Skip to main content

​
Creating Answer Filters

Learn how to create Answer Filters that guide your agent’s responses for specific queries. This guide will walk you through the entire process, from planning to implementation and testing.

​
Prerequisites

Before creating Answer Filters, ensure you have:
Agent Created: You need an existing agent to add filters to
Admin Access: Only project Admins and Owners can create filters
Clear Objectives: Know what topics need filtered responses
Answer Filters are configured per agent in the Answer Filters tab of the agent dashboard.

​
Planning Your Filter

Before creating a filter, take time to plan its structure. A well-planned filter is more effective and easier to maintain.

​
Step 1: Identify the Topic

What specific topic or question type needs consistent responses?
Good Topics for Answer Filters:
  • Return policy questions
  • Pricing inquiries
  • Contact information requests
  • Specific product features
  • Account troubleshooting steps
Too Broad:
  • “Customer questions” (too vague)
  • “Product information” (too general)
  • “Help requests” (too open-ended)

​
Step 2: Collect Query Examples

Gather 3-5 different ways users might ask about this topic. 
"What is your refund policy?"
"Can I get a refund?"
"How do I return something for a refund?"
"Do you offer money back guarantees?"
"What's your return and refund process?"
Pro Tip: Include variations in phrasing, formality, and wording. The more diverse your examples, the better the filter will match real user queries.

​
Step 3: Define Good Responses

Write 2-4 approved responses that you want the agent to use or incorporate. Characteristics of Good Responses:
  • ✅ Accurate and up-to-date
  • ✅ Clear and specific
  • ✅ Helpful and actionable
  • ✅ Brand-aligned
  • ✅ Complete (answers the full question)
Topic: Refund PolicyGood Responses:
1. "We offer a 30-day money-back guarantee on all products."

2. "To request a refund, log in to your account and go to 
   'Orders' > 'Request Return' for the item you want to return."

3. "Refunds are processed within 5-7 business days after we 
   receive your returned item."

4. "Items must be in original condition with tags attached 
   to qualify for a full refund."

​
Step 4: Identify Bad Responses

List 2-3 responses that should be avoided. Types of Bad Responses:
  • ❌ Incorrect information
  • ❌ Vague or unhelpful answers
  • ❌ Off-brand language
  • ❌ Deflecting or dismissive responses
  • ❌ Outdated information
Topic: Refund PolicyBad Responses:
1. "We don't offer refunds." 
   ❌ Incorrect if you do offer refunds

2. "Just contact customer service."
   ❌ Too vague, not helpful

3. "I don't know our refund policy."
   ❌ Unhelpful and unprofessional

4. "All sales are final."
   ❌ Incorrect and creates poor experience

​
Creating the Filter

Now that you’ve planned your filter, let’s create it in the platform.

​
Step-by-Step Process

1

Navigate to Answer Filters Tab

  1. Go to your Project Dashboard
  2. Select your Agent
  3. Click on the Answer Filters tab
You should see a table listing any existing Answer Filters for this agent.
2

Open Create Filter Dialog

Click the ”+ Create Filter” or “Add Filter” button.A dialog or sheet will open with the Answer Filter creation form.
3

Add Queries

In the Queries section:
  1. Enter your first query example
  2. Click ”+ Add” or press Enter to add more
  3. Add 3-5 query variations
Tips:
  • Include different phrasings
  • Vary the formality level
  • Consider typos or common misspellings
  • Think about how real users actually ask
Example Queries:
[1] What is your refund policy?          [x]
[2] Can I get my money back?             [x]
[3] How do returns work?                 [x]
[4] Do you offer refunds?                [x]
[+] Add another query...
4

Add Good Responses

In the Good Responses section:
  1. Enter your first approved response
  2. Click ”+ Add” to add more
  3. Add 2-4 good responses
Tips:
  • Be specific and actionable
  • Include all necessary details
  • Use your brand voice
  • Ensure accuracy
Good Responses:
[1] We offer a 30-day money-back guarantee...  [x]
[2] Refunds are processed within 5-7 days...   [x]
[3] Items must be in original condition...     [x]
[+] Add another response...
5

Add Bad Responses

In the Bad Responses section:
  1. Enter responses to avoid
  2. Click ”+ Add” to add more
  3. Add 2-3 bad responses
Tips:
  • Include common mistakes
  • List any outdated information
  • Note off-brand phrasings
  • Add deflecting responses
Bad Responses:
[1] We don't offer refunds.                    [x]
[2] Just contact support.                      [x]
[3] I don't know our refund policy.            [x]
[+] Add another response...
6

Review and Create

  1. Review all fields for accuracy
  2. Check for typos in all text
  3. Click “Create Filter” button
  4. Wait for confirmation message
You should see a success message and the filter will appear in your filters list.

​
Complete Examples

​
Example 1: E-commerce Returns

Filter Name: Returns & Refunds

Queries:
  - "What is your return policy?"
  - "Can I return this product?"
  - "How do I get a refund?"
  - "Do you accept returns?"
  - "What's your refund process?"

Good Responses:
  - "We accept returns within 30 days of purchase for a full refund."
  - "Items must be unused and in original packaging with all tags attached."
  - "To start a return, log in to your account and select 'Request Return' from your order history."
  - "Refunds are processed within 5-7 business days after we receive and inspect your return."
  - "Return shipping is free for defective items or our mistakes. For other returns, a $5.99 shipping fee applies."

Bad Responses:
  - "All sales are final."
  - "We don't accept returns."
  - "Just contact customer service."
  - "I don't know the return policy."

​
Example 2: SaaS Pricing

Filter Name: Pricing & Plans

Queries:
  - "How much does it cost?"
  - "What are your pricing plans?"
  - "Do you have a free plan?"
  - "How much is the subscription?"
  - "What's included in each plan?"

Good Responses:
  - "We offer three plans: Starter ($29/month), Professional ($79/month), and Enterprise (custom pricing)."
  - "The Starter plan includes 10 users, 5GB storage, and basic features."
  - "Professional adds unlimited users, 50GB storage, advanced analytics, and priority support."
  - "All plans come with a 14-day free trial, no credit card required."
  - "Annual billing saves you 20% compared to monthly billing."

Bad Responses:
  - "It's completely free."
  - "Pricing is complex and varies."
  - "I can't discuss pricing details."
  - "You'll have to contact sales for pricing."

​
Example 3: Technical Support

Filter Name: Password Reset

Queries:
  - "I forgot my password"
  - "How do I reset my password?"
  - "Can't log in"
  - "My password doesn't work"
  - "Need to change my password"

Good Responses:
  - "Click 'Forgot Password' on the login page to receive a reset link via email."
  - "The password reset email arrives within 5 minutes. Check your spam folder if you don't see it."
  - "For security, reset links expire after 24 hours. Request a new one if yours expired."
  - "After resetting, your password must be at least 8 characters with a mix of letters and numbers."

Bad Responses:
  - "Your account is probably locked."
  - "Just try again later."
  - "Contact IT support."
  - "I can't help with password issues."

​
Testing Your Filter

After creating a filter, thorough testing is crucial.

​
Testing Checklist

Try the exact queries you defined:
User: "What is your return policy?"

Expected: Agent should incorporate your good responses
Verify: ✅ Mentions 30-day policy
        ✅ Explains process
        ✅ Avoids bad responses
Try similar but different phrasings:
User: "Can I send something back for a refund?"
User: "What if I want to return an item?"
User: "Tell me about your refund policy"

Expected: Filter should still trigger
Verify: ✅ Consistent information
        ✅ Good responses used
Try queries that are somewhat related but different:
User: "What if the product is damaged?"
User: "Can I exchange instead of refund?"
User: "Do you have a warranty?"

Expected: May or may not trigger depending on similarity
Verify: ✅ Response is still helpful
        ✅ If triggered, info is relevant
Verify bad responses are avoided:
Review several responses to the filtered queries.

Verify: ❌ None of the bad responses appear
        ❌ No deflecting or vague answers
        ❌ No incorrect information

​
Testing in Chat

1

Open Chat Interface

Navigate to your agent’s chat interface or test environment
2

Ask Test Questions

Type each query variation and review responses
3

Document Results

Note which queries trigger the filter and response quality
4

Refine if Needed

If responses aren’t as expected, edit the filter (see Managing Answer Filters guide)

​
Best Practices

Quality over Quantity

Start with 5-10 critical filtersFocus on topics that:
  • Are asked frequently
  • Need consistent answers
  • Have compliance requirements
  • Protect brand reputation

Be Specific

Detailed is better than vagueInstead of: ❌ “Our return policy is flexible”Use: ✅ “We accept returns within 30 days with original packaging for a full refund”

Include Context

Provide complete informationGood responses should:
  • Answer the full question
  • Include next steps
  • Provide relevant details
  • Link to more info if needed

Plan for Maintenance

Keep filters current
  • Review monthly
  • Update when policies change
  • Remove outdated filters
  • Add new ones based on user questions

​
Common Mistakes to Avoid

Watch out for these common pitfalls:
Problem: Only 1-2 query examplesImpact: Filter won’t trigger for many similar questionsSolution: Add 3-5 diverse query variations
Problem: “We have a good return policy”Impact: Agent can’t provide specific, helpful informationSolution: Include specific details, numbers, timeframes
Problem: Only defining what to say, not what to avoidImpact: Agent might still make known mistakesSolution: List 2-3 common mistakes or outdated info
Problem: Multiple filters cover similar topicsImpact: Inconsistent responses, confusionSolution: Keep filters distinct or combine related ones
Problem: Filter contains old policy or pricingImpact: Agent gives wrong informationSolution: Set calendar reminders to review filters

​
Trigger Threshold (Advanced)

Default Setting: 0.5 (50% similarity)Most users should stick with the default. Adjust only if you’re experiencing issues with filter triggering.
The trigger threshold determines how similar a user’s query must be to your examples for the filter to activate.

​
When to Adjust

Use when:
  • Filter isn’t triggering often enough
  • Topic is commonly asked in many different ways
  • You want broad matching
Example:
Filter: Pricing Information
Threshold: 0.4

Will trigger for:
✅ "How much?"
✅ "What's the cost?"
✅ "Is it expensive?"
✅ "Price?"
Risk of over-triggering (false positives)

​
Next Steps

1

Create Your First Filter

Follow this guide to create 1-2 filters for your most critical topics
2

Test Thoroughly

Spend time testing with various query types
3

Monitor Usage

Check analytics to see how often filters trigger
4

Iterate

Refine based on real user interactions
5

Scale Up

Add more filters for additional topics

Managing Answer Filters

Learn to edit, update, and delete filters

Overview

Learn more about Answer Filters concepts

Analytics

Monitor filter effectiveness

Agent Settings

Configure other agent features

​
Troubleshooting

Possible causes:
  • Query examples are too different from user queries
  • Threshold is too high
  • Not enough query examples
Solutions:
  • Add more diverse query examples
  • Lower the threshold slightly (0.4)
  • Test with actual user phrasings
Possible causes:
  • Query examples are too generic
  • Threshold is too low
  • Filter topic overlaps with others
Solutions:
  • Make query examples more specific
  • Raise the threshold (0.6-0.7)
  • Review and consolidate overlapping filters
Possible causes:
  • Good responses are too vague
  • Agent’s system prompt overrides filter
  • Model doesn’t support filters well
Solutions:
  • Make good responses more specific and directive
  • Review system prompt for conflicts
  • Ensure filter is actually triggering (test with exact queries)
Possible causes:
  • Insufficient permissions
  • Not an Admin or Owner
Solutions:
  • Contact project Admin or Owner
  • Request elevated permissions
  • Check project membership role