Your AI Agent is only as good as the knowledge you give it. This article covers how the different knowledge types work together and the most common mistakes to avoid.

Your knowledge base has content types, and each plays a different role:

When a customer sends a message, the AI considers all of these together. Otherwise, the AI draws from relevant Facts and Knowledge Sources to form its response.

The practical hierarchy:

-Facts are treated as authoritative when they're relevant, and take priority over conflicting document content.

-Knowledge Sources provide the broad foundation the AI draws from for everything else.

The Sync overview section, located in the lower-right corner of the Sources section under Knowledge Base, provides a quick snapshot of your total sources and their current status.

Use these counts as a quick health check for your Knowledge Base. If you see any sources marked as Processing, Pending, or Failed, review the corresponding links or files to ensure they're up to date, approved, and accessible.

If you're starting from scratch, build your knowledge base in this order:

-Review auto-populated content. Approve pending Shopify Pages by clicking Grant AI Access, and check that your policies were ingested correctly.

-Add 3-5 Facts for important details that aren't in your documents.

-Upload additional documents as needed (product guides, FAQ pages, sizing charts).

-Test in the AI Playground after each batch of additions.

You don't need to have everything perfect before going live. Start with the essentials and add more as you see real conversations.

Stale content is worse than missing content. If the AI confidently gives an outdated answer, customers lose trust.

What to watch for:

-Seasonal information (holiday shipping deadlines, sales, limited-time offers) should be archived or updated when it expires

-Facts created during onboarding should be reviewed after you've added full Knowledge Sources covering the same topics

-Auto-synced sources (Shopify policy, Shopify page) auto-sync weekly, but check that the sync is still working if the source URL or sharing settings change

When policies change:

-Update the Shopify policy page (auto-synced sources pick this up automatically)

-Update or archive any Facts that referenced the old policy

-Test in the AI Playground to confirm the AI gives the new answer

Duplicating information across types: If your return policy exists as a Shopify Policy source AND you've written a Verified Answer AND you've added a Fact about return windows, the AI has three sources to reconcile. Keep one authoritative source per topic. Use Facts for corrections and Verified Answers for questions where exact wording matters.

Adding too much at once without testing: After adding or changing the knowledge base, test in the AI Playground before relying on it in live conversations. A fact that seems clear to you might interact with existing content in unexpected ways.

Forgetting about temporary content: Holiday promotions, limited-time offers, and seasonal shipping changes should be archived when they expire. A fact saying "Order by December 18 for Christmas delivery" is actively harmful in January.

Missing your core policies: Make sure your knowledge base covers the topics customers ask about most: shipping, returns/refunds, contact information, and payment methods. If any of these are missing, those are your highest-priority additions.

Use this as a periodic review:

Are any sources showing as Failed?

Are there pending Shopify Pages waiting for review?

Are there seasonal or temporary Facts that should be archived?

Have you tested recent changes in the AI Playground?

Are your Shopify Policies still up to date in your Shopify admin?

When a customer sends a message, the AI considers all of these together. Guidelines shape its overall behavior. If the question matches a Verified Answer, that takes priority.

The practical hierarchy:

-Guidelines always apply, regardless of the question.

-A Verified Answer with "Use the answer verbatim" enabled returns your exact wording, without the agent rephrasing it.

If you're starting from scratch, build in this order:

-Add 5-10 Verified Answers for your most common customer questions.

-Add 3-5 Guidelines for behavioral rules your agent should always follow.

-Test in the AI Playground after each batch of additions.

You don't need to have everything perfect before going live. Start with the essentials and add more as you see real conversations.

When policies change:

-Update any Verified Answers that quoted specific details from the old policy

-Test in the AI Playground to confirm the AI gives the new answer

Duplicating information across types: If your return policy exists as a Shopify Policy source AND you've written a Verified Answer AND you've added a Fact about return windows, the AI has three sources to reconcile. Keep one authoritative source per topic. Use Facts for corrections and Verified Answers for questions where exact wording matters.

Too many vague guidelines: "Be helpful," "Know our products," and "Give good answers" don't add anything. The AI already does these things based on your persona and tone settings. Focus guidelines on specific behaviors you need enforced.

Adding too much at once without testing: After adding or changing the knowledge base, verified answers, and guidelines, test in the AI Playground before relying on it in live conversations.

Use this as a periodic review:

Are there pending Guidelines waiting for review?

Do your Verified Answers still reflect current policies and pricing?

Have you tested recent changes in the AI Playground?
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Still have questions?
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Please feel free to reach out to our wonderful Support team at support@txtcart.ai or via Live Chat.
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