Response Settings
Control where and how Chat Aid responds to questions across your organization. This settings page allows you to configure data sources, channel response permissions, and response behavior.
Data Source Settings
Configure which data sources Chat Aid uses when answering questions.
Available Options
Company Data Sources Only
- Chat Aid will only search your indexed company data
- Answers are based exclusively on documents, messages, and content you've added
- Best for organizations that want complete control over information sources
- Fastest response time
Online Data Only
- Chat Aid will search the internet for answers
- Uses GPT-4.1 with May 2024 knowledge cutoff
- Useful for general knowledge questions
- No access to your proprietary company information
Company and Online Data (Recommended)
- Combined search across your company data AND online sources
- Prioritizes company data when available
- Falls back to online sources when company data doesn't have the answer
- Most comprehensive answers
How to Configure
- Navigate to Settings → Response Settings
- Under Data Sources, select your preferred option
- Changes take effect immediately for all new questions
This setting applies globally to all Chat Aid interactions unless overridden at the API key or widget level.
Channel Response Permissions TeamBusinessEnterprise
Overview
Channel Response Permissions control where Chat Aid can respond to questions in Slack and Microsoft Teams channels. This setting requires either Slack or Microsoft Teams to be connected to appear.
Response Modes
Allow responses in all channels – Respond anywhere Chat Aid is added or mentioned.
Only respond in channels with licensed users – Respond only in channels with at least one licensed user.
Only respond in private channels with licensed users – Respond only in private channels with at least one licensed user.
Disable responses in all channels – No channel responses (DMs may still work).
How to Configure
- Navigate to Settings → Response Settings
- Under Channel Response Permissions, select your desired mode
- Click Save or wait for auto-save
User license status and channel membership is cached for up to 10 minutes for performance. There may be a short delay after adding or removing users from channels before Chat Aid's response behavior adjusts.
Channel Overrides
When using restrictive response modes (licensed-only, private-only, or disabled), you can add specific channels as overrides to allow responses regardless of the global setting.
Use Cases:
- Allow #general channel even when using "licensed only" mode
- Enable #support channel even when global responses are disabled
- Whitelist specific channels for testing
Adding Override Channels:
- In Response Settings, scroll to Override Channels section
- Click Add Channels
- Search for and select channels
- Select channels to add
- Click Add Selected
Removing Override Channels:
- Find the channel in the Override Channels table
- Select channels to remove
- Click Remove Override in the bulk actions menu
Use the search box and platform filter (Slack/Teams) to quickly find channels in large workspaces.
Direct Message Settings
Allow Direct Message Responses
Control whether Chat Aid responds to direct messages (DMs) from users.
Options:
- Yes (Default): Users can ask questions via DM
- No: DMs are disabled; users must ask in channels
When to Disable DMs:
- Encourage public knowledge sharing in channels
- Reduce question volume
- Enforce team-based access control
How to Configure
- Navigate to Settings → Response Settings
- Find Direct Message Responses
- Select Yes or No
- Changes apply immediately
Bot Response Settings
Allow Bot Mentions
Control whether Chat Aid responds when mentioned by other bots.
Options:
- Yes: Chat Aid will respond to bot mentions (Note: Chat Aid will never respond to itself)
- No (Default): Ignores messages from bots
When to Enable:
- Integration workflows that involve bot-to-bot communication
- Automation scenarios where bots ask questions on behalf of users
- Zapier or other automation triggers
When to Disable:
- Prevent bot loops
- Reduce noise from automated systems
- Focus on human interactions only
How to Configure
- Navigate to Settings → Response Settings
- Find Bot Responses
- Select Yes or No
- Changes apply immediately
Common Scenarios
| Scenario | Response Mode | Channel Overrides | DM Responses | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Workspace, Selective Access Allow everyone to ask questions, but only in certain channels | Disable responses in all channels | Add approved channels (#help, #questions, #support) | Yes | Chat Aid only responds in approved channels and DMs |
| License Enforcement Only allow licensed users to access Chat Aid | Only respond in channels with licensed users | None or add specific public channels | Yes (DMs check user license automatically) | Chat Aid respects license boundaries while allowing access in licensed contexts |
| Private Knowledge Base Restrict Chat Aid to private channels only | Only respond in private channels with licensed users | None | Yes | Prevents public channel access, maintains privacy |
| Maintenance Mode Temporarily disable Chat Aid while updating data sources | Disable responses in all channels | Keep admin channels for testing | No | Chat Aid is effectively offline except for override channels |
Troubleshooting
Chat Aid Not Responding in Expected Channel
Check:
- Is the channel included in an override list (if using restrictive mode)?
- Does the channel have at least one licensed user (if using licensed mode)?
- Is the channel private/public matching your mode setting?
- Has it been 10+ minutes since user licenses changed?
Solutions:
- Add channel to overrides
- Add a licensed user to the channel
- Adjust response mode
- Wait for cache to refresh
Override Not Working
Possible Causes:
- Response mode set to "all channels" (overrides only apply in restrictive modes)
- Channel ID mismatch
- Platform filter applied
Solutions:
- Verify you're using a restrictive response mode
- Re-add the channel override
- Check both Slack and Teams sections
DMs Not Working
Check:
- Is DM responses enabled?
- Does the user have a license (if plan requires it)?
- Has the user messaged Chat Aid before?
Solutions:
- Enable DM responses in settings
- Assign user a license
- Have user send first message to initiate conversation
Related Settings
- Auto-Answer Settings: Configure proactive responses in channels (Slack only)
- User Management: Manage user licenses and roles
- Teams: Understand team-based access control
- Chat Widgets: Configure response behavior for web widgets
API and Widget Overrides
Note that response settings configured here can be overridden at more specific levels:
- Custom API Keys: Can specify their own data source settings
- Chat Widgets: Can configure independent response behavior
- Team Settings: Team-level settings may override organization settings
The hierarchy is: Widget/API > Team > Organization
See Custom APIs for API-specific configuration.