External Knowledge Base Linking

How to get there: Go to Settings in the sidebar → AI Configuration tab → External Knowledge Base section.

Learn how to add navigation boards that link to external knowledge bases, documentation sites, or any other URL, allowing you to integrate third-party resources directly into your ProductLift portal navigation.

What is External Knowledge Base Linking?

External linking allows you to create boards in your ProductLift navigation that redirect users to external URLs. This is useful when you want to:

  • Link to an existing knowledge base (Notion, GitBook, Confluence, etc.)
  • Direct users to external documentation
  • Add links to your main website or help center
  • Connect to third-party tools your users need

Use external links when:

  • You have an established knowledge base elsewhere (Notion, GitBook, etc.)
  • You want to centralize navigation for your users
  • You need to link to external resources like API docs
  • You're transitioning from another platform

Consider using ProductLift's built-in Knowledge Base when:

  • You want a fully integrated experience
  • You need feedback collection on articles
  • You prefer everything in one place
  • You want to use the Knowledge Base sync features

Step 1: Access Board Settings

  1. Go to Settings in your admin dashboard
  2. Navigate to Boards & Statuses
  3. Click "Add Board" button

Step 2: Configure the Board

When creating a new board, you can set it as an external link:

Board Type: Select "Link" to create an external link board

Required Fields:

  • Name: The display name shown in navigation (e.g., "Documentation", "Help Center")
  • URL: The external URL to link to (e.g., https://docs.yourcompany.com)

Optional Settings:

  • Open in new window: When enabled, clicking the link opens the URL in a new browser tab. When disabled, the link opens in the same window.

[Screenshot: Board settings showing URL field and "Open in new window" toggle]

Step 3: Configure Opening Behavior

Open in new window (recommended):

  • Users stay on your ProductLift portal in the original window
  • External content opens in a new browser tab
  • Best for external documentation or third-party sites

Same window:

  • Users navigate away from ProductLift
  • May be preferred for sites you control
  • Users need to use browser back button to return

Example Use Cases

Linking to Notion

If you maintain documentation in Notion:

  1. Create a new board named "Documentation"
  2. Set URL to your Notion public page: https://yourcompany.notion.site/docs
  3. Enable "Open in new window"
  4. Save

Linking to API Documentation

For developer-focused portals:

  1. Create a board named "API Docs"
  2. Set URL to your API documentation: https://api.yourcompany.com/docs
  3. Enable "Open in new window"
  4. Position the board appropriately in your navigation

Linking to Your Main Website

  1. Create a board named "Main Site" or your company name
  2. Set URL to your main website
  3. Choose whether to open in new window based on your preference

Board Positioning

External link boards appear alongside your other boards in the portal navigation. You can:

  • Drag boards to reorder them
  • Position external links where users would naturally look for them
  • Group related boards together

Best Practices

Clear Naming:

  • Use descriptive board names like "Help Center" or "Documentation"
  • Avoid generic names that don't indicate external nature

Consistent Behavior:

  • Use "open in new window" for truly external sites
  • Users expect external links to open new windows

Consider User Flow:

  • Place frequently-used resources prominently
  • Don't add too many external links (can clutter navigation)

Troubleshooting

Link not working:

  • Verify the URL is correct and accessible
  • Ensure the URL includes the protocol (https://)
  • Check if the external site blocks embedding

Wrong opening behavior:

  • Edit the board settings
  • Toggle the "Open in new window" setting as needed
  • Save changes