How to Create a Knowledge Base in Docmost: Templates and Setup

TL;DR

• Docmost gives teams a place to create and organize internal or public-facing knowledge using workspaces, spaces, and nested pages.
• A useful knowledge base can include how-to guides, FAQs, troubleshooting articles, policies, onboarding resources, and reference pages.
• Use a clear space and page structure so people know where to look, then apply consistent article formats to keep information easy to scan.
• Docmost supports full-text search, page history, real-time collaboration, and public page sharing. Reusable page templates and page-level permissions are available on paid editions.
• Start with the information people need most, assign owners, and review important pages regularly.

A knowledge base is easier to use when people know where to find information and can trust that what they find is up to date. In Docmost, you can build that structure with spaces, nested pages, search, and collaboration tools. The key is deciding what your team needs to document, how to group it, and how each page should be organized.

This guide walks through the content to include, practical templates you can use in Docmost, and a step-by-step way to set up and maintain your knowledge base.

How a Knowledge Base Is Organized in Docmost

Docmost organizes documentation in three levels: Workspace → Space → Page. The workspace contains your organization's documentation. Spaces group information by team, project, or purpose, while pages hold the actual content. You can also nest pages to create sections within a space.

For example, you could create an Engineering space for technical documentation, a People space for HR policies and onboarding, and a Product space for feature guides and release notes. Within each space, use parent pages and nested pages to group related topics.

Starting with this structure makes the rest of the setup easier: the categories you choose become spaces or page groups, and the article formats below become the pages your team creates.

What to Include in Your Docmost Knowledge Base

The content you add depends on who will use the knowledge base. An internal knowledge base usually supports employees and day-to-day work. A public-facing knowledge base helps customers or users understand a product or service. If you need both, keep internal information separate and check access settings before sharing anything publicly.

For an internal knowledge base, start with company policies, standard operating procedures, team processes, onboarding information, and technical documentation. For a public-facing knowledge base, focus on product explanations, getting-started guides, account instructions, FAQs, and troubleshooting.

Knowledge Base Templates to Create in Docmost

Using the same format for your templates makes them easier to read and keeps your documentation consistent. You can create these formats as pages in Docmost or save them as reusable templates if you're on a paid edition.

Here are some templates you can start with. Feel free to adjust them to fit your content.

1. General knowledge base article template

Use this format for explanations, policies, reference pages and other informational content.

Title: [Specific topic or question]
Quick answer: [One or two sentences that give the answer or outcome up front] 
Purpose: [What the reader needs to understand]
Applies to: [Relevant audience, team or product]
Overview: [Brief explanation of the topic]
Main content: [Key information, instructions or requirements]
Related resources: [Links to relevant pages]
Content owner: [Name or team]
Last reviewed: [Date]

How-to article template

Use this when readers need to complete a task.

Title: How to [Complete a Task]
Quick answer: [One or two sentences that give the answer or outcome up front] 
Purpose: [What the reader will accomplish]
Before you start: [Required tools, access or information]
Steps:
[First action]
[Second action]
[Final action]
Expected result: [What should happen after completion]
Troubleshooting: [Common issues and solutions]
Related articles: [Links]
Content owner: [Name or team]

3. Troubleshooting article template

Use this when readers need to resolve a specific problem.

Title: How to Fix [Problem]
Quick answer: [One or two sentences that give the answer or outcome up front] 
Problem: [Describe the issue]
Possible causes:
[Cause 1]
[Cause 2]
Solution:
[First action]
[Second action]
[Final action]
If the problem continues: [Next step or escalation contact]
Related articles: [Links]
Content owner: [Name or team]

The quick answer line is important in every template because most readers usually scan the top of an article to decide whether they're in the right place, and a short answer there saves them from reading the whole page. 

These formats can be adapted to different teams and subjects. For more specialized internal documentation, see How to Write Internal Documentation.

4. FAQ Article Template 

Use this when readers keep asking the same short questions.

Title: [Topic] 
FAQ Quick answer: [One sentence that answers the most common question] 
Questions and answers: 
Q: [Question written the way a person would ask it] 
A: [Short, direct answer]
Q: [Question] 
A: [Answer] 
Still need help: [Where to go next] 
Related articles: [Links] 
Content owner: [Name or team] 
Last reviewed: [Date]

5. Getting Started Guide Template 

Use this for new employees, new customers, or anyone new to a tool or process.

Title: Getting Started With [Product, Team, or Process] 
Quick answer: [What the reader will have set up by the end] 
Who this is for: [Audience] 
What you need first: [Access, accounts, or materials] 
Setup steps: [First action] [Second action] [Final action] 
How to check it worked: [What the reader should see] 
Recommended next step: [Link to the next article] 
Content owner: [Name or team] Last reviewed: [Date]

6. Policy or Procedure Template 

Use this for company policies, standard operating procedures, and approved ways of working.

Title: [Policy or Procedure Name] 
Quick answer: [One sentence on what the policy requires] 
Purpose: [Why this policy or procedure exists] 
Scope: [Who and what it applies to] 
Policy or procedure: [The rules or the steps, in order] 
Exceptions: [When the rules don't apply and who approves exceptions] 
Related policies: [Links] 
Content owner: [Name or team] 
Approved by: [Name or role] 
Effective date: [Date] 
Last reviewed: [Date]

7. Reference Article Template 

Use this for specifications, feature descriptions, glossaries, and anything people look up instead of read from top to bottom.

Title: [Name of the item, feature, or term] 
Quick answer: [A one or two sentence definition] 
Details: [A table or short list of the key facts, such as limits, options, or requirements] 
Example: [One short example of how it's used] 
Related articles: [Links] 
Content owner: [Name or team] 
Last reviewed: [Date]

For each template, keep the quick answer near the top when it helps readers understand immediately whether they have found the right page.

Use Docmost links to connect related pages instead of copying the same information into several places. For more guidance on writing team documentation, see How to Write Internal Documentation.

Create a Structure for Your Docmost Knowledge Base

Before adding lots of pages, decide how readers will move through the information. In Docmost, you can use spaces for broad areas and nested pages for related topics within each area.

Treat this as a starting point. A small team may be able to keep several categories in one space with nested pages. A larger team may need separate spaces for departments or projects. Choose the structure that matches how people look for information. You can also connect related pages so readers can move between topics. See how to link wiki pages together for more tips.

How to Set Up a Knowledge Base in Docmost

1. Decide who the knowledge base is for

Start by identifying the people who will use it and the questions they need answered. This will help you decide what to document, how to organize it, and who should have access. If the knowledge base will serve both employees and customers, plan separate spaces or sharing rules for internal and public content.

2. Create your spaces

Create a space for each major team, subject, or audience. For example, an internal workspace might have People, Engineering, Product, and Operations spaces. Avoid creating a separate space for every small topic; use nested pages when subjects belong together.

3. Add parent pages and nested pages

Within each space, create parent pages for broad subjects and nested pages for specific guides, policies, or reference material. Use clear page titles that match the words people are likely to search for, such as “How to Reset Your Password” rather than “Password Management.”

4. Add content using consistent article formats

Use the article templates in this guide as the starting structure for new pages. If reusable page templates are available on your Docmost edition, save the formats your team uses often. Otherwise, keep a clearly labelled template page that contributors can duplicate or refer to when creating new content.

5. Set permissions and decide what can be shared

Decide who can read and edit each space. Keep sensitive internal information restricted to the people who need it. If you want to share selected documentation externally, use Docmost's public page sharing options and review the content before making it public. Page-level permissions require a Business or Enterprise license, according to the product details in this draft.

6. Assign owners and review dates

Give important pages a named owner who is responsible for keeping the information accurate. Add a last-reviewed date and decide how often each type of content needs checking. Policies and technical instructions may need more frequent reviews than stable reference pages. For more guidance, see How to Assign Page Owners and Review Dates in a Wiki.

7. Test the knowledge base before sharing it

Ask someone who did not write the pages to find a few common answers using the page structure and search. Use this checklist:

• The spaces and page names are clear.
• Important articles use a consistent format.
• Each key page has an owner and review date.
• Permissions match the intended audience.
• Related pages link to one another.
• Search returns the expected pages for common terms.

If the tester struggles to find an answer, review the page title, location, and links before adding more categories.

Use Docmost Features to Maintain Your Knowledge Base

Once the knowledge base is in place, these Docmost features can help your team keep it useful as the content grows:

• Full-text search: Find information across workspace pages and attachments using search and filters.
• Real-time collaboration: Let team members work together on documentation.
• Page history: Review earlier versions of a page and restore a previous version when needed.
• Public page sharing: Share selected pages outside the workspace. Public sharing can be disabled at workspace or space level.
• Reusable page templates: Create consistent page structures. This feature is available on Business and Enterprise editions.
• Page permissions: Restrict access to individual pages. This requires a Business or Enterprise license.

For more detailed instructions, see the Docmost page templates documentation. If you're organizing documentation around a specific project, read How to Set Up a Project Wiki for Your Team.

Knowledge Base Article Example

Here is a short example of how the how-to format could look as a page in your Docmost knowledge base.

Title: How to Reset Your Password
Quick answer: Use the “Forgot password” link on the sign-in page, then follow the instructions sent to your email.
Before you start: You need access to the email address linked to your account.
Steps: 1. Open the sign-in page and select “Forgot password.”  2. Enter your work email address.  3. Open the reset email and follow the link.  4. Enter and confirm your new password.
Expected result: You can sign in with your new password.
Troubleshooting: If the email does not arrive, check your spam folder and confirm that you entered the correct address. If the link has expired, request a new one.
Related pages: How to Set Up Two-Factor Authentication; Password Requirements
Content owner: IT Support Team
Last reviewed: [Date]

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the difference between a knowledge base and a wiki?

A knowledge base is an organized collection of information designed to help people find answers. A wiki is a collaborative platform for creating and connecting pages. You can use a wiki such as Docmost to build a knowledge base.

2. Can a Docmost knowledge base be used internally and externally?

Yes. Teams can keep internal documentation in their workspace and share selected pages publicly. Review each page before sharing it, and keep confidential information restricted.

3. How many articles should a knowledge base have when it launches?

There is no fixed number. Start with the information people need most, such as FAQs, essential procedures, onboarding guides, and common troubleshooting instructions. Add more pages as new needs come up.

4. What makes a Docmost knowledge base easy to search?

Use clear page titles, familiar category names, consistent terminology, and links between related pages. Docmost full-text search can help readers find information across workspace pages and attachments.

5. How do you know whether a knowledge base is working?

Look at the pages people visit, the searches they make, questions they still ask, and feedback from readers. These signals can show which information is useful and where content is missing.

6. How long should a knowledge base article be?

Keep each page focused on one question or task. Include enough detail to help the reader complete the task or understand the topic, but split long pages when they cover several unrelated subjects.

7. How many categories should a knowledge base have?

Start with a small number of broad spaces or page groups. Add nested pages for more specific topics, and create new spaces only when there is a clear reason to separate the content.

8. What is the difference between a knowledge base article and an SOP?

A knowledge base article can cover many types of information, including explanations and troubleshooting. A standard operating procedure (SOP) describes the approved steps for a repeatable task. SOPs can be stored as pages in a Docmost knowledge base.

Build Your Team Knowledge Base in Docmost

A useful knowledge base needs more than a collection of pages. People need a clear way to navigate the information, consistent articles, and confidence that the content is current. Docmost gives teams spaces and nested pages to organize documentation, search to find information, and collaboration tools to keep pages updated.

You can start with a few spaces and the pages your team needs most, then expand the knowledge base as your documentation grows. Get a free trial license at docmost.com/pricing or contact the Docmost team to discuss your setup.