JoomHelpDesk - Knowledge Base Guide

Parent Category: Documentation JoomHelpdesk Documentation Last Updated: 03 February 2026 Hits: 307

The Knowledge Base (KB) is JoomHelpDesk's self-service article library. It lets you publish searchable, categorized help articles so customers can find answers on their own, reducing the number of support tickets your team handles.

This guide covers everything from creating categories and writing articles in the admin backend to configuring how articles appear on the frontend.

Overview
Managing KB Categories
Creating and Editing KB Articles
Frontend KB Display
Comments and Ratings
Settings Reference
Tips

1. Overview

The Knowledge Base is organized in a three-level hierarchy:

Products -- your software, services, or product lines (configured separately under Components > JoomHelpDesk > Products).
Categories -- logical groupings of articles within a product (e.g., "Getting Started", "Billing", "Troubleshooting"). Categories support nesting, so you can create subcategories.
Articles -- the individual help documents your customers read.

When a visitor opens the Knowledge Base on the frontend, the flow is typically:

Select a product (if more than one exists).
Browse or search categories.
Read an article.
Optionally rate the article or leave a comment.

If you only have one product (or none), the product selection step is automatically skipped and visitors land directly on the category/article listing.

Where to Find It in the Admin Backend

Go to Components > JoomHelpDesk and use the sidebar menu. The Knowledge Base section contains:

KB Categories -- manage categories and subcategories.
KB Articles -- manage articles, their content, attachments, and related articles.

2. Managing KB Categories

Categories organize your articles into logical groups. Visitors browse categories to find the help topic they need.

Navigate to Components > JoomHelpDesk > KB Categories. The list view shows:

Column	Description
Title	The category name. Click it to edit.
Parent Category	Shows which category this one is nested under, or blank for top-level categories.
Image	A thumbnail preview of the category image, if one is assigned.
Published	Whether the category is visible on the frontend. Click the icon to toggle.
Order	Controls the display order. Use the arrows or type a number to reorder.

Use the search box at the top to filter categories by title. The Published dropdown lets you filter by publication status.

Creating or Editing a Category

Click New in the toolbar to create a category, or click a category title to edit it. The form contains:

Field	Description
Title	The category name displayed to visitors (e.g., "Getting Started", "FAQ").
Alias	URL-friendly slug, auto-generated from the title. You can customize it for cleaner URLs.
Parent Category	Select a parent to make this a subcategory. Leave empty for a top-level category.
Image	Upload or select a category image using the Joomla media manager. Images display alongside the category name on the frontend.
Description	Rich-text description shown below the category title on the frontend. Use it to explain what kind of articles the category contains.
Products	Choose whether the category applies to all products or only specific ones. When "Show for all products" is set to No, a product picker appears so you can select which products this category belongs to.

After filling in the fields, use the toolbar to Save, Save & Close, or Save & New.

Category Tips

Keep category names short and descriptive. Visitors scan them quickly.
Use the Description field sparingly -- a sentence or two is enough.
Category images appear at 150x150 pixels on the frontend by default. Subcategory images can be shown smaller (32x32) if the Smaller subcategory images setting is enabled.
You can nest categories up to several levels deep, but one or two levels usually works best for usability.

3. Creating and Editing KB Articles

Articles are the core of your Knowledge Base. Each article belongs to a category and can optionally be linked to specific products, related articles, and file attachments.

Viewing the Article List

Navigate to Components > JoomHelpDesk > KB Articles. The list view shows:

Column	Description
Title	Article title. Click to edit.
Created	Date the article was first created.
Modified	Date the article was last updated.
Category	The category the article belongs to. Shows "Uncategorized" if none is assigned.
Products	Displays "All" if the article applies to all products, or a "View" link to see which specific products are assigned.
Rating	The article's cumulative rating score. Hover to see a breakdown of positive, neutral, and negative votes.
Views	How many times the article has been viewed on the frontend.
Published	Publication status. Click the icon to toggle.
Order	Display order within the category.

Filtering and Searching

The list provides several filters to help you find articles:

Search box -- filter by title text or enter an article ID directly.
Product filter -- show articles assigned to a specific product.
Category filter -- show articles in a specific category.
Published filter -- show only published, unpublished, or all articles.

You can sort by any column header (Title, Created, Modified, Category, Views, Published, Order).

New -- create a new article.
Edit -- edit the selected article.
Publish / Unpublish -- change publication status for selected articles.
Delete -- remove selected articles.
Reset Views -- reset the view counter to zero for selected articles (asks for confirmation).
Reset Rating -- reset the rating score to zero for selected articles (asks for confirmation).
Auto Sort -- alphabetically sort all articles by title. This cannot be undone, so use it carefully.

Creating or Editing an Article

Click New in the toolbar or click an article title. The article form contains:

Article Fields

Field	Description
Category	Select the KB category this article belongs to. Required.
Title	The article headline displayed to visitors. Maximum 250 characters.
Alias	URL-friendly slug, auto-generated from the title. Customize for cleaner URLs.
Products	Choose "Show for all products" (Yes/No). When No, a product picker appears so you can assign the article to specific products. Articles only appear under their assigned products on the frontend.
Article (body)	The main content, written using the Joomla rich text editor (e.g., TinyMCE). Supports headings, images, links, tables, and all standard HTML formatting.
Language	For multi-language sites, select the article's language. Set to "All" for language-neutral articles. This field only appears if multi-language is enabled.
Access	Joomla access level that controls who can view the article (e.g., Public, Registered, Special).

You can link an article to other KB articles. Related articles appear on the frontend article page (as a section or inline details, depending on settings).

To add a related article:

Click the Add Related Article link below the Related Articles field.
A popup window opens showing all KB articles with search and category filters.
Click an article to select it. The popup closes and the article is added to the list.
Repeat to add more related articles.

To remove a related article, click the Remove link next to it.

Related articles are bidirectional in display -- if Article A lists Article B as related, visitors see the link from A to B.

File Attachments

You can attach files to articles (PDFs, documents, images, etc.) for visitors to download.

Field	Description
Upload File	Select a file from your computer. The maximum upload size is shown next to the label.
File Title	A display title for the attachment (e.g., "Setup Guide PDF").
File Description	An optional description of the file.

After saving, attached files appear in a table below the upload fields with columns for:

Filename -- the original file name with a download link.
Title -- the display title you entered.
Description -- the file description.
Size -- file size in KB.
Order -- sort order for multiple attachments.
Delete -- checkbox to mark a file for deletion when saving.

You can add one file per save. To attach multiple files, save the article, then add the next file and save again.

Publishing and Ordering

Use the Published status to control visibility. Unpublished articles are hidden from the frontend but remain in the backend for editing.
Set the Ordering value to control where the article appears in its category listing. Lower numbers appear first.

4. Frontend KB Display

The Knowledge Base frontend is what your visitors see. It adapts automatically based on your product and category structure.

Landing Page Behavior

The main KB landing page adjusts based on how many products exist:

Multiple products -- visitors see a product listing page with Products, Categories, and Articles tabs. They select a product first.
One product -- the product selection is skipped and visitors go directly to the categories view for that product.
No products -- visitors see categories and articles directly.

If a product has only one category and no uncategorized articles, the auto-open feature (when enabled) skips the category listing and takes visitors straight into that single category.

Product Listing

When multiple products exist, the frontend shows products in either a multi-column card layout or a single-column list, depending on the view settings. Each product displays:

Product image (if set, at 150x150 pixels).
Product title as a clickable link.
Product description.

Product search and pagination are available when enabled in the view settings.

Category Browsing

Categories display in one of three modes, configured per view:

Normal -- categories appear as links. Clicking a category navigates to its own page showing subcategories and articles.
Links -- categories display inline with their articles listed directly below each category, without requiring a page change. Subcategories nest visually.
Accordion -- categories appear as collapsible accordion panels. Clicking a category header expands it to show articles underneath.

A category popup mode is also available, which opens category contents in a modal overlay instead of navigating away.

Category images display at 150x150 pixels by default. Subcategory images can be shown smaller (32x32) when the Smaller subcategory images setting is enabled.

Article Search

A search bar is available on the category view and (optionally) on the main KB page. Visitors can search article titles and body text.

Type a search term and click Search.
Click Reset to clear the search and return to browsing.
Search results display as article cards with title and body preview.
If the search returns no results, a message indicates no articles matched.

Note: The search feature requires at least four published articles to function properly with the default full-text search. If you have fewer articles, enable the "Search: Support non-latin text" setting in the component configuration to allow searching with fewer articles.

Search can be scoped to a specific product or category when browsing within one.

Article View

Clicking an article title opens the full article page. The article page can display:

Article body -- the main content, rendered from the rich text editor. If the Glossary integration is enabled, glossary terms are highlighted with tooltips.
Rate button -- a dropdown with three rating options (Very Helpful, Could Be Better, Not Helpful). After rating, a thank-you message replaces the button.
Print button -- opens a printer-friendly version of the article in a new tab and triggers the browser print dialog.
Table of contents -- automatically generated from H2, H3, H4, and H5 headings in the article body when the auto-contents setting is enabled. Appears as a floating navigation panel.
Page breaks -- articles using Joomla's system-pagebreak class are split into multiple pages with Previous/Next navigation and a page-based table of contents.
Applies To section -- lists which products the article applies to (when configured to show, and when more than one product exists).
Related Articles section -- clickable links to related KB articles.
Details section -- shows creation and modification dates.
Attached Files section -- download links for file attachments, with file sizes.
Comments section -- user comments, if enabled.

The "Applies To", "Related Articles", and "Details" sections can each be configured to display as a separate card section below the article, as inline details above the article body, or hidden entirely.

When the article views feature is enabled, a dropdown selector appears on the KB page allowing visitors to filter articles by:

All Articles -- default view showing all articles.
Most Recent -- articles sorted by modification date.
Most Viewed -- articles sorted by view count.
Highest Rated -- articles sorted by rating score.

Each view option can be independently enabled or disabled. Optionally, stats can be shown next to articles (date for Most Recent, view count for Most Viewed, rating score for Highest Rated).

The KB generates breadcrumb trails automatically: Knowledge Base > Product > Category > Subcategory > Article. Breadcrumbs help visitors navigate back up the hierarchy.

Frontend Content Management

Users with the core.edit.state permission see inline edit controls on articles and categories in the frontend. These include publish/unpublish toggle buttons that work via AJAX without a page reload.

5. Comments and Ratings

Ratings

When the kb_rate setting is enabled, visitors can rate articles using a three-option system:

Rating	Icon	Effect on Score
Very Helpful	Star (warning color)	Score +1
Could Be Better	Thumbs up (success color)	Score unchanged
Not Helpful	Thumbs down (danger color)	Score -1

After rating, the button is replaced with a "Thank you for your feedback" message. Each vote is tracked in a detailed breakdown (positive / neutral / negative counts) visible in the backend article list.

In the backend, administrators can:

View the rating score and the detailed breakdown (hover over the score in the article list).
Reset ratings for selected articles using the Reset Rating toolbar button.

Comments

Comments are controlled by the kb_comments setting, which has three modes:

Mode	Description
Disabled	No comments section appears on articles.
Built-in Comments	JoomHelpDesk's own commenting system is used. Visitors provide their name, email (not published), optional website, and a comment. Supports CAPTCHA verification.
JComments	Integrates with the third-party JComments component if installed. Comments are managed through JComments.

Built-in Comments Features

Comment form fields: Name, Email (hidden from public), Website (optional), Comment body.
CAPTCHA support for spam prevention (when configured).
Comments per page controlled by the kb_comments_per_page setting.
The comment form can be hidden behind an "Add a Comment" link (using the kb_hide_add setting) so it does not take up space until clicked.
Comments are not shown on print views.

6. Settings Reference

Knowledge Base settings are found in Components > JoomHelpDesk > Settings under the Knowledge Base tab. These control global behavior for the KB frontend.

Comments and Ratings

Setting	Key	Values	Description
Rating System	`kb_rate`	Yes / No	Enable or disable article ratings on the frontend.
Comments	`kb_comments`	Disabled / Enabled / JComments	Choose the commenting system for KB articles.
Use Content Plugins	`kb_use_content_plugins`	Yes / No	Run Joomla content plugins on article body text (e.g., for embedding modules or applying content formatting).

Views and Filtering

Setting	Key	Values	Description
Show Views Dropdown	`kb_show_views`	Yes / No	Display the article view filter dropdown (All, Most Recent, Most Viewed, Highest Rated).
Views at Top	`kb_view_top`	Yes / No	Place the views dropdown at the top of the page. When No, it appears at the bottom.
Show Most Recent	`kb_show_recent`	Yes / No	Include "Most Recent" option in the views dropdown.
Show Recent Stats	`kb_show_recent_stats`	Yes / No	Show the modification date next to articles in the Most Recent view.
Show Most Viewed	`kb_show_viewed`	Yes / No	Include "Most Viewed" option in the views dropdown.
Show Viewed Stats	`kb_show_viewed_stats`	Yes / No	Show the view count next to articles in the Most Viewed view.
Show Highest Rated	`kb_show_rated`	Yes / No	Include "Highest Rated" option in the views dropdown.
Show Rated Stats	`kb_show_rated_stats`	Yes / No	Show the rating score next to articles in the Highest Rated view.

Article Display

Setting	Key	Values	Description
Show Dates	`kb_show_dates`	No / As Section / In Details	Control how creation and modification dates appear on the article page. "As Section" shows them in a separate card. "In Details" shows them inline above the article body.
Show Related Articles	`kb_show_art_related`	No / As Section / In Details	Control how related article links appear. "As Section" shows them in a card below the article. "In Details" shows them inline above the body.
Show Product Applies-To	`kb_show_art_products`	No / As Section / In Details	Control how the "Applies To" product list appears. Only shows when more than one product exists.
Show Attachments	`kb_show_art_attach`	Yes / No	Display attached files on the article page.
Show Attachment Filenames	`kb_show_art_attach_filenames`	Yes / No	Show the original filename alongside the download link.
Comments Per Page	`kb_comments_per_page`	Number	How many comments to display per page before pagination.

General

Setting	Key	Values	Description
Smaller Subcategory Images	`kb_smaller_subcat_images`	Yes / No	Display subcategory images at 32x32 instead of 150x150. Helps distinguish parent categories from nested ones visually.
Articles Per Page	`kb_art_per_page`	Number	Number of articles shown per page in category listings.
Products Per Page	`kb_prod_per_page`	Number	Number of products shown per page on the main KB landing.
Print Button	`kb_print`	Yes / No	Show a Print button on article pages.
Auto Table of Contents	`kb_contents_auto`	Yes / No	Automatically generate a table of contents from H2-H5 headings in the article body. The TOC appears as a floating panel. Hidden if fewer than two headings are found.
Auto Open Single Category	`kb_auto_open_single_cat`	Yes / No	When a product has only one visible category and no uncategorized articles, skip the category listing and open that category directly.
Popup Width	`kb_popup_width`	Number (pixels)	Width of modal popups used for article and category views (when using popup view modes).

7. Tips

Structuring Your Knowledge Base

Start with broad product-level categories, then add specific subcategories as your article library grows.
Aim for 5-15 articles per category. If a category has more than 20 articles, consider splitting it into subcategories.
Use the "Uncategorized" state sparingly. Articles without a category still appear in product views but can be harder for visitors to find.

Writing Effective Articles

Use clear, specific titles. "How to Reset Your Password" is better than "Password Issues."
Use H2 and H3 headings in the article body to structure content. When the auto table of contents is enabled, these headings become a clickable navigation panel.
Attach files (PDFs, screenshots) when a visual guide helps more than text alone.
Link related articles together so visitors can explore connected topics.

Using Products Wisely

If your organization supports a single product, you do not need to create a product entry at all. The KB will skip the product selection page automatically.
Assign articles and categories to specific products only when content truly differs between products. Use "Show for all products" for general articles that apply everywhere.

Ratings and Feedback

Monitor the rating breakdown in the backend article list. Articles with many "Not Helpful" votes may need rewriting.
Use the Reset Rating feature after significantly rewriting an article to start fresh.
The cumulative rating score can go negative if an article receives more negative votes than positive ones.

Search

The built-in KB search searches article titles and body text.
Full-text search requires at least four published articles to produce results. If you have fewer articles, enable the "Search: Support non-latin text" setting.
Visitors can search within a specific product or category context, which narrows results automatically.

Performance

Reset view counters periodically if the counts become very large or if you want to measure recent traffic.
Use the Auto Sort feature to alphabetically reorder all articles in one step, but be aware this action cannot be undone.

Multi-Language

When Joomla multi-language is enabled, articles and categories gain a Language field. Assign the correct language to each article so visitors only see content in their language.
Use the language filter in the backend article list to manage translations for each language.
Set the Language to "All" for articles that should be visible regardless of the visitor's language selection.

Access Control

Use Joomla's built-in access levels (Public, Registered, Special, etc.) to restrict who can see specific articles.
"Public" articles are visible to all visitors, including guests.
"Registered" articles require the visitor to be logged in.
The Knowledge Base view itself is controlled by the joomhelpdesk.view permission on com_joomhelpdesk.kb. Verify this permission is granted in your component access settings if users cannot see the KB at all.

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