# Knowledge source register

Decide which documents may support an answer and who maintains them. This register prevents a knowledge base from becoming an opaque copy of business folders.

Revision: 2026-09-24

## When to use it

Before building an assistant over internal knowledge and while maintaining procedures, catalogues or technical documentation.

## Expected output

An approved source catalogue with authoritative versions, permitted audiences, update cycles and retrieval tests.

## 1. Establish the authoritative source

A collection of documents does not resolve contradictions or ownership by itself. For each subject, record which source takes precedence and who can approve its use.

### Source, location and identifier

Link the original document and a stable reference; distinguish approved source, draft and copy.

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### Owner and scope

Identify who validates the content and which products, processes or departments it applies to.

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### Valid version and conflicting sources

Record effective date, replacements and rules for documents that contradict one another.

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> Illustrative example, replace with your own: Illustrative example: the approved returns procedure takes precedence over an old sales presentation. Its owner excludes the presentation as a source for that subject.

## 2. Control access and ingestion

Retrieval must respect the audience’s access boundaries. Consider indexed copies, attachments and transfers between systems, not only the original file.

### Audience and restrictions

Define permitted roles, excluded information and how retrieval enforces those restrictions.

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### Ingestion method

Record format, transformations, exclusions and checks for tables, images or attachments that are not read.

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### Refresh and removal

Specify update event or frequency, owner and how removal of obsolete copies is verified.

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> Illustrative example, replace with your own: Illustrative example: an updated procedure is ingested with its new version, and the earlier version leaves the active index. A test question checks that it is no longer cited.

## 3. Test retrieval

Choose questions answered by the sources and questions they cannot answer. Check that both the citation and its content actually support the proposed response.

### Representative questions

Write common questions, alternative wording and out-of-scope requests to test after updates.

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### Expected answers and citations

Identify supporting passages and cases requiring clarification or acknowledgement that information is absent.

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### Review and gaps

Record missed sources, incorrect citations, frequent unanswered questions and the owner of each correction.

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> Illustrative example, replace with your own: Illustrative example: the procedure covers ordinary returns but not international exceptions. The assistant should state the limit and refer to an owner instead of extending the rule.

## Pitfalls to avoid

- Indexing every folder without ownership and access boundaries.

- Updating originals while obsolete copies remain searchable.

- Treating the presence of a citation as proof that it supports the answer.

Stolen Orbit — https://stolenorbit.com/en/templates/knowledge-source-register/