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Knowledge Base Functionality

The Knowledge Base in ITSM-NG is a powerful self-service tool that helps users find solutions independently while reducing repetitive support requests. This guide covers creating, managing, and using KB articles effectively.

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Understanding the Knowledge Base

The Knowledge Base (KB) serves multiple purposes:
  • Self-service support: Users find answers without creating tickets
  • FAQ repository: Publicly accessible frequently asked questions
  • Internal documentation: Private knowledge for technicians
  • Solution library: Reusable solutions from resolved tickets
  • Training resource: Onboarding and reference materials

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Knowledge Base vs FAQ

  • Knowledge Base: Internal and external articles, broader scope
  • FAQ: Public-facing subset marked as frequently asked questions
  • All FAQ items are KB articles, but not all KB articles are FAQ items

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Creating Knowledge Base Articles

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Article Creation Process

1

Access KB Management

Navigate to Tools > Knowledge base or press B.
2

Create New Article

Click the + button to open the article creation form.
3

Enter Article Details

Fill in the essential fields:
  • Subject: Clear, descriptive title (appears in search results)
  • Content: Detailed solution or information (supports rich text)
  • Category: Organize by topic
  • Visible since/until: Control publication dates
  • FAQ: Check if this should be in public FAQ
4

Configure Visibility

Choose who can access the article:
  • Entity: Specific organization or entity
  • Profile: By user role (Admin, Technician, etc.)
  • Group: Specific department or team
  • User: Individual users
  • Child entities: Include sub-organizations
5

Save and Publish

Click Add to create the article. It becomes visible based on your visibility settings.
Articles without visibility settings remain unpublished and only visible to administrators and the author.

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Article Content Best Practices

Writing Effective Articles:
  • Clear titles: Use descriptive, searchable titles
  • Step-by-step: Break complex procedures into numbered steps
  • Screenshots: Include annotated images for visual clarity
  • Keywords: Use terms users would search for
  • Complete solutions: Include all necessary information
  • Test procedures: Verify steps work before publishing

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Using Rich Text Editor

The content editor supports:
  • Formatting: Bold, italic, underline, headings
  • Lists: Bulleted and numbered lists
  • Links: Hyperlinks to related resources
  • Images: Embedded screenshots and diagrams
  • Tables: Structured data presentation
  • Code blocks: Technical commands and scripts

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Managing Article Visibility

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Visibility Levels

Control article access precisely:

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By Entity

1

Select Entity Type

In the visibility section, choose Type = “Entity”.
2

Choose Entity

Select the specific entity from the dropdown.
3

Set Recursion

Check Child entities to include all sub-entities.

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By Profile

1

Select Profile Type

Choose Type = “Profile”.
2

Choose Profile

Select user role (e.g., “Technician”, “Self-Service”).
3

Set Entity Scope

Choose which entity this visibility applies to.

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By Group

1

Select Group Type

Choose Type = “Group”.
2

Choose Group

Select the specific group or department.
3

Set Entity Scope

Define entity applicability.
Articles without any visibility targets remain unpublished. Always set at least one visibility target.

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Article Categories

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Creating Categories

1

Access Categories

Go to Setup > Dropdowns > Knowledge base.
2

Add Category

Click Add to create a new category.
3

Configure Category

  • Name: Category title
  • Parent category: For hierarchical organization
  • Comments: Description of category purpose

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Category Organization

Organize categories hierarchically: 
IT Support
├── Hardware
│   ├── Computers
│   ├── Printers
│   └── Phones
├── Software
│   ├── Email
│   ├── Office Applications
│   └── Business Applications
└── Network
    ├── WiFi
    ├── VPN
    └── Remote Access
Well-organized categories make articles easier to find. Use clear, intuitive category names.

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Searching the Knowledge Base

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Search Features

1

Access Search

Navigate to Knowledge base and use the search box.
2

Enter Keywords

Type search terms. The system searches:
  • Article titles
  • Article content
  • Translated versions (if available)
3

Review Results

Results are ranked by relevance. Click to view full articles.

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Browse by Category

Alternatively, browse organized categories:
  1. Click Browse on the KB page
  2. Select a category from the dropdown
  3. View all articles in that category
  4. Navigate subcategories as needed
The KB displays:
  • Recent articles: Newly added or updated
  • Popular articles: Most viewed articles
  • Top rated: Highest user ratings

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Article Translations

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Multi-Language Support

1

Open Article

Navigate to the article you want to translate.
2

Go to Translations Tab

Click the Translations tab.
3

Add Translation

  • Select Language
  • Translate Subject
  • Translate Content
  • Click Add
Users automatically see articles in their preferred language when translations exist.

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Comments and Feedback

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Enabling Comments

Users with comment rights can:
  • Add comments to articles
  • Ask clarifying questions
  • Suggest improvements
  • Share additional tips

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Managing Comments

1

View Comments

Open article and click Comments tab.
2

Review and Respond

Read user comments and provide responses.
3

Moderate if Needed

Edit or delete inappropriate comments.

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Article Revisions

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Version Control

ITSM-NG maintains article revision history:
1

View Revisions

Open article and go to Revisions tab.
2

Review Changes

See:
  • Date and time of change
  • User who made the change
  • Previous version content
3

Restore if Needed

Revert to a previous version if recent changes were incorrect.
Review revisions to track how articles evolve and restore accidentally deleted content.

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Converting Tickets to KB Articles

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From Solved Tickets

1

Open Solved Ticket

Navigate to a ticket with an approved solution.
2

Create KB Article

Click Convert to Knowledge Base or similar option.
3

Review and Edit

The system pre-fills:
  • Subject: From ticket title
  • Content: From solution text
  • Category: From ticket category
Edit as needed to generalize the solution.
4

Set Visibility

Configure who can access this article.
5

Publish

Save to make the article available.
The original ticket remains linked to the KB article for reference.

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Linking KB Articles to Items

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Associate with Assets

Link articles to related hardware or software:
1

Open KB Article

Navigate to the article.
2

Go to Items Tab

Click Items to manage associations.
3

Add Link

  • Select Item type (Computer, Software, etc.)
  • Choose specific Item
  • Click Add
Benefits:
  • Technicians see relevant articles when viewing assets
  • Users find asset-specific documentation
  • Knowledge is contextually available

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Article Analytics

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Tracking Article Usage

Each article displays:
  • View count: Total number of views
  • Author: Who created the article
  • Creation date: When published
  • Last update: Most recent modification

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Improving Low-Performing Articles

Identify and improve articles with:
  • Low view counts (may need better titles/keywords)
  • High view but low ratings (content may need improvement)
  • Many views but still many tickets (solution may be incomplete)

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Public FAQ Access

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Configuring Public FAQ

1

Enable Public FAQ

Go to Setup > General > Assistance.
2

Check Setting

Enable Use public FAQ.
3

Mark Articles as FAQ

Edit articles and check Put this item in the FAQ.
4

Set Public Visibility

Ensure FAQ articles have Entity visibility with Child entities enabled for root entity.

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Anonymous FAQ Access

When enabled, users can:
  • Access FAQ without logging in
  • Search public articles
  • Browse FAQ categories
  • View article ratings
Only mark articles as FAQ if they contain no sensitive or internal information.

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Article Management Tasks

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Managing Your Articles

1

Access Management View

In Knowledge base, use the manage form.
2

Filter Articles

Choose:
  • My unpublished articles: Drafts without visibility
  • All my articles: Everything you created
  • All unpublished (Admin): System-wide unpublished
  • All published (Admin): All visible articles
3

Bulk Actions

Select multiple articles for bulk operations:
  • Delete
  • Change category
  • Update visibility
  • Export

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Article Maintenance Schedule

Regular KB Maintenance:
  • Monthly: Review most-viewed articles for accuracy
  • Quarterly: Update screenshots and procedures
  • Yearly: Archive outdated articles
  • Ongoing: Create articles from recurring tickets

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Advanced Features

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Article Templates

Create consistent article structure:
  1. Design a standard template (e.g., Problem/Solution/Prevention)
  2. Use as copy-paste template for new articles
  3. Include standard sections and formatting
Example Template: 
## Problem Description
[Describe the issue users encounter]

## Symptoms
- [List observable symptoms]
- [Include error messages]

## Solution
1. [Step-by-step resolution]
2. [Include screenshots]
3. [Verify solution worked]

## Prevention
[How to avoid this issue in the future]

## Related Articles
[Links to related KB articles]
Create article relationships:
  • Reference related articles in content
  • Use “See also” sections
  • Link prerequisite procedures
  • Connect troubleshooting paths

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Best Practices

Content Quality:
  • Write for your audience (technical level appropriate)
  • Use consistent terminology
  • Include examples and use cases
  • Keep articles focused on one topic
  • Update regularly as systems change
Organization:
  • Use clear, logical categories
  • Standardize article titles (verb + noun pattern)
  • Tag articles with keywords
  • Link related articles
  • Archive obsolete content rather than delete
Promotion:
  • Reference KB articles in ticket solutions
  • Train users on KB search
  • Send KB highlights in newsletters
  • Feature popular articles on helpdesk homepage
  • Encourage user feedback and ratings

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Keyboard Shortcuts

ShortcutAction
BAccess Knowledge base

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Troubleshooting

Article not appearing in search
  • Check article visibility settings
  • Verify publication dates (visible since/until)
  • Ensure article is not marked as FAQ-only if searching KB
  • Check entity access
Cannot create articles
  • Verify you have CREATE or PUBLISHFAQ rights
  • Check entity permissions
  • Ensure you’re in the correct interface (central mode)
Users cannot see published articles
  • Review visibility targets (entity, profile, group, user)
  • Check entity hierarchy and recursion settings
  • Verify users have FAQ or KB read permissions
  • Confirm article publication dates are current
Translations not appearing
  • Check user language preference matches translation
  • Verify translation is complete (both subject and content)
  • Ensure translation feature is enabled

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Measuring KB Success

Track these metrics to evaluate KB effectiveness:
  • Article views: User engagement with content
  • Search success rate: Users finding relevant articles
  • Ticket deflection: Reduction in tickets on documented topics
  • User ratings: Content quality feedback
  • Time to resolution: Faster when KB used
A successful KB reduces ticket volume, improves user satisfaction, and empowers self-service support.

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