How to create and publish a material in the Knowledge Base

In the Smart Way LMS Knowledge Base, you can create a material from a new file, an existing file in File Manager or an external HTTPS link. Before publishing, you need to provide a title and description, select an active category, set a review date and configure access.

Before you begin

Check that:

you have access to the Manage knowledge base menu;
your company has an active Academy subscription;
the required active category has been created;
there is a File Manager folder for the new file;
you have decided who should be able to see the material;
the external link begins with https://;
the document has a clear title and does not contain unnecessary or confidential information.

How to open the editor?

Select Manage knowledge base from the main menu.
Open the Materials tab.
Select Add material.
Choose a source in the Publishing and access editor.

If the Academy subscription is inactive, the system will not open the material creation editor.

How to upload a new file?

Under Material source, select Upload a new file.
Select a File Manager folder.
If necessary, search for the folder by name or path.
Select Upload a new file and choose a file from your device.
Check the name of the selected file.
Save the draft or publish the material.
Wait for the file upload and security check to finish.

The file will become a standard File Manager item only after it passes the antivirus check. The system will reject an empty file, an unsupported file type, an extension that does not match the content, a file that exceeds the company's limit or malicious content.

If the upload is interrupted, do not create a duplicate straight away. Open the same draft and follow the system prompt to select the file again or continue the upload.

How to choose a file from File Manager?

Select Choose from File Manager.
Open the file list.
Use the search field to find the file by name.
Select the required file.
Check its name, type and size.
If necessary, select Preview file.

This uses the same file, not a copy. You can use it in a training course and the Knowledge Base at the same time.

A file cannot be linked to two different Knowledge Base materials. If the system displays This file is already used in the knowledge base, open the existing material instead of creating a duplicate.

How to add an external link?

Select Add an external link.
Enter the full address in the HTTPS link field.
Check that the address begins with https:// and opens in a browser.
Complete the title, description, category, tags, review date and access settings.

The external resource opens in a new tab. Smart Way LMS does not copy arbitrary content from an external page into the Knowledge Base, so search quality depends on the title, description, category and tags you provide.

After creating the material, you cannot freely change the source type from a file to an external link or vice versa. Create a separate material if you need a different source type.

How to complete the material details?

Field	Recommendation
`Title`	Give the document a concise title that makes its purpose clear. Avoid titles such as `File 1` or `New instructions`.
`Short description`	In 1–3 sentences, explain who the material is for and what task it helps them complete. A description is not required for publication, but is recommended.
`Category`	Select one active category that best describes the main topic.
`Tags`	Add up to 10 additional tags. Each tag can contain up to 50 characters.
`Review by`	Set the date of the next content review. For a new material, the system suggests a date approximately one year ahead.
`Access`	Configure either `Entire company` or `Restricted access`.
`Allow download`	Enable this only if employees are allowed to save the original file.

The responsible administrator is assigned automatically when the material is created. You cannot change them manually in the standard editor.

Detailed document access rules are provided in the guide 'How to enable the Knowledge Base and configure access'.

How to add related materials?

Save the draft first. You can then use the Related materials section to find and add up to five published resources, change their order or remove those you no longer need.

Related materials do not replace categories or tags. Use them as a direct continuation of a workflow: policy → template → instructions.

How to save a draft?

Select Save draft if:

the material details are not yet complete;
you need to check the file;
the audience has not yet been agreed;
related materials need to be added later.

The draft is visible to administrators, but readers cannot find it through search or categories, or open it through a direct link.

How to publish a material?

Before selecting Publish, check that:

the source is selected and the file has passed the security check;
a title and short description have been provided;
an active category is selected;
the review date has been set;
a department or job title has been selected for restricted access;
downloading the original file has been deliberately allowed or disabled.

After successful publication, the material becomes available to the permitted audience immediately. Text extraction and the creation of search and vector indexes may continue in the background for some time. Until processing is complete, searching the file's content and using the material with the assistant may not work.

How to carry out the final check?

Open the material in preview mode.
Check the title, description, category, tags and date.
Make sure the file is readable or the external link opens.
Check the download button against the access policy.
Sign in as a member of the target audience.
Find the material using search and its category.
Confirm that a user outside the target audience cannot see the material.