces, or pages in the app and choose what to include

    <Note>
      Only sync documentation you want the help desk agent to reference. Exclude drafts, internal notes, or outdated content.
    </Note>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Test with sample questions">
    Before going live, verify the agent finds the right answers:

    1. Open a test ticket or use the Serval chat
    2. Ask questions your users would ask (for example, "What is our PTO policy?")
    3. Confirm the agent returns accurate answers with links to the source document
    4. Adjust synced content or filters if answers are missing or incorrect
  </Step>

  <Step title="Go live">
    Once testing confirms accurate responses, your knowledge base is ready. The agent searches it automatically when users submit help desk requests.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Document permissions

Serval respects document permissions from the source app when the integration supports propagating access controls (Google Drive, Confluence, ServiceNow, and Zendesk, among others). The agent only surfaces a document to a user who is allowed to see it in the source system.

## Managing connected sources

The **Knowledge Base** section in the sidebar gives you a centralized view of every knowledge source. From here you can:

* **View all sources** - Connected apps, custom ingestion sources, and published Serval-authored content in one place
* **Filter by sync status** - Find sources that are syncing, up to date, or in an error state
* **Trigger manual syncs** - Run an immediate sync instead of waiting for the next scheduled run (connected sources automatically sync every four hours)

### Toggle visibility

Control whether each synced document is available to the help desk agent:

| Status      | Behavior                                                  |
| :---------- | :-------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Visible** | Agent searches this document and includes it in responses |
| **Hidden**  | Document is synced but not used by the agent              |

**How to toggle visibility:**

1. Open the **Knowledge Base** tab in the sidebar
2. Click **Manage Sources**
3. On the integrated app, click **Choose items to sync**
4. Check the sources you want the agent to reference and uncheck the ones you want to hide

This does not remove the sync connection - hidden documents stay synced but are excluded from agent responses.

**When to hide documents:**

* Seasonal content outside of relevant periods
* Drafts under review that are not ready for users
* Deprecated policies you want to keep but not cite

<Note>
  For pages authored in Serval, use the draft/publish model instead — unpublished pages are never searched by the agent. See [Drafts, publishing, and versions](/sections/documentation/knowledge-base/authoring#drafts-publishing-and-versions).
</Note>

### Review regularly

Outdated information erodes trust. Review knowledge base documents:

* Quarterly for general accuracy
* Immediately after major policy changes
* When users report incorrect answers

## Learn more

* [Knowledge Base overview](/sections/documentation/knowledge-base/overview) — all the ways to get knowledge into Serval
* [Building Custom Ingestion Workflows](/sections/documentation/knowledge-base/custom-ingestion) — sync from systems without a first-party connector
* [Authoring Knowledge in Serval](/sections/documentation/knowledge-base/authoring) — write knowledge directly in Serval