Document Uploads
How to upload church documents so your chatbot can answer questions based on your own content
Document Upload lets you feed your chatbot with your church's own documents — handbooks, welcome packets, ministry guides, bylaws, and more. Once uploaded and processed, your chatbot can draw from these documents when answering visitor questions, giving responses grounded in your church's actual content.
Where to Find It
Go to your admin dashboard → Settings tab → scroll to the Chatbot Settings section → Document Upload.
Document Upload is available on Chat Pro and Chat Suite plans. Pro plans can upload up to 5 documents; Suite plans have unlimited uploads.
Supported File Types
You can upload the following formats:
| Format | Extension | Notes |
|---|---|---|
.pdf |
Most common — bulletins, handbooks, policies | |
| Word Document | .docx |
Ministry guides, welcome packets |
| Plain Text | .txt |
Simple text files |
How Uploading Works
- Click "Upload Document" or drag and drop a file onto the upload area
- The file uploads and shows a "Pending" status
- Processing begins — the system reads the document, splits it into chunks, and indexes it for search
- Status changes to "Completed" — the document is now part of your chatbot's knowledge base
Processing usually takes a few seconds for small documents and up to a minute for large ones.
Document Statuses
| Status | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Pending | File uploaded, waiting to be processed |
| Processing | System is reading and indexing the document |
| Completed | Document is live and the chatbot can use it |
| Failed | Something went wrong — check the error message |
Content Moderation
Every uploaded document goes through a content moderation check:
- Clean — No issues found, document is active
- Flagged — The system detected potentially inappropriate content. The document is still processed but flagged for admin review.
This protects your chatbot from accidentally serving content that does not belong in a church context.
Managing Documents
Your document list shows each file's name, type, size, upload date, processing status, and moderation status. You can:
- Delete a document to remove it from the chatbot's knowledge base
- Refresh the list to check for status updates on processing documents
How the Chatbot Uses Documents
When a visitor asks a question, the chatbot searches your uploaded documents alongside your FAQs and church information. If relevant content is found in a document, the chatbot weaves it into the response naturally.
For example, if you upload your church handbook and a visitor asks "What is your church's policy on baptism?", the chatbot can pull the relevant section from the handbook and present it conversationally.
Tips
- Upload your most-asked-about documents first. Welcome packets, new member guides, and ministry descriptions are the highest-value uploads.
- Keep documents current. If you update a handbook, delete the old version and upload the new one.
- Shorter documents process faster. If you have a 100-page document, consider uploading just the most relevant sections.
- Pair with FAQs. Documents give your chatbot depth; FAQs give it precision. Use both for the best results.
Related Docs
- Knowledge Base — How the chatbot draws from your church's content
- FAQ Management — Add and manage saved answers
- Customizing Responses — Configure chatbot tone and behavior