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Common questions about structuring, retrieving, and managing Managed Topics. For full documentation, see Managed Topics.
Each topic should have:
  • A clear name: Use short, descriptive titles like “Refund policy” or “Store hours.” The topic name is heavily weighted during retrieval, so make it specific.
  • Sample questions: You can add up to 20 sample questions per topic. More sample questions help the retriever find the right topic.
    • Example for Refund policy:
      • “How do I get a refund?”
      • “Can I return a product for a refund?”
      • “What’s the refund timeline?”
  • Content and actions: Content defines what the agent says; actions define what it does (like triggering a handoff or sending an SMS). See the actions overview for setup details.
Topic names and sample questions matter more than content for retrieval. The RAG system compares user input against all topics and returns the top matches — so well-written names and questions directly improve accuracy.
When a user sends a message, the agent does not see all topics at once. Instead, it uses retrieval-augmented generation (RAG):
  1. The retriever compares the user’s message against every topic’s name, sample questions, and content — with higher weighting on the name and sample questions.
  2. The top matching topics are returned to the LLM.
  3. The LLM selects the best match and generates a response (and may trigger an action, function, or flow).
This is why topic naming and sample questions are so important — they are the primary signals the retriever uses to find the right content.
  • Larger topics: Better for agents using newer LLM models (like Raven 3.5), because they can handle more context in a single turn.
  • Smaller topics: Easier for reporting, analysis, and debugging. Also better for agents using older models with limited context windows.
Balance scope and specificity based on your use case. If you find the agent is confusing similar topics, consider splitting them.
If you have hundreds of topics, keeping them organized is important for maintenance:
  • Use consistent naming conventions: Prefix topics by category (e.g., “Billing - refund policy”, “Billing - payment methods”) so they sort together.
  • Review regularly: Deactivate topics that are no longer relevant rather than deleting them — you can reactivate later if needed. See activating and deactivating topics.
  • Use CSV import/export: Managed Topics support CSV export and import for bulk updates — use the Export CSV button in the Managed Topics view to get started.
There is currently no folder or grouping structure for topics in the UI. Naming conventions are the best way to keep large topic sets navigable.
Create an “Out-of-scope” topic or add instructions in global rules.Example response: “I’m sorry, I can only help with questions about [service]. For other inquiries, please contact our support team at [number/email].”Before UAT, clearly define what your agent handles and what it doesn’t. This helps testers and customers set expectations, and reduces frustration when the agent declines a request.
Add a disambiguation prompt in the content.Example:
  • Topic: “Booking issues”
  • Content: “Can you confirm if the booking was made online or over the phone?”
Last modified on March 27, 2026