2. What it is
Custom Answers are deterministic answer rules that return exact authored text when user intent matches the stored question.
Custom Answers
Guarantee exact wording where precision matters
Use deterministic Q&A entries for policy, legal, or pricing responses where teams require strict answer consistency.
Deterministic response layer
Custom Answers return exact authored text when a customer question semantically matches the stored trigger, giving teams strict control over sensitive wording. Unlike retrieval-based answers that synthesize from multiple sources, custom answers deliver word-for-word responses with zero variation. This is essential for policy, legal, pricing, and compliance topics where consistency is non-negotiable.
Question and exact answer pairs
Define a trigger question and the precise response text that should be returned every time the intent is matched.
Semantic match against user intent
Matching uses semantic similarity rather than keyword matching, so customers get the right answer regardless of how they phrase the question.
Word-for-word response output on match
When triggered, the assistant returns your authored text exactly as written, with no AI rephrasing or synthesis.
Operational controls
Teams can activate or deactivate individual entries, edit wording, and remove outdated responses without affecting other knowledge assets. The active/inactive toggle supports controlled rollout of new answers and quick rollback if wording needs revision. Fast update workflows let teams respond to policy changes within minutes instead of hours.
Active/inactive toggle per answer
Enable or disable any custom answer instantly without deleting it, supporting staged rollouts and quick rollbacks.
Fast update workflow
Edit trigger questions or response text inline and save changes that take effect immediately across all conversations.
Delete controls for obsolete entries
Remove outdated custom answers cleanly when they are no longer needed, keeping the active set focused and maintainable.
Performance tracking
Custom Answers track match counts and last-matched timestamps so teams can understand which answers are actively serving customers and which may need refinement. Usage data helps identify high-value entries that protect the business and low-match entries that might have overly narrow triggers. This visibility turns custom answers from a static list into a managed, measurable response layer.
Match count per answer
See how many times each custom answer has been triggered, revealing which policy responses customers encounter most.
Last matched timestamp
Know when each answer was last used so you can identify stale entries that may no longer be relevant.
Table visibility for active and usage state
View all custom answers in a sortable table with status, match volume, and recency data for efficient management.
3. When to use it
- Compliance-sensitive policy answers.
- Pricing and contract wording that must stay exact.
- Frequent recurring questions with one approved response.
4. When not to use it
- Broad explanatory content that needs flexible retrieval (use Pages/Snippets).
- Large external documentation sets (use Knowledge Sources).
- Assistant behavior tuning (use Product Profile and Context Entries).
5. Setup steps in app
- Open Custom Answers and create a new entry.
- Write the trigger question and exact response text.
- Save and confirm active status.
- Monitor match count and last matched time.
- Refine wording or toggle off as policies evolve.
6. Best use cases
- Refund or cancellation policy responses.
- Formal billing and contract clarifications.
- Safety and escalation policy statements.
7. Common pitfalls and how to avoid them
- Pitfall: too-broad question triggers. Avoid with specific phrasing and periodic review.
- Pitfall: stale policy text left active. Avoid with ownership and scheduled audits.
- Pitfall: replacing all knowledge with deterministic entries. Avoid by reserving this for high-risk cases only.
8. Success metrics to track
- Match volume on high-risk questions.
- Reduction in escalation for covered exact-policy intents.
- Time-to-update for policy text changes.
9. Related capabilities
- Knowledge Gaps to discover where deterministic responses are needed.
- Snippets for short but non-deterministic retrieval content.
- Knowledge Pages for deep contextual guidance.
- Assistant Contexts for persistent behavior and facts.
Which option should you use?
Use this matrix to choose the right knowledge option for each support intent.
| Intent | Best option | Why | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exact policy wording | Custom Answers | Deterministic response for high-risk phrasing. | /custom-answers |
| Short operational facts | Snippets | Fast to publish and update. | /snippets |
| Multi-step guides | Knowledge Pages | Better for long-form structure and context. | /knowledge-pages |
| Synced external docs | Knowledge Sources | Best for URL crawl and document ingestion workflows. | /knowledge-sources |
| Baseline product framing | Product Profile | Keeps answers aligned with core positioning. | /product-profile |
| Operational constraints and fallback rules | Assistant Contexts | Adds scoped behavioral context without rewriting docs. | /assistant-contexts |
FAQ
10. Custom answer FAQs
When should I choose Custom Answers over Snippets?
Use Custom Answers when wording must be exact and consistent. Use Snippets when retrieval flexibility is acceptable. Learn more
Can a Custom Answer be turned off without deleting it?
Yes. Each custom answer has an active toggle for controlled rollout and rollback. Learn more
How do Custom Answers relate to Knowledge Gaps?
From a gap detail view, you can create a custom answer to resolve high-risk recurring questions quickly. Learn more
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