Understanding Response Types
Responses are the building blocks of what your agent knows and says. You manage them in Connectors -> Knowledge.
Each response can be labeled with a topic and intent so you can measure how well the agent performs for that type of question.
What a Response includes
Each Response typically includes:
- Question / Intent: the customer need it applies to.
- Response: the content the agent should use.
- Guidance: style and tone instructions (for example, “be concise”).
- Status: Draft or Live.
Use the Question and Guidance fields to keep answers focused and consistent.
Response types
| Type | When to use it | Example use case |
|---|---|---|
| Context | Background information the agent can reference | Store hours, policy summaries |
| Q&A | Direct question with a direct answer | ”What is your return policy?” |
| Exact | Content that must be delivered verbatim | Legal or compliance statements |
| Escalation | Handoff to a human | Sensitive or complex issues |
| Greeting | First message in a chat | ”Hi, how can I help?” |
| Signature | Closing line added to each reply | Email sign-off or brand tagline |
Greetings are used for chat entry messages, while signatures are appended to responses (commonly for email). If you do not define them, Applied uses defaults.
Guidance levels
You can set guidance at different levels:
- Agent Guidance in Agents -> Settings -> Other applies broadly.
- Response Guidance in Connectors -> Knowledge applies only to one response.
Use agent-level guidance for brand tone, and response-level guidance for specific, intent-level requirements.
Draft vs. Live
- Draft: visible for testing but not used in live conversations.
- Live: available to the agent in production.
Use Draft while you test scenarios in Test Coverage, then switch to Live once you are confident.
Content Sources
Responses can also reference content you sync from docs, blog posts, or website pages. See Content Sources to learn more.