Add an Answer

Key answer fields are used to specify the answer summary, status, language, access level, and the staff member assigned to the answer.

Key answer fields are found at the top of the content pane. Field marked with a red label and an asterisk are required and must be completed before you can save the answer. The key answer fields that display on the content pane vary depending on the permissions set in your profile.

You can create different answer types when adding answers to the knowledge base. Answer types give you more flexibility in providing information to your customers. You can add the following types of answers:

HTML—Answers that appear to customers as standard HTML on the customer portal. When you create an HTML answer, you can use the HTML editor to view answers as customers will see them. See HTML Editor for Answers.
URL—Answers that consist of a link to an external URL. The URL address and the content of the web page display. See Add a URL Answer.
File attachment—Answers that appear as file attachments. File attachment answers link to information contained in another document and appear to customers on the customer portal as file attachments. See Add a File Attachment Answer.

Do one of the following:
- From an open answer report, click New.
- If your navigation set is configured to add answers from the file menu, click File and select Answer. See Configure the File Menu.
The New Answer editor displays with the Content tab active.

Enter field information.

Answer Fields

Field	Description
*Summary	Enter the subject of the answer in this field.
*Status	Click this drop-down list to select an answer status.
*Language	Click this drop-down list to select a language.
Assigned	Click this drop-down list to select a staff member to assign to the answer. Only staff members who have permission in their profile to create answers are listed. By default, the staff member who created the answer is selected. Tip: For example, entering `%+Space+b` returns all last names starting with the letter b. There is also an implied wildcard when searching, so entering `b` in the Find field returns all items containing the letter b.
Access Level	Click this drop-down list to control answer visibility by selecting one or more access levels. See Associate an Answer with Multiple Access Levels.

To add a flag to the answer, click the area next to the white flag above the answer fields.
Select the answer type on the Content tab.

Options include HTML, URL, and File Attachment. See HTML Editor for Answers, Add a URL Answer, or Add a File Attachment Answer.
Caution: When you change the answer type in an existing answer, all answer relationships and certain answer fields are removed. For example, when you change an HTML answer type to a URL answer type, the Question, Answer, Special Response, and Attachments tabs are removed and you lose any content that was created on those tabs.
To add keywords to associate with the answer, enter the words in the Keywords field on the Content tab. Separate keywords by commas and separate any compound words by spaces. For example, phone,call plan,nationwide.
Keywords are used by the search feature. In addition, associated products and categories and their descriptions are automatically used as keywords for answers.
Tip: Use keywords sparingly. Too many keywords can negatively impact the accuracy of search results. Instead, consider using the aliases.txt wordlist file to customize the words used during keyword indexing and text searching. See Wordlist Files.
To add notes specific to your answer content, enter your notes in the Notes field on the Content tab.

Keep in mind that this field can be viewed by customers. Use the Notes tab for private notes.
To associate products and categories with the answer, click the Products/Categories tab.
To add tasks to the answer, click the Tasks tab.
To add information you want to associate with the answer, including setting Publish On and Review On fields, click the Details tab.
To attach files to the answer, click the Attachments tab. Attachments are available only for HTML answer types.
You can attach as many files as needed to associate with an answer. Attachments appear as clickable links when a customer views an answer. They can also be indexed as searchable text. Therefore, you can choose whether each document is indexed when managing your file attachments.
1. Click Add Files on the Attachments tab toolbar.
2. To attach files that will be shared with sibling answers, click Add Files under the Attachments for This Answer and All Sibling Answers section.
  The Attachments for This Answer and All Sibling Answers section displays only if the Siblings Visible property for the File Attachments relationship item on the answer workspace is set to True. See Sibling Answers and Options Properties.
To view the answer audit log, click the Audit Log tab.
To manage answer relationships, including sibling answers, manually related answers, and learned links, click the Relationships tab.
To enter private notes about the answer, click the Notes tab.
These notes are not be visible to customers on the customer portal.
1. Click the Notes tab.
2. Click Add.
3. Enter the notes in the Answer Note field.
Click Save.
Your answer is added to the knowledge base.

Results:

If you set the answer status to Public, the End-User Visibility window opens and displays all interfaces associated with the answer, along with the answer product and category visibilities. A check mark signifies that a product or category is visible on a particular interface, whereas a X signifies that it is not.

To perform a visibility check when the answer status is changed to Public, select Only When Status is Changed to Public Type.
To perform a visibility check every time the answer is saved, select On Every Save.