Knowledge Base AI Search

The AI search widget gives your end users a fast, conversational way to search your knowledge base directly from your osTicket support pages. Instead of browsing through FAQ categories or guessing the right keywords, users type a question in plain language and get an AI-generated answer drawn from your published FAQ articles.

What Does It Do?

The search widget sits on your public-facing osTicket pages and lets end users ask questions before they open a ticket. When a user types a question:

• The AI searches your FAQ articles by meaning, not just keywords.
• It finds the most relevant articles and generates a clear, concise answer.
• The answer includes links to the source FAQ articles so the user can read the full details.

This helps users find answers on their own, which can reduce the number of tickets your team needs to handle.

Where Does It Appear?

The search widget appears as a small icon in the bottom-right corner of your public osTicket pages, including the home page and knowledge base pages. It is visible to end users — not just staff.

When a user clicks the icon, the widget expands into a chat-like panel where they can type their question and see the AI-generated answer.

Note: The widget only appears on pages where it has been enabled. Your administrator controls which pages display the widget.

How Does It Work?

Here is what happens when a user searches:

1. The user types a question — for example, “How do I reset my password?” or “What are your support hours?”
2. Semantic search — The AI compares the question against your FAQ article content to find the most relevant matches. This works by meaning, so the user does not need to use the exact words from the article.
3. Answer generation — The AI reads the matched FAQ articles and generates a concise answer that directly addresses the user’s question.
4. Streaming response — The answer appears in real time as it is generated, so the user does not have to wait for the full response.
5. Source links — The answer includes links to the specific FAQ articles it drew from, so the user can read the full article if they need more detail.

If no relevant FAQ articles are found, the widget lets the user know and encourages them to open a ticket for further help.

Configuration

Administrators configure the search widget in osTicket Admin > Plugins > FAI. The following settings are available:

• Enable/Disable — Turn the search widget on or off for your osTicket pages.
• API Key — The key that authenticates the widget with the Flexivity AI search service. This is generated in the admin console.
• Search URL — The endpoint the widget uses to send queries. This is pre-configured when the plugin is set up.
• Brand Color — Customize the widget’s accent color to match your organization’s branding.
• Welcome Message — Set the greeting text that appears when a user first opens the widget.

Tip: Use the welcome message to set expectations. Something like “Ask a question and I’ll search our knowledge base for an answer” helps users understand what the widget does.

Tips for Getting the Best Results

• Keep your FAQ articles up to date. The search widget can only find answers that exist in your published articles. Outdated or incomplete articles lead to incomplete answers.
• Sync KB articles regularly. Make sure your FAQ articles are synced with Flexivity AI so the search index reflects your latest content. New or updated articles will not appear in search results until they are synced.
• Only published articles are searchable. Internal or draft FAQ articles are excluded from the search index. If you want an article to be discoverable by end users through the widget, it must be published.
• Think of the widget as a ticket deflection tool. When end users can find answers on their own, they are less likely to open a ticket. This frees up your team to focus on issues that truly need human attention.

Tip: Monitor your ticket volume after enabling the search widget. If you see a decrease in tickets for topics covered by your FAQ, the widget is doing its job.

Troubleshooting

The search widget does not appear on my osTicket pages. Check that the widget is enabled in osTicket Admin > Plugins > FAI. Also verify that the API key and search URL are configured correctly. If the plugin is not installed or activated, the widget will not load.

The widget returns “no results” for a question I know is in the FAQ. The FAQ article may not have been synced yet. Run a KB article sync from the admin console and try again. Also confirm that the article is published, not internal or draft.

Answers seem incomplete or inaccurate. The AI generates answers based on the content of your FAQ articles. If the source article is missing details or is outdated, the answer will reflect that. Update the FAQ article and sync it to improve results.

End users are asking questions not covered by the FAQ. This is expected. The widget works best for topics you have already documented. Use the Knowledge Base Analysis feature to identify common questions that are not yet covered and create new articles to fill those gaps.