> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://learn.doubletick.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://learn.doubletick.io/doubletick-ai/ai-agent/how-to-create-a-new-ai-agent/build-your-ai-agents-knowledge-base.md).

# Build your AI agent's knowledge base

Learn how to add FAQs, import FAQs in bulk, connect websites, upload files (PDF, Excel, CSV), and manage your agent's knowledge base so it can answer customer questions accurately.

#### What’s covered

* [Knowledge base overview](#understanding-the-knowledge-base)
* [Managing FAQs](#how-to-add-a-faq)
* [Adding and managing websites](#how-to-add-a-website-to-your-knowledge-base)
* [Re-syncing web content](#how-to-re-sync-the-website)
* [Uploading files (PDF, Excel, CSV)](#how-to-add-files-to-your-knowledge-base-new)
* [Key takeaways](#key-takeaways)
* [Frequently asked questions](#frequently-asked-questions)

#### Understanding the knowledge base

<figure><img src="https://2303112206-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F53n17VnOICC1LtDqlENV%2Fuploads%2FqnO3C7jVtF2YdfjAeREh%2Fimage.png?alt=media&#x26;token=b1b602c7-81ac-41cd-93ab-9cc02a1a74e3" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

The Knowledge tab is where you teach your AI agent what to say. It is divided into three sections:

* **FAQs**: Question-and-answer pairs you create manually for direct customer queries.
* **Websites**: Live web pages that your agent crawls and learns from automatically.
* **Files**: PDF, Excel, and CSV files you upload as-is, which the agent reads directly to answer customer queries.

Together, these sources create your agent’s central knowledge base—the core information it uses whenever it replies to a customer.

#### How to add a FAQ

<figure><img src="https://2303112206-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F53n17VnOICC1LtDqlENV%2Fuploads%2FiYXqaYTKLRxneDxaqLXz%2FUntitled%20design%20-%202026-08-24T170523.052.gif?alt=media&#x26;token=cc0fb6b2-0d30-4d3a-897d-3baecc8f4dca" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

FAQs are the most direct way to train your agent. Each FAQ connects a common customer question with the exact response you want to give.

* Open **Knowledge → FAQs**.
* Select the **Add FAQ** button at the top right.
* Type the question in the **Question** field exactly as a customer would ask it.
* Type your response in the **Answer** field. Keep it short and direct.
* Click **Add FAQ** to publish it immediately.

#### How to import FAQs in bulk from Excel

<figure><img src="https://2303112206-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F53n17VnOICC1LtDqlENV%2Fuploads%2Fnw6bZmvrB6G2JvdhJI9a%2FUntitled%20design%20-%202026-05-29T172852.353.gif?alt=media&#x26;token=3772cefb-49da-4ba7-9697-a7f9f72773b1" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

If you have a large list of questions, you can upload them all at once using a simple spreadsheet.

* **Prepare your file**: Create an Excel sheet with questions in one column and answers in another column, then save it to your device.
* **Open import option**: In **FAQs**, click the three-dot menu next to **Add FAQ**, then select **Import**.
* **Upload file**: Select your Excel sheet. All FAQ pairs import directly into your agent's knowledge base.

#### How to edit an existing FAQ

<figure><img src="https://2303112206-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F53n17VnOICC1LtDqlENV%2Fuploads%2F99bsb5E9QNYnAUOe04ZK%2FUntitled%20design%20-%202026-05-29T173412.545.gif?alt=media&#x26;token=961c1f67-61c8-4cff-a32a-c88ab5989ebd" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

* Find the question in the **FAQ table**.
* Click the **Edit** (pencil) icon on that row.
* Update the **question** or **answer**.
* Click **Update FAQ** to save your changes.

{% hint style="info" %}
**Tips for writing effective FAQs**\
Short, 2-to-3-sentence answers work best for AI agents to process and deliver quickly.\
Write questions using the real words and phrases your customers use, not internal team terminology.\
Aim to add 20 to 50 of your most common customer questions when building your initial knowledge base.
{% endhint %}

#### How to add a website to your knowledge base

<figure><img src="https://2303112206-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F53n17VnOICC1LtDqlENV%2Fuploads%2FFuvQnmRTTy85idwCCXTM%2FUntitled%20design%20-%202026-08-11T184642.409.gif?alt=media&#x26;token=620c53b5-2e41-4d11-8efb-9baf70dd96d7" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

The Websites tab lets your agent learn directly from your online help center, product catalog, or landing pages. Once crawled, the agent refers to your web pages to answer customer questions.

1. Navigate to **Knowledge → Websites** and paste your URL into **Enter Website URL**.
2. Add request headers for protected pages. If the page requires a login or authorisation token:
   * Click the **Settings** icon next to the URL field.
   * Click **+ Add header** under **Request headers**.
   * Enter your key and value (e.g., `Authorization`, `Cookie`, or `API Key`).
   * Click **Save**.
3. Click **Add website** to begin crawling the page content.
4. Wait for the status to change from **Queued** to **Done** before testing customer questions.

#### How to re-sync the website

<figure><img src="https://2303112206-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F53n17VnOICC1LtDqlENV%2Fuploads%2FSBNrSIvbYyMhVQi7hkoV%2Fimage.png?alt=media&#x26;token=dfbfdb3b-3c91-4ad5-9125-bc17329f3fda" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

Whenever you make updates to your live website, you should refresh the source so your AI agent stays up to date.

* Locate the URL row in the **website management table**.
* Click the **Refresh** icon to trigger a fresh crawl.

#### How to add files to your knowledge base (<mark style="color:$primary;">New</mark>)

<figure><img src="https://2303112206-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F53n17VnOICC1LtDqlENV%2Fuploads%2FmtWHBS7IvUlG3kNV0YBi%2FUntitled%20design%20-%202026-08-24T171237.055.gif?alt=media&#x26;token=9b22d50e-1e61-45b5-81af-2a42d2af214e" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

Your AI agent's knowledge base also supports PDF, Excel, and CSV files. You can upload these files as-is — no need to convert them into FAQs or web pages first — and the agent will use their contents directly to answer customer queries.

**File size limits**\
Files can technically be uploaded up to **20 MB**, but we recommend keeping each file under **5 MB** for best performance.

* Navigate to **Knowledge → Files**.
* Click **Add file / Upload** and select a **PDF**, **Excel**, or **CSV** file.
* Wait for the status to change to **Done** before testing customer questions.

{% hint style="info" %}
**Note**: Excel and CSV files are compressed on your device, so the size shown in your file's properties is not the size that counts. Once uploaded, DoubleTick decompresses the file into raw format so the AI agent can read it — and this decompressed size can be significantly larger than the on-device file size (for example, a 6–8 MB Excel file can expand to around 48 MB after decompression). Keep this in mind, especially if you're uploading multiple files.
{% endhint %}

**Note about older PDFs**:\
The AI agent can read information from PDFs, Excel files, and CSVs. However, some older PDFs use legacy fonts that store text in a format the agent cannot read correctly. For example, Punjabi PDFs created using legacy fonts such as GurbaniLipi may appear as unreadable text to the agent, even though the text looks normal in the PDF itself. For best results, upload PDFs with Unicode text. If your PDF uses a legacy font, convert the content to Unicode or use a Unicode font before uploading it.

#### Key takeaways

* FAQs work best for short, direct answers to common customer questions.
* Excel bulk imports allow you to set up hundreds of FAQs in a few clicks.
* Website crawling lets your agent learn automatically from public or protected pages.
* Always re-sync web sources whenever you update your live website content.
* PDF, Excel, and CSV files can be uploaded directly to the knowledge base.
* PDFs with legacy, non-Unicode fonts (for example, older Punjabi PDFs using GurbaniLipi) may not be read correctly. Use Unicode text for best results.

#### Frequently asked questions

<details>

<summary>Which knowledge source should I use?</summary>

Use FAQs for exact answers to common questions. Use websites for live web content. Use files for existing PDFs, Excel files, or CSV files.

</details>

<details>

<summary>Can I import FAQs in bulk?</summary>

Yes. Upload an Excel sheet with questions in one column and answers in another.

</details>

<details>

<summary>When should I re-sync a website</summary>

Re-sync the website whenever you update its content. This keeps your agent’s answers current.

</details>

<details>

<summary>Can I add a password-protected website</summary>

Yes. Add the required request headers before crawling the website. For example, use `Authorization`, `Cookie`, or `API Key`.

</details>

<details>

<summary>What file types can I upload</summary>

You can upload PDF, Excel, and CSV files. The agent reads their contents directly.

</details>

<details>

<summary>What is the maximum file size</summary>

Files can be up to 20 MB. Keep each file under 5 MB for best performance.

</details>

<details>

<summary>Why isn't my AI agent reading a PDF correctly?</summary>

This usually happens with older PDFs that use legacy fonts, which store text in a format the agent can't parse, even though the text looks normal when you open the PDF. Convert the content to Unicode, or use a Unicode font, before uploading it.

</details>

#### Related articles

{% content-ref url="/spaces/53n17VnOICC1LtDqlENV/pages/eBJ3XiWoBUkoIDSdEUHj" %}
[Set up your AI agent's instructions](/doubletick-ai/ai-agent/how-to-create-a-new-ai-agent/set-up-your-ai-agents-instructions.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}

{% content-ref url="/spaces/53n17VnOICC1LtDqlENV/pages/U6gLBnxDdOq7iQdpoDQw" %}
[Give your AI agent tools to take action](/doubletick-ai/ai-agent/how-to-create-a-new-ai-agent/give-your-ai-agent-tools-to-take-action.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}

{% content-ref url="/spaces/53n17VnOICC1LtDqlENV/pages/PIHJ7V1xnUPVXN8VIB4a" %}
[Configure your AI agent's settings](/doubletick-ai/ai-agent/how-to-create-a-new-ai-agent/configure-your-ai-agents-settings.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}


---

# Agent Instructions
This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com.

## Querying This Documentation
If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the following URL with the `ask` and `goal` query parameters:

```
GET https://learn.doubletick.io/doubletick-ai/ai-agent/how-to-create-a-new-ai-agent/build-your-ai-agents-knowledge-base.md?ask=<question>&goal=<user_goal>
```

`ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
`goal` is what the user is ultimately trying to achieve, the reason they need the answer. Sharing it helps GitBook give you a better, more relevant answer. A goal is most helpful when it describes the outcome the user wants rather than restating the question. For example, with `ask=how do I create an API token`, a goal like `automate deployments from our CI pipeline` lets GitBook tailor the answer to that use case.

The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.