Answer library

Free internal knowledge base template for a small team

A plain internal knowledge base template for a 5 to 50 person US team: what goes in each section, and the ten questions people will ask about it.

A knowledge base template should make it easy to add an answer in two minutes and to see when it was last checked. Copy this one into any shared document or wiki.

A template with blanks, not legal advice. Rules on pay, leave and data vary by state, so check yours.

The template

Sections

  • Company: what we do, who we serve, who does what: [links].
  • People and time off: hours, PTO, holidays, expenses: [links].
  • How we work: tools, meetings, how decisions are made: [links].
  • Customers: how we answer common questions, pricing rules, refunds: [links]. Mark which answers are private.

One page, one question

  • Title: the question, in the words your team uses.
  • Answer: one or two sentences first, details after.
  • Owner: one person. Last confirmed: [date]. Check again by: [date].
  • Who can see it: everyone, one team, or a small group. Source: the document or decision it came from.

Adding an answer

  • Anyone can suggest an answer. The owner approves it before it goes live.
  • A new answer takes two minutes: copy the page template, fill it in, tag the owner.

Keeping it current

  • Each Monday the owner of [area] checks pages due for review.
  • When a rule changes, replace the answer and delete the old version.

Who owns the knowledge base

  • Owner: [name]. Last confirmed: [date]. Check again by: [date].

The ten questions your team will ask

Write each answer once, with an owner and the date you last confirmed it. These ten answers are what a bot or a shared FAQ should answer from.

  1. 1.Where do I find the answer to a work question?

    Answer: [The home page and how to search it.]

    Owner: [name]. Last confirmed: [date].

  2. 2.How do I add or fix an answer?

    Answer: [The two minute steps and who approves.]

    Owner: [name]. Last confirmed: [date].

  3. 3.Who owns an answer?

    Answer: [How to see the owner on each page.]

    Owner: [name]. Last confirmed: [date].

  4. 4.How do I know an answer is current?

    Answer: [The last confirmed and check again dates.]

    Owner: [name]. Last confirmed: [date].

  5. 5.Which answers can everyone see?

    Answer: [The three levels and where each lives.]

    Owner: [name]. Last confirmed: [date].

  6. 6.What should not go in the knowledge base?

    Answer: [Salary, security details and anything legal or personal.]

    Owner: [name]. Last confirmed: [date].

  7. 7.What if two pages disagree?

    Answer: [Who decides and how the loser is removed.]

    Owner: [name]. Last confirmed: [date].

  8. 8.Who do I ask when there is no answer?

    Answer: [A named person and a channel.]

    Owner: [name]. Last confirmed: [date].

  9. 9.How often is it reviewed?

    Answer: [The schedule and who runs it.]

    Owner: [name]. Last confirmed: [date].

  10. 10.Can I use it with a chatbot?

    Answer: [Only approved answers, with the source and date shown.]

    Owner: [name]. Last confirmed: [date].

Before you publish it

  • Start with ten answers from this week's questions, not a full outline.
  • Decide what must stay private before you share the link.
  • Test your bot or FAQ with the ten questions before you rely on it.

Want to check a bot against these questions? Use the free honesty test, or turn the answers into a shareable FAQ with the team FAQ builder.

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Common questions

  • A page per question with an answer, an owner, a last confirmed date, a check again date and who can see it.

  • Any shared document or wiki works. What matters is the owner and date on every page.

  • Put a review date on every page, give each page one owner, and delete the old version when a rule changes.

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