Glossary
Source citation – what does it mean?
Definition
Source citation: A source citation is the indication shown next to the answer of which document or page the assistant took the information from.
For every answer, the assistant stores which parts of the knowledge base it used, and shows them with a descriptive label (for example “Delivery terms”).
How it works
When the assistant answers, it first searches the company’s own knowledge base: the website, the product pages, the price list and the documents. It notes which part it used, and shows a descriptive label next to the answer, for example “Delivery terms”.
From the label, the customer sees where the information comes from. You can also check whether the assistant is working from your text. If there is no match, the assistant does not guess: it asks for the contact details and hands the question over to a colleague.
An example at a company
The customer asks how returns work. Next to the answer, the assistant shows the label “Returns policy”, so the customer sees which text the information comes from.
If the policy does not cover the question, the assistant asks for the customer’s email address and hands the question over to a colleague. The colleague then replies to the address given.
What this means for business leaders
Without a source citation, you cannot check whether the assistant is repeating your text. Ask the provider whether the source appears next to the answer, and whether it can be reviewed later.
If it is missing, you only notice the error when a customer gets wrong information. Also ask who updates the source texts, because the label is only as reliable as the text is current.
How we do it
The source is shown next to our answers. The assistant answers from the company’s own knowledge base. If there is no match, it does not guess: it asks for the contact details and hands the question over to a colleague.
You can read about how it works on the How it works page, and about the assistant on the Chat AI page.
What should you do now?
Do you have a question about your own website or online store? Request a demo or see our pricing.