> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.poly.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Maintaining Connected knowledge

> Sync and manage external knowledge sources – websites, files, and integrations – to keep content current.

The **Connected** tab lets your agent pull information from external sources like websites, files, and integrations. Keep sources fresh by syncing regularly, managing them per environment, and removing outdated or deprecated sources.

## Quick reference

| I need to...                      | Action                           | Time estimate |
| --------------------------------- | -------------------------------- | ------------- |
| Refresh a single URL source       | Click sync icon next to source   | 2-5 min       |
| Update a file source              | Upload new file version          | 3 min         |
| Add a new source                  | Add source → Configure → Enable  | 5-10 min      |
| Disable a source temporarily      | Toggle source off in environment | 1 min         |
| Remove outdated source            | Delete source from list          | 1 min         |
| Check when source was last synced | View "Last synced" timestamp     | 30 sec        |

## Understanding source updates

Connected knowledge sources can become outdated when:

* **Website content changes** - Product pages, FAQs, or documentation are updated
* **Files are modified** - PDFs, CSVs, or documents are revised
* **Integration data changes** - External systems update their information
* **URLs become inaccessible** - Pages move, are deleted, or require new authentication

Unlike the Managed Topics tab (which you edit directly), Connected knowledge sources must be **synced** to pull in the latest content.

## How to sync sources

### Manual sync

To refresh a single source:

1. Go to **Build > Knowledge > Connected**
2. Find the source you want to update
3. Click the **sync icon** next to the source name
4. Wait for the sync to complete (typically 1-5 minutes depending on source size)

The "Last synced" timestamp will update when complete.

### When to sync

Sync your sources when:

* You know the external content has changed
* You're preparing to publish a new version
* You're troubleshooting incorrect or outdated responses
* It's been more than a week since the last sync (for frequently changing content)
* Before promoting to Pre-release or Live environments

<Tip>Set a regular schedule for syncing high-traffic sources (e.g., weekly for product catalogs, daily for pricing pages).</Tip>

## Managing sources across environments

Connected knowledge sources can be enabled or disabled per environment (Sandbox, Pre-release, Live).

### Enable/disable sources by environment

1. Go to **Build > Knowledge > Connected tab**
2. Find the source in your list
3. Use the environment toggles to control where the source is active

**Common scenarios:**

* **Testing new sources** - Enable only in Sandbox until validated
* **Seasonal content** - Disable holiday hours sources after the season ends
* **Deprecated information** - Disable in Live while keeping in Sandbox for reference
* **Gradual rollout** - Enable in Sandbox → Pre-release → Live as you gain confidence

### Source scope and variants

If you're using [variant management](/variant-management/introduction) to handle multiple locations or configurations:

* Sources can be scoped to specific variants
* This lets different locations reference different knowledge sources
* Example: Each restaurant location can have its own menu PDF

To scope a source to a variant:

1. Add or edit a Connected knowledge source
2. Select which variants should have access to this source
3. Save and sync

## Troubleshooting sync failures

### Common issues and solutions

| Issue                              | Likely cause                                   | Solution                                                 |
| ---------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------- |
| "Failed to sync" error             | URL is inaccessible or requires authentication | Verify URL is publicly accessible or update credentials  |
| Source syncs but content seems old | Cached version being served                    | Wait 5 minutes and sync again; check source URL directly |
| "File too large" error             | File exceeds size limits                       | Split into smaller files or reduce file size             |
| Integration source fails           | API credentials expired or changed             | Update integration credentials in settings               |
| Partial content synced             | Source has restricted sections                 | Ensure entire document is publicly accessible            |

### Checking sync status

After syncing, verify the update worked:

1. Check the "Last synced" timestamp
2. Test the agent in Agent Chat with a question that should use the updated content
3. Review **Conversation Review → Diagnosis** to see which sources were retrieved
4. Compare the agent's response to the actual source content

## Best practices

### File-based sources

* **Keep files under 10MB** for faster syncing
* **Use clear, structured formatting** (headings, bullet points) for better retrieval
* **Name files descriptively** for easy identification in the source list
* **Version your files** (e.g., `menu-2025-02.pdf`) to track changes over time

### URL-based sources

* **Use stable URLs** that won't change or redirect
* **Avoid dynamic content** that requires JavaScript to load
* **Test URLs in incognito mode** to ensure they're publicly accessible
* **Prefer direct content URLs** over landing pages with navigation

### Integration sources

* **Monitor API rate limits** to avoid sync failures
* **Keep credentials up to date** and rotate them securely
* **Test integrations in Sandbox** before enabling in Live
* **Document integration dependencies** for your team

### General maintenance

* **Audit sources regularly** - Remove outdated or unused sources
* **Document source purposes** - Add notes about what each source covers
* **Sync before major releases** - Ensure all sources are current before promoting to Live
* **Monitor retrieval patterns** - Use analytics to see which sources are actually being used

## Update vs. sync: what's the difference?

* **Sync** = Refresh a Connected knowledge source to pull in the latest external content
* **Update** = Publish a new version of your agent configuration (including which sources are enabled)

You need to do both:

1. **Sync** the source to get fresh content
2. **Publish** a new version to make the synced content available
3. **Promote** the version through environments to reach Live

## Monitoring source freshness

To track when sources were last updated:

1. Go to **Build > Knowledge > Connected tab**
2. Review the "Last synced" column for each source
3. Sort by sync date to identify stale sources

<Warning>Sources that haven't been synced in 30+ days may contain outdated information. Review and sync regularly.</Warning>

## When to use the Connected tab vs. the Managed Topics tab

| Use the Connected tab when...          | Use the Managed Topics tab when...          |
| -------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------- |
| Content lives in external systems      | You control the content directly            |
| Information changes frequently         | Information is relatively stable            |
| Multiple sources need to be aggregated | You have a single source of truth           |
| Content is maintained by other teams   | Your team owns the content                  |
| You want automatic updates from URLs   | You prefer manual control over every change |

## Common workflows

### Weekly maintenance routine

1. Review analytics to identify knowledge gaps
2. Sync high-traffic sources (pricing, hours, FAQs)
3. Test agent with recent customer questions
4. Update or add sources as needed
5. Publish and promote if changes were made

### Responding to content changes

When you learn external content has changed:

1. Identify which Connected knowledge source contains that content
2. Sync the source immediately
3. Test in Sandbox to verify the update
4. If urgent, publish and promote to Live
5. If not urgent, batch with other updates

### Adding seasonal content

1. Add new source with seasonal information
2. Enable only in Sandbox initially
3. Test thoroughly with seasonal queries
4. Promote to Pre-release for UAT
5. Promote to Live when season begins
6. Disable source when season ends (don't delete - you'll need it next year)

## Related pages

* [Connected knowledge overview](/connected-knowledge/introduction) - Learn about Connected knowledge capabilities
* [Maintaining Managed Topics](/learn/maintain/knowledge-base) - How to update Managed Topics
* [Environments](/environments-and-versions/introduction) - Understanding the deployment pipeline