As your community changes, some information in your Knowledge Base may no longer be needed.
Old events may end, services may be discontinued, procedures may be replaced, and outdated guides may no longer apply.
Removing obsolete information helps ensure that Novus AI does not use content that is no longer relevant or accurate.
When Should Knowledge Be Removed?
Consider removing a Knowledge Base entry when:
The information is permanently outdated
A service or feature has been discontinued
An event or promotion has ended
A procedure has been completely replaced
The information was added by mistake
The content duplicates another Knowledge Base entry
The information should no longer be available to the AI
The entry is no longer relevant to your community
If the information is still valid but only needs changes, edit the existing entry instead of removing it.
Editing vs. Removing
Before deleting Knowledge, determine whether the information should actually be removed.
Use Edit when:
A price has changed
A link has changed
Requirements have been updated
A procedure has been modified
The information needs clarification
Use Remove when:
The entire topic is no longer applicable
The information should no longer be used
The entry is an unnecessary duplicate
The content has been permanently replaced
Editing is usually better when the topic still exists.
Review the Entry Before Removing It
Before removing Knowledge, read the entire entry.
A Knowledge Base entry may contain several pieces of information, and some of them may still be useful.
For example, an entry about an old event might also contain a permanent rule that still applies.
In this situation, move or preserve the valid information before removing the outdated content.
Check for Related Information
Some Knowledge Base entries depend on information stored elsewhere.
Before removing an entry, consider whether other content refers to it.
Check related:
Knowledge Base entries
AI Instructions
AI Routes
Support procedures
Frequently asked questions
Links or references
If another configuration depends on the information you are removing, update that configuration as well.
Removing Duplicate Knowledge
Duplicate information can make your Knowledge Base harder to maintain.
If two entries contain the same information, determine which entry should remain as the primary source.
Before removing the duplicate:
Compare both entries.
Identify whether either contains unique information.
Move any useful missing information to the entry you are keeping.
Verify that the remaining entry is complete.
Remove the unnecessary duplicate.
This allows you to maintain one reliable source for the topic.
Removing Expired Information
Temporary content should not remain active indefinitely.
Examples include:
Expired promotions
Completed events
Temporary maintenance notices
Limited-time rewards
Old schedules
Discontinued offers
Once this information is no longer relevant, update or remove it.
Otherwise, members may receive outdated answers when asking related questions.
Be Careful With Frequently Used Information
Before removing important Knowledge, consider how often members ask about it.
If you remove an entry that answers a common question without providing a replacement, Novus AI may begin using your fallback behavior for that topic.
If the procedure has changed, replace the old information with the new information rather than simply removing everything.
Do Not Keep Incorrect Information for History
Your active Knowledge Base should prioritize information that Novus AI is allowed to use when answering current member questions.
Keeping incorrect or outdated information only for historical reference can create unnecessary ambiguity.
If historical information must remain available, clearly identify it as historical and explain that it is no longer current.
Otherwise, remove it from the active Knowledge Base.
Removing Sensitive Information
If private or sensitive information was accidentally added to the Knowledge Base, remove it as soon as possible.
Examples include:
API keys
Passwords
Authentication tokens
Database credentials
Private payment credentials
Internal secrets
If an exposed credential can provide access to another service, removing it from the Knowledge Base is not enough.
You should also revoke or replace the exposed credential through the service that issued it.
After Removing Knowledge
After deleting an entry, test questions that previously relied on that information.
Check whether Novus AI:
Uses another valid Knowledge Base source when available
Avoids using the removed information
Uses the expected fallback when no answer remains
Routes the question appropriately
Does not provide outdated information from another entry
This helps verify that the removal did not create unexpected behavior.
If Novus AI Still Gives the Old Answer
If Novus AI continues providing outdated information after an entry has been removed, review your configuration for another source containing the same information.
Check:
Other Knowledge Base entries
General AI Instructions
AI Route instructions
Duplicate or older content
Other server-specific configuration containing the old value
Update or remove the remaining outdated information and test again.
Keep Your Knowledge Base Clean
Removing unnecessary information is part of regular Knowledge Base maintenance.
Periodically review your content and remove entries that no longer serve a useful purpose.
A clean Knowledge Base should contain information that is:
Accurate
Current
Relevant
Clear
Non-duplicated
Appropriate for your assistant to use
Maintaining these qualities helps Novus AI provide more reliable support as your community grows.
Next Step
After creating, organizing, editing, and removing Knowledge, the next step is making sure Novus AI can correctly use the information you provide.
Continue to Testing Knowledge Responses.