How to Create and Manage Knowledge Bases

Knowledge bases let you give SecureAI access to your own documents -- parts catalogs, technical bulletins, service manuals, internal procedures -- so the AI can search them and use them to answer questions. This guide walks you through creating, populating, editing, and managing knowledge bases in SecureAI.

What Is a Knowledge Base?

A knowledge base is a collection of documents that SecureAI can search when answering your questions. When you attach a knowledge base to a conversation, the AI retrieves relevant sections from your documents and uses them as context for its responses. This is how you get answers grounded in your specific catalogs, procedures, and data rather than generic information.

Creating a Knowledge Base

Step 1: Open the Knowledge Section

1. Log in to SecureAI.
2. Click Knowledge in the left sidebar (or navigate to Workspace > Knowledge depending on your interface version).
3. Click + Create a Knowledge Base (or the + button).

Step 2: Configure Basic Settings

1. Name: Give the knowledge base a clear, descriptive name. Use the subject, scope, and year range if applicable.
   • Good: Brake Components 2024-2025, Dorman Chassis Catalog, Shop Warranty Procedures
   • Avoid: KB1, New Upload March, Test
2. Description (optional): Add a short description of what the knowledge base contains. This helps other users on your team understand when to use it.
3. Click Create (or Save) to create the empty knowledge base.

Step 3: Upload Documents

1. In the knowledge base view, click Upload Files (or drag and drop files into the upload area).
2. Select one or more files from your computer.
3. Wait for indexing to complete. A progress indicator shows the status for each file. Indexing time depends on file size -- a typical 20-page PDF takes a few seconds; a 100-page catalog may take a minute or more.

Supported file formats: PDF (text-based preferred), TXT, Markdown, DOCX, CSV. Scanned PDFs work if they have an OCR text layer.

Upload limits: Check your organization's plan for maximum file size and document count limits. If you hit a limit, consider splitting large documents into logical sections.

Adding More Documents Later

You can add documents to an existing knowledge base at any time:

1. Navigate to Knowledge in the sidebar.
2. Click on the knowledge base you want to update.
3. Click Upload Files and select the new documents.
4. New documents are indexed and become searchable alongside existing ones.

You do not need to re-upload existing documents when adding new ones.

Removing Documents

To remove a document from a knowledge base:

1. Open the knowledge base.
2. Find the document in the file list.
3. Click the delete icon (trash can) next to the document, or select the document and choose Remove.
4. Confirm the deletion.

The document is removed from the knowledge base and will no longer be used in AI responses. This does not delete the original file from your computer.

Editing Knowledge Base Settings

To rename a knowledge base or update its description:

1. Navigate to Knowledge in the sidebar.
2. Click on the knowledge base.
3. Click Settings (gear icon) or the knowledge base name/description to edit.
4. Update the name or description.
5. Save your changes.

Deleting a Knowledge Base

To permanently delete an entire knowledge base and all its indexed documents:

1. Navigate to Knowledge in the sidebar.
2. Click on the knowledge base.
3. Click Settings (gear icon) or find the Delete option.
4. Confirm the deletion.

This removes the knowledge base and all indexed content. It does not affect the original files on your computer or shared drives.

Using a Knowledge Base in a Conversation

Once your knowledge base is created and populated, you can attach it to conversations:

Attach to a New Conversation

1. Start a new conversation.
2. Click the + icon in the message input area, or look for the Knowledge selector above the chat.
3. Select one or more knowledge bases from the list.
4. Ask your question. SecureAI searches the attached knowledge bases for relevant content.

Attach to an Existing Conversation

1. Open the conversation.
2. Use the knowledge base selector (if available) to add or change attached knowledge bases.
3. Subsequent messages in the conversation will use the updated knowledge base selection.

Verify Retrieval

After asking a question, check the AI's response for source citations. SecureAI typically shows which document and section it used to generate the answer. If the response does not cite your knowledge base, the question may not have matched any content -- try rephrasing or check that the right knowledge base is attached.

Replacing Outdated Documents

When a catalog or manual is updated (e.g., a new model year edition), replace the old document rather than keeping both versions:

1. Open the knowledge base.
2. Remove the outdated document.
3. Upload the replacement document.
4. Test with a known question to confirm the AI returns information from the new document.

Keeping both old and new versions of the same document can cause conflicting answers -- the AI may retrieve outdated information alongside current data.

Sharing Knowledge Bases with Your Team

Depending on your organization's SecureAI configuration:

• Workspace-level knowledge bases are available to all users in the workspace. Any user with access can attach them to conversations.
• Personal knowledge bases are private to your account. Other users cannot see or use them.

To share a knowledge base:

1. Check whether the knowledge base was created at the workspace level or as a personal collection.
2. If it is personal and you want to share it, you may need to recreate it at the workspace level or ask an administrator to adjust permissions.
3. Contact your SecureAI administrator if you need help with knowledge base visibility settings.

Troubleshooting

Documents Not Appearing After Upload

• Wait for indexing: Large files may take several minutes to index. Check the progress indicator.
• Check file format: Ensure the file is a supported format (PDF, TXT, DOCX, Markdown, CSV).
• Check file size: Very large files may exceed your plan's upload limits.

AI Not Using Knowledge Base Content

• Verify attachment: Confirm the knowledge base is attached to your conversation (check the knowledge base selector).
• Check document content: Scanned PDFs without an OCR text layer appear empty to the AI. Re-process through an OCR tool and re-upload.
• Rephrase your question: The AI searches for semantic matches. If your question uses different terminology than your documents, try rephrasing with terms that appear in the source material.

Inaccurate or Outdated Answers

• Check document freshness: Review when the source documents were last updated. Outdated catalogs produce outdated answers.
• Remove duplicates: If the same content exists in multiple knowledge bases attached to a conversation, the AI may return redundant or conflicting information.
• Review source citations: Check which document the AI cited. If it cited the wrong document, the issue is likely with knowledge base organization rather than the AI itself.

Upload Errors

• File too large: Split the document into smaller sections and upload each one.
• Unsupported format: Convert the file to PDF or TXT before uploading.
• Network issues: Check your internet connection and try again. If uploads consistently fail, contact your SecureAI administrator.

Quick Reference

Related Articles

• Knowledge Base Design Best Practices -- organizing documents, naming conventions, and chunking strategy
• How to Upload Parts Catalog PDFs -- detailed PDF upload guide with automotive-specific tips
• Team Collaboration with SecureAI -- shared workspaces and team workflows