Knowledge bases give you clean separation between different teams' or service domains' content. This guide walks you through creating a new kb_knowledge_base record, setting up access controls, and configuring the templates and workflows that authors will use.
Why separate knowledge bases exist
Before dedicated knowledge bases, every article lived in the default IT knowledge base, creating a mess where HR policies sat next to server troubleshooting guides. Authors from different teams stepped on each other's templates, and end users had to wade through irrelevant content to find what they needed. The people who maintain knowledge management — content managers and platform admins — spend most of their time organizing content that should have been separated from the start.
How knowledge base separation works
A knowledge base is a container that holds articles, templates, and access rules. Each kb_knowledge_base record defines who can read articles, who can author them, and which workflow governs the publishing process. Articles belong to exactly one knowledge base, but the default IT knowledge base acts as a fallback — any article without a specified KB lands there. Start with the basics: create the record, set an owner group, and configure one template. Then add workflow stages, role-based access controls, and multiple templates as your content strategy matures.
Scaling beyond the basics
Production knowledge bases need workflow approvals, multiple article templates for different content types, and granular access controls that separate readers from authors from approvers. Add custom fields to the kb_knowledge_base table when you need to track SLA compliance or integration data. The most mature implementations use group-restricted access with carefully designed role hierarchies, so content stays visible to the right audiences without over-restricting collaboration.
Before you start
- •knowledge_admin role or admin role
- •Target owner group already exists
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Step by step
Create the knowledge base record
Navigate to Knowledge > Administration > Knowledge Bases and click New. Fill in the Title (this appears to end users) and set Active to true. The KB ID auto-generates but you can override it — use something short like 'hr' or 'security'. Set Owner to the group that will manage this knowledge base's content and approval workflow.
KB ID becomes part of URLs and API calls, so keep it short and avoid special characters.
Configure access controls
Set the Can Read field to control who sees articles in this knowledge base. Choose 'everyone' for public content, 'role' to restrict by user roles, or 'user_criteria' for complex rules. If you select 'role', the Roles tab becomes mandatory — add the roles that should have read access. For group-restricted content, you'll configure this later through user criteria.
Start with 'role' access — it's easier to manage than user criteria and more secure than 'everyone'.
Set the article workflow
In the Workflow field, select the publishing workflow this knowledge base will use. Choose 'approval_publish' for content that needs review, 'direct_publish' if authors can publish immediately, or create a custom workflow if you need additional approval steps. This workflow applies to all articles in this knowledge base.
You can change workflows later, but existing articles in progress stay on their original workflow.
Create an article template
Click the Templates tab and select New. Set Template Name to something descriptive like 'HR Policy Template' or 'Troubleshooting Guide'. Build your template using the HTML editor — include placeholder text, required sections, and any formatting your authors need. Set Active to true and check Default if this should be the primary template for new articles.
Configure advanced permissions
If you selected 'user_criteria' access, click the User Criteria tab and build your access rules. Create separate criteria for read access, write access, and approval rights. Use group membership, role assignments, or custom user fields to define who gets what access level. Each criteria acts as an OR condition — users matching any criteria get access.
Test article creation
Save the knowledge base record and navigate to Knowledge > Create New Article. Verify your new knowledge base appears in the Knowledge Base dropdown. Create a test article using your template, and confirm the workflow and access controls behave as expected. Check that users without proper roles cannot see the knowledge base option.
Best practices
Set both Can Read and Can Write permissions even if they're identical — leaving Can Write empty creates confusing inheritance behavior.
Don't put sensitive content in knowledge bases with 'everyone' read access — that includes unauthenticated portal users in many configurations.
Create at least two templates per knowledge base from the start — authors will need different structures for different content types.
Use group membership for access control instead of individual role assignments — it's much easier to maintain when teams change.
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