When to Use Knowledge Base
Knowledge base works best for information that already exists in written form and does not require back-and-forth conversation.| Scenario | Why knowledge base works |
|---|---|
| Company policies | Agent quotes directly from official documentation |
| FAQs | Common questions get consistent, accurate answers |
| Reference material | Technical specs, contact lists, and lookup tables |
| Onboarding info | Benefits, office locations, and team structures |
How Content Gets Into the Knowledge Base
There are two ways to add content to your knowledge base:| Path | Best for |
|---|---|
| Connected documentation source | Apps with a built-in connector (Notion, Confluence, Google Drive, etc.) |
| Custom knowledge ingestion workflow | APIs, internal wikis, or systems without a first-party connector |
Path 1: Connect a documentation source
Connect a supported app, browse its folders or spaces, and choose what to include. Serval syncs on a schedule (and you can trigger a manual sync), indexes the text, and keeps documents up to date when the source changes. Supported sources include Notion, Confluence, Google Drive, Microsoft 365 (SharePoint and files via Microsoft Graph), ServiceNow, Zendesk, and Freshservice. See the Integrations overview for the full list.Path 2: Use a custom knowledge ingestion workflow
When you need content from an API, an internal wiki, or a system without a first-party connector, workflow authors can build a knowledge ingestion workflow. These workflows run during knowledge sync for a connected application (often a Custom App), fetch or transform source data into documents, and return markdown text plus stable IDs and citation URLs. Serval chunks and embeds that content like any other knowledge source. See Knowledge ingestion workflows in Workflow types for technical details.Setting Up Your Knowledge Base
Setting up a knowledge base is a two-part process: first you connect an app integration to your team, then you add it as a knowledge source and choose what to sync. If you have already connected the app you want to use, skip to Step 2.Connected documentation sources
Connect the app integration to your team
Before you can sync content, the documentation app must be installed as an integration on your team.
- In Serval, go to Teams and select your team
- Navigate to Applications → Available
- Find the app you want to use (for example, Confluence, Notion, or Google Drive) and click Connect
- Complete the authorization flow - this typically involves signing in to the app and granting Serval access
You only need to connect each app once per team. If a teammate has already connected the app, you can skip this step.
Add the app as a knowledge source
Once the app is connected, add it to your knowledge base:
- In the sidebar, open Knowledge Base
- Click Add source and select the connected app
- Browse folders, spaces, or pages in the app and choose what to include
| Source | What you can sync (examples) |
|---|---|
| Notion | Pages and databases |
| Confluence | Spaces and pages |
| Google Drive | Docs, Sheets, and Slides |
| Microsoft 365 | SharePoint sites, libraries, files |
| ServiceNow | Help center articles |
| Zendesk | Help center articles |
| Freshservice | Knowledge articles |
Only sync documentation you want the help desk agent to reference. Exclude drafts, internal notes, or outdated content.
Test with sample questions
Before going live, verify the agent finds the right answers:
- Open a test ticket or use the Serval chat
- Ask questions your users would ask (for example, “What is our PTO policy?”)
- Confirm the agent returns accurate answers with links to the source document
- Adjust synced content or filters if answers are missing or incorrect
Custom knowledge ingestion
If you need content from an API, internal wiki, or system without a first-party connector, you can use custom knowledge ingestion workflows instead. This path also starts with connecting an app - typically a Custom App - and then publishing a knowledge ingestion workflow. See Knowledge ingestion workflows for the full setup. You can use both connected sources and custom ingestion together - multiple sources and workflows can feed the same knowledge base.Managing Knowledge Sources from the Sidebar
The Knowledge Base section in the sidebar gives you a centralized view of connected knowledge sources. From here you can:- View all sources - See native integrations and sources backed by custom ingestion 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
Permission-Respecting Answers
Serval respects document permissions from connected knowledge sources when the integration supports propagating access controls. When a user asks a question, the help desk agent only returns answers from documents that user is allowed to access, so sensitive or restricted content is not surfaced to unauthorized users.Permission enforcement depends on the connected source supporting document-level permissions. Sources such as Google Drive, Confluence, SharePoint, and Notion propagate their access controls to Serval where supported.
Maintaining Your Knowledge Base
Toggle Visibility
Control whether each 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 |
- Open the Knowledge Base tab in the sidebar
- Click Manage Sources
- On the integrated app, click Choose items to sync
- Check the sources you want the agent to reference and uncheck the ones you want to hide
- Seasonal content outside of relevant periods
- Drafts under review that are not ready for users
- Deprecated policies you want to keep but not cite
Review Regularly
Outdated information erodes trust. Review knowledge base documents:- Quarterly for general accuracy
- Immediately after major policy changes
- When users report incorrect answers
Best Practices
Write clear titles
Help the agent match documents to questions. Use “Remote Work Policy 2025” not “Policy.”
Structure for search
Use headings that match how users ask. Put key info in the first paragraph of each section.
Include term variations
Add synonyms users might search: “PTO,” “paid time off,” and “vacation days” in the same doc.
One topic per doc
Focused documents perform better than 50-page handbooks. Split by policy or topic.
Keep content current
Review quarterly and after policy changes. Outdated answers erode trust.
Know what belongs elsewhere
Use workflows for automated actions, Skills for troubleshooting, access requests for provisioning.