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Overview

Knowledge base items automatically progress through processing states until they reach a terminal state. Understanding these states helps you monitor item creation and troubleshoot issues.
Processing happens automatically after item creation. You don’t need to manually trigger processing - the system handles it for you.

Processing States

Knowledge base items move through the following states: Status lifecycle diagram showing progression from processing to terminal states

Terminal States

These are final states that items reach after processing:
StatusDescriptionAction Required
PROCESSEDItem processed successfully and ready (shown as “completed” in dashboard, returned as PROCESSED from API)None - ready to use
FAILEDFatal processing errorReview error and retry
COMPLETED_WITH_ERRORSProcessing completed with some errorsReview warnings
UPLOAD_FAILUREFile upload failedCheck file and retry
READING_FAILUREFailed to read fileVerify file format
INGESTION_FAILUREFailed to ingest contentCheck content quality

Intermediate States

StatusDescriptionDuration
PROCESSING (null)Item is being processedVaries by type

Status by Item Type

Text Items

Processing Flow:
  1. PROCESSINGPROCESSED (instant)
Typical Duration:
  • Processing: < 1 second
  • Total: Instant
Common Issues:
  • None (text items process instantly)

File Items

Processing Flow:
  1. PROCESSING (Upload) → PROCESSING (Reading) → PROCESSING (Ingestion) → PROCESSED
Duration:
  • Depends on the uploaded file (varies by size and complexity)
Common Failure Points:
  • UPLOAD_FAILURE: Network issues, file too large
  • READING_FAILURE: Corrupted file, unsupported format, password-protected
  • INGESTION_FAILURE: Content extraction issues, complex formatting

URL Items

Processing Flow:
  1. PROCESSING (Scraping) → PROCESSED or FAILED
Duration:
  • Depends on the content and nested links (varies by page complexity and number of links)
Common Failure Points:
  • FAILED: URL not accessible, requires authentication, blocked by site
  • COMPLETED_WITH_ERRORS: Some URLs failed, others succeeded

Status Details

PROCESSED

Meaning: Item has been successfully processed and is ready for use. Characteristics:
  • ✅ Green status indicator
  • Available for selection in agents
  • Content is indexed and searchable
  • No action required
What Happens:
  • Content is extracted and indexed
  • Item appears in knowledge base list
  • Can be assigned to agents
  • Ready for retrieval during conversations

PROCESSING

Meaning: Item is currently being processed. Characteristics:
  • 🟡 Yellow status indicator
  • Not yet available for use
  • Processing in progress
  • Wait for PROCESSED status (shown as “completed” in dashboard)
What Happens:
  • System is extracting content
  • Content is being indexed
  • Processing stages vary by type
For File Items:
  1. Upload Stage: File is being uploaded to server
  2. Reading Stage: Content is being extracted from file
  3. Ingestion Stage: Content is being indexed for retrieval
For URL Items:
  1. Scraping Stage: Web page content is being fetched
  2. Extraction Stage: Text content is being extracted
  3. Indexing Stage: Content is being indexed
Processing times vary based on item size and complexity. Large files or complex web pages take longer to process.

FAILED

Meaning: Fatal error occurred during processing. Characteristics:
  • 🔴 Red status indicator
  • Item cannot be used
  • Error message displayed
  • Action required
Common Causes:
  • URL Items: Site blocked scraping, requires authentication, URL not accessible
  • File Items: Corrupted file, unsupported format
  • Network Issues: Connection timeout, server error
Resolution:
  1. Review error message in item details
  2. Check item content/source
  3. Fix the issue (if possible)
  4. Delete failed item and recreate
Failed items cannot be used in agents. You must fix the issue and recreate the item.

COMPLETED_WITH_ERRORS

Meaning: Processing completed but some parts failed. Characteristics:
  • 🟠 Orange status indicator
  • Partially usable
  • Some content may be missing
  • Review recommended
Common Scenarios:
  • URL Items: Some URLs in a multi-URL item failed
  • File Items: Some pages/sections couldn’t be extracted
Resolution:
  1. Review item details for specific errors
  2. Check which parts failed
  3. Decide if item is usable as-is
  4. Delete and recreate if too many errors

UPLOAD_FAILURE

Meaning: File upload to server failed. Characteristics:
  • 🔴 Red status indicator
  • File never reached server
  • Upload stage failed
Common Causes:
  • File size exceeds 21MB limit
  • Network connection interrupted
  • Server temporarily unavailable
  • File corruption during upload
Resolution:
  1. Check file size (must be < 21MB)
  2. Verify network connection
  3. Try uploading again
  4. Compress file if too large

READING_FAILURE

Meaning: System couldn’t read/extract content from file. Characteristics:
  • 🔴 Red status indicator
  • File uploaded but content couldn’t be extracted
  • Reading stage failed
Common Causes:
  • File is password-protected
  • File is corrupted
  • Unsupported file format
  • File contains only images (no extractable text)
  • Complex formatting that parser can’t handle
Resolution:
  1. Remove password protection
  2. Verify file opens correctly on your computer
  3. Ensure file is in supported format
  4. Save file in simpler format (e.g., .txt)
  5. Ensure file contains extractable text

INGESTION_FAILURE

Meaning: Content extracted but couldn’t be indexed. Characteristics:
  • 🔴 Red status indicator
  • Content read but indexing failed
  • Ingestion stage failed
Common Causes:
  • Content quality issues
  • Extremely complex formatting
  • Content too large for processing
  • Server-side processing error
Resolution:
  1. Check content quality
  2. Simplify file formatting
  3. Break into smaller items
  4. Try recreating with different format

Status Tracking

Real-Time Updates

Status updates happen in real-time:
  • Status changes automatically
  • No page refresh needed
  • Visual indicators update immediately

Status Indicators

Visual Colors:
  • 🟢 Green: Success (PROCESSED)
  • 🟡 Yellow: In Progress (PROCESSING)
  • 🔴 Red: Failed (FAILED, UPLOAD_FAILURE, READING_FAILURE, INGESTION_FAILURE)
  • 🟠 Orange: Warning (COMPLETED_WITH_ERRORS)

Status in List View

The list view shows:
  • Current status with color indicator
  • Status text label
  • Quick visual reference

Status in Details Drawer

The details drawer shows:
  • Current status
  • Detailed status information
  • Error messages (if failed)
  • Processing history (if available)

Error Handling

Error Messages

When an item fails, you’ll see:
  • Status: Failed state (FAILED, UPLOAD_FAILURE, etc.)
  • Error Message: Brief description of the issue
  • Failure Reason: Detailed explanation (in drawer)

Common Error Messages

File Upload Errors:
  • “File size exceeds 21MB limit”
  • “Upload failed. Please try again.”
  • “Network error during upload”
File Reading Errors:
  • “File is password-protected”
  • “Could not read file format”
  • “File appears to be corrupted”
  • “No extractable text found in file”
URL Scraping Errors:
  • “URL is not accessible”
  • “Site requires authentication”
  • “Scraping blocked by website”
  • “Invalid URL format”
  • “Media URL not supported”
Content Ingestion Errors:
  • “Content could not be indexed”
  • “Processing timeout”
  • “Content format not supported”

Error Resolution

Step 1: Review Error
  • Open item details drawer
  • Read error message and failure reason
  • Understand what went wrong
Step 2: Identify Cause
  • Check item source/content
  • Verify requirements are met
  • Test item independently (open file, visit URL)
Step 3: Fix Issue
  • Address the root cause
  • Modify content if needed
  • Ensure item meets requirements
Step 4: Retry
  • Delete failed item
  • Recreate with fixed content
  • Monitor processing status

Monitoring Processing

During Creation

What to Watch:
  • Status changes from PROCESSING to terminal state
  • Processing time (varies by type and size)
  • Any error messages
Expected Behavior:
  • Text: Instant processing
  • URL: Depends on content and nested links
  • File: Depends on the uploaded file

After Creation

Check Status:
  • View list to see all item statuses
  • Filter by status to find issues
  • Open details for more information
Regular Monitoring:
  • Review failed items weekly
  • Check processing times
  • Monitor for unusual patterns

Best Practices

Before Creating Items

Prepare Content:
  • Verify files open correctly
  • Check file sizes
  • Ensure URLs are accessible
  • Remove password protection
Check Requirements:
  • File size limits
  • URL format requirements
  • Text length requirements
  • Storage quota availability

During Processing

Be Patient:
  • Don’t refresh page unnecessarily
  • Allow processing to complete
  • Large files take time
Monitor Status:
  • Watch for status changes
  • Check for error messages
  • Don’t assume instant completion

After Processing

Verify Success:
  • Check for PROCESSED status
  • Review item details
  • Test in agent if needed
Handle Failures:
  • Review error messages
  • Fix underlying issues
  • Recreate if necessary

Troubleshooting

Item Stuck in PROCESSING

Possible Causes:
  • Very large file taking time
  • Network issues
  • Server processing delay
Solutions:
  • Wait longer (up to 5 minutes for large files)
  • Check network connection
  • Refresh page to see updated status
  • Contact support if stuck > 10 minutes

Multiple Failures

Possible Causes:
  • Systematic issue (network, server)
  • Content quality problems
  • Format incompatibility
Solutions:
  • Check system status
  • Review content quality
  • Try different format
  • Contact support if persistent

Inconsistent Status

Possible Causes:
  • Page not refreshed
  • Cache issues
  • Real-time update delay
Solutions:
  • Refresh page
  • Clear browser cache
  • Wait a few seconds for updates

Next Steps