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Knowledge Base Module ​

The Knowledge Base module allows you to create and manage comprehensive help articles and documentation for your users. This guide covers all knowledge base features.

Table of Contents ​

  1. Overview
  2. Accessing Knowledge Base
  3. Creating Articles
  4. Article Categories
  5. Article Structure
  6. Managing Articles
  7. Frontend Display
  8. Search Functionality
  9. Article Attachments
  10. Best Practices

Overview ​

Features ​

  • ✅ Create comprehensive help articles
  • ✅ Category organization
  • ✅ Rich text editor with media
  • ✅ Article attachments (PDFs, files)
  • ✅ Search functionality
  • ✅ Article hierarchy
  • ✅ Related articles
  • ✅ View tracking
  • ✅ Frontend knowledge base portal

Admin Routes ​

  • Article List: /admin/knowledge-bases
  • Create Article: /admin/knowledge-bases/create
  • Edit Article: /admin/knowledge-bases/{id}/edit
  • Categories: /admin/knowledge-base-categories

Frontend Routes ​

  • Knowledge Base: /knowledge-base
  • Article View: /knowledge-base/{slug}

Accessing Knowledge Base ​

From Admin Panel ​

  1. Log in to admin panel
  2. Navigate to Content Management → Knowledge Base
  3. Or go directly to: /admin/knowledge-bases

Permissions Required ​

  • View Articles: view knowledge bases permission
  • Create Articles: create knowledge bases permission
  • Edit Articles: edit knowledge bases permission
  • Delete Articles: delete knowledge bases permission

Creating Articles ​

Step 1: Access Create Page ​

  1. Go to Knowledge Base → Create New Article
  2. Or navigate to: /admin/knowledge-bases/create

Step 2: Basic Information ​

Article Title ​

  • Clear, descriptive title
  • Required field
  • Should summarize content
  • Example: How to Reset Your Password

Best Practices:

  • Use action verbs
  • Be specific
  • Include keywords
  • Keep it concise

Slug ​

  • Auto-generated from title
  • Can be edited manually
  • Must be unique
  • Used in article URL
  • Example: how-to-reset-your-password

Step 3: Article Content ​

Content Editor ​

Use rich text editor for article content:

Formatting Options:

  • Headings: H1, H2, H3, etc.
  • Text: Bold, italic, underline
  • Lists: Ordered and unordered
  • Links: Internal and external
  • Images: Insert images
  • Videos: Embed videos
  • Code Blocks: For technical content
  • Tables: Data tables

Article Structure ​

Recommended Structure:

  1. Introduction:

    • Brief overview
    • What the article covers
    • Who it's for

  2. Main Content:

    • Step-by-step instructions
    • Detailed explanations
    • Examples and screenshots

  3. Conclusion:

    • Summary
    • Next steps
    • Related articles

Adding Media ​

Images:

  1. Click Insert Image
  2. Upload or select from library
  3. Add alt text
  4. Set size and alignment
  5. Insert

Videos:

  1. Click Insert Video
  2. Paste video URL (YouTube/Vimeo)
  3. Or upload video file
  4. Configure playback
  5. Insert

Screenshots:

  • Use for step-by-step guides
  • Annotate if needed
  • Number steps clearly

Step 4: Category Assignment ​

Select Category ​

  1. Choose existing category
  2. Or create new category
  3. Can assign to multiple categories
  4. First category is primary

Categories Help:

  • Organize articles
  • Improve navigation
  • Group related content
  • Better user experience

Step 5: Additional Settings ​

Status ​

  • Published: Visible on website
  • Draft: Saved but not published
  • Archived: Hidden from display

Featured Article ​

  • Toggle: Mark as featured
  • Featured articles highlighted
  • Shown prominently
  • Use for important articles

Display Order ​

  • Set order for display
  • Lower numbers appear first
  • Used for sorting within category

Step 6: SEO Settings ​

Meta Information ​

  • Meta Title: Search engine title
  • Meta Description: Search result description
  • Keywords: Relevant keywords

Best Practices:

  • Include article topic in title
  • Write compelling description
  • Use natural keywords

Step 7: Article Attachments ​

Upload Files ​

  1. Click Add Attachment

  2. Select file to upload

  3. Supported formats:

    • PDF documents
    • Word documents
    • Excel spreadsheets
    • ZIP archives
    • Other documents

  4. File Information:

    • File name
    • File description
    • Download link

Use Cases:

  • Downloadable guides
  • Reference documents
  • Templates
  • Checklists

Link Related Content ​

  1. Select related articles
  2. Links appear at bottom of article
  3. Helps users find related information
  4. Improves navigation

Step 9: Save Article ​

  • Save Draft: Save without publishing
  • Publish: Make article live
  • Save & Add Another: Create multiple quickly

Article Categories ​

Creating Categories ​

  1. Go to Knowledge Base → Categories
  2. Click Create New Category
  3. Enter:
    • Name: Category name
    • Slug: URL-friendly version
    • Description: Category description
    • Image: Category image (optional)
    • Parent Category: For sub-categories
  4. Click Save

Category Examples ​

Common Categories:

  • Getting Started
  • Account Management
  • Billing & Payments
  • Product Guides
  • Troubleshooting
  • API Documentation

Managing Categories ​

  • Edit: Modify category details
  • Delete: Remove category (articles not deleted)
  • View Articles: See all articles in category

Category Hierarchy ​

Create parent-child relationships:

  • Parent: Main category (e.g., "User Guides")
  • Child: Sub-category (e.g., "Account Settings")

Benefits:

  • Better organization
  • Improved navigation
  • Easier content management

Article Structure ​

1. Title and Introduction ​

  • Clear, descriptive title
  • Brief introduction
  • What the article covers

2. Table of Contents ​

  • For longer articles
  • Links to sections
  • Easy navigation

3. Main Sections ​

  • Use H2 for main sections
  • Use H3 for subsections
  • Logical flow
  • Step-by-step when applicable

4. Examples and Screenshots ​

  • Visual aids
  • Step-by-step images
  • Code examples
  • Real-world scenarios

5. Troubleshooting ​

  • Common issues
  • Solutions
  • Error messages
  • Workarounds

6. Related Articles ​

  • Links to related content
  • Next steps
  • Additional resources

Managing Articles ​

Article List View ​

Access at: /admin/knowledge-bases

List Features ​

Search:

  • Search by title
  • Search by content
  • Real-time results

Filters:

  • Category: Filter by category
  • Status: Published/Draft/Archived
  • Featured: Featured/Not Featured
  • Author: Filter by author

Sorting:

  • By Title (A-Z, Z-A)
  • By Category
  • By Date (Newest/Oldest)
  • By Views (Most/Least)
  • By Display Order

Displayed Information ​

  • Title: Article title
  • Category: Assigned category
  • Status: Published/Draft
  • Views: View count
  • Author: Article creator
  • Date: Last modified

Editing Articles ​

  1. Click Edit on article
  2. Make changes
  3. Click Update
  4. Changes saved

Deleting Articles ​

  1. Click Delete on article
  2. Confirm deletion
  3. Warning: Cannot be undone
  4. Article removed

Bulk Operations ​

Bulk Delete ​

  1. Select multiple articles
  2. Click Bulk Actions → Delete
  3. Confirm deletion
  4. All selected articles deleted

Bulk Status Change ​

  1. Select articles
  2. Click Bulk Actions → Change Status
  3. Select new status
  4. All updated

Frontend Display ​

Knowledge Base Portal ​

URL: /knowledge-base

Features:

  • All published articles
  • Category navigation
  • Search functionality
  • Featured articles
  • Recent articles
  • Popular articles
  • Responsive design

Article Page ​

URL: /knowledge-base/{slug}

Features:

  • Full article content
  • Table of contents (if available)
  • Article attachments
  • Related articles
  • Category navigation
  • Print option
  • Share buttons
  • View counter

Display Options ​

Category View ​

  • Articles grouped by category
  • Category description
  • Article count
  • Category image

List View ​

  • All articles in list
  • Search and filter
  • Pagination
  • Sort options

Grid View ​

  • Articles in grid layout
  • Article previews
  • Category badges
  • Featured highlights

Search Functionality ​

Features:

  • Search box on knowledge base page
  • Searches titles and content
  • Real-time results
  • Highlights matching text
  • Category filtering

Search Results ​

Display:

  • Matching articles
  • Article excerpts
  • Category information
  • Relevance ranking
  • Link to full article

Options:

  • Search within category
  • Filter by date
  • Sort results
  • Show article previews

Article Attachments ​

Adding Attachments ​

  1. Edit article
  2. Scroll to Attachments section
  3. Click Add Attachment
  4. Upload file
  5. Enter description
  6. Save

Attachment Types ​

Supported:

  • PDF documents
  • Word documents (DOC, DOCX)
  • Excel spreadsheets (XLS, XLSX)
  • PowerPoint (PPT, PPTX)
  • ZIP archives
  • Other documents

Download Management ​

  • Files stored securely
  • Download tracking
  • Access control (if enabled)
  • File size limits

Best Practices ​

Writing Articles ​

  1. Be Clear and Concise:

    • Use simple language
    • Avoid jargon
    • Be specific
    • Use examples

  2. Structure Well:

    • Use headings
    • Break into sections
    • Use lists
    • Add visuals

  3. Keep Updated:

    • Review regularly
    • Update outdated info
    • Fix errors
    • Add new content

Organization ​

  1. Use Categories:

    • Logical grouping
    • Clear hierarchy
    • Easy navigation

  2. Link Related Content:

    • Cross-reference articles
    • Create article series
    • Guide users through topics

  3. Maintain Quality:

    • Regular review
    • Check accuracy
    • Ensure clarity
    • Fix broken links

User Experience ​

  1. Make It Searchable:

    • Use keywords
    • Write descriptive titles
    • Include search terms

  2. Add Visuals:

    • Screenshots
    • Diagrams
    • Videos
    • Infographics

  3. Mobile Friendly:

    • Responsive design
    • Readable on small screens
    • Touch-friendly navigation

Troubleshooting ​

Article Not Displaying ​

Solutions:

  1. Check status (must be Published)
  2. Verify category is published
  3. Clear cache
  4. Check frontend settings

Search Not Working ​

Solutions:

  1. Verify search is enabled
  2. Check article content
  3. Clear cache
  4. Rebuild search index

Attachments Not Downloading ​

Solutions:

  1. Check file permissions
  2. Verify file exists
  3. Check file size limits
  4. Verify download settings

Last Updated: [Date will be updated during final review]

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