AI Routes allow you to separate different types of member concerns and give Novus AI specialized instructions for handling them.
Instead of using one large AI configuration for every question, you can create routes for topics that require different information, rules, or support procedures.
This guide explains how to create and plan an effective AI Route.
Step 1: Open AI Routing
Sign in to Novus AI and select the Discord server you want to configure.
Open the AI Routing section from your server configuration.
This section contains the routes currently configured for your Discord server.
Step 2: Create a New Route
Select the option to create a new AI Route.
Before adding detailed instructions, decide exactly what type of member concern the route should handle.
A route should normally represent a meaningful support category rather than a single question.
For example:
General Support
Technical Support
Account Support
Payment Support
Community Programs
Events
Other specialized support topics
Step 3: Choose a Clear Route Name
Give the route a short and descriptive name.
The name should make its purpose immediately understandable when you review your configuration later.
For example:
Technical Support
is better than:
Technical Questions and Other Problems
Similarly:
Payment Support
is better than:
Money Questions
Keep route names simple and consistent.
Step 4: Define What Belongs to the Route
Think about the types of questions the route should handle.
For example, a Technical Support route might handle:
Installation problems
Launcher errors
Connection issues
Missing files
Application crashes
Update problems
Other technical troubleshooting concerns
A Payment Support route might handle:
Payment methods
Package questions
Purchase procedures
Payment confirmation
Transaction-related support
These examples help define the boundaries of each route.
Step 5: Write the Routing Description
The Routing Description tells Novus AI what type of messages should be assigned to the route.
For example:
Technical Support
Handles questions and concerns related to installation, launcher errors, connection problems, missing files, crashes, updates, and other technical troubleshooting issues.
Keep the description focused on identifying the member's intent.
Detailed instructions about how to solve the problem should normally go in the route instructions or relevant Knowledge Base information.
Step 6: Add Route Instructions
After defining what belongs to the route, configure how Novus AI should handle those concerns.
For example, a Technical Support route could instruct the assistant to:
Use available troubleshooting information
Provide troubleshooting steps in the correct order
Avoid inventing technical procedures
Ask for relevant error details when necessary
Direct unresolved problems to the appropriate support process
Route instructions should focus only on behavior specific to that route.
Rules that apply to every conversation should remain in your general AI Instructions.
Step 7: Connect Relevant Knowledge
Make sure your Knowledge Base contains the information required by the route.
For example, a Technical Support route may rely on Knowledge covering:
Installation
Launcher troubleshooting
Common error messages
Connection problems
Manual updates
System requirements
A route cannot provide reliable community-specific information if the required information has never been added to your Knowledge Base.
Step 8: Define Escalation Behavior
Some concerns may eventually require human assistance.
If a route has a specific escalation procedure, include it in the route instructions.
For example:
If the available troubleshooting information does not resolve the issue, direct the member to the configured technical support channel or ticket process.
Different routes can have different escalation procedures.
This is one of the main reasons specialized routes can be useful.
Step 9: Save the Route
Review the route before saving.
Check that:
The route name is clear.
The Routing Description identifies the correct type of concern.
Route instructions are focused on that topic.
Relevant Knowledge Base information exists.
Escalation behavior is defined when necessary.
The route does not unnecessarily overlap another route.
Save the route when the configuration is ready.
Step 10: Test the Route
After creating the route, test it using realistic Discord questions.
For a Technical Support route, you might test:
My launcher won't open.
I'm getting an error when I start the client.
The application crashes after login.
I can't connect after updating.
Then test unrelated questions:
What payment methods are available?
What are the community rules?
The unrelated questions should not be incorrectly handled as Technical Support if more appropriate routes exist.
Create Routes Around Intent
Routes should represent the member's reason for asking rather than individual keywords.
For example, do not create separate routes for:
Launcher
Crash
Missing DLL
Connection
if all of these concerns follow the same technical support process.
A single Technical Support route can normally handle all of them.
This keeps your routing configuration simpler.
Don't Create a Route for Every Knowledge Topic
Knowledge Base organization and AI Routing are different.
You may have dozens of Knowledge Base topics without needing dozens of routes.
For example, your Knowledge Base may contain:
Registration
Server Information
Rules
Commands
Guides
Frequently Asked Questions
If all of these questions can follow the same general support behavior, they may not require separate AI Routes.
Create a specialized route when the topic requires different instructions or handling.
Avoid Routes That Are Too Broad
A route can also become too broad.
For example:
Everything Support
Handles general questions, technical problems, payments, account concerns, events, services, and all other questions.
This defeats the purpose of routing because nearly every message could match the same route.
Separate topics when they require genuinely different handling.
Avoid Routes That Are Too Similar
Be careful when creating routes such as:
Technical Support
and:
Technical Help
If both descriptions cover the same problems, Novus AI may have difficulty distinguishing between them.
Either combine them or clearly define the difference.
Example Route
A basic route might look like:
Route Name:
Technical Support
Routing Description:
Handles installation problems, launcher errors, connection issues, missing files, crashes, update problems, and other technical troubleshooting concerns.
Route Instructions:
Use the available technical Knowledge Base information when assisting members. Provide troubleshooting steps clearly and in the appropriate order. Do not invent unsupported fixes or technical values. If the available information cannot resolve the problem, direct the member to the configured technical support process.
This creates a clear separation between identifying the concern and defining how the assistant should handle it.
Start With Your Most Common Concerns
If you are creating routes for the first time, review the questions your members frequently ask.
Identify which types of concerns require different procedures.
For many communities, a simple starting structure could be:
General Support
Technical Support
Payment Support
Additional routes can be added later when needed.
Improve Routes Over Time
Your first routing configuration does not need to be permanent.
As members interact with Novus AI, you may discover that:
A route is too broad
Two routes overlap
A new support category is needed
A Routing Description is unclear
Escalation instructions need improvement
Adjust your routes based on real usage and test again after making changes.
Next Step
Creating a route gives Novus AI a specialized support path, but the quality of routing depends heavily on how clearly you describe what belongs to that route.
Continue to Writing Effective Routing Descriptions.