Differences and Usage of Topics, Actions, and Datasources in Cognipeer
In Cognipeer, configuring your Peers efficiently requires a clear understanding of three essential concepts: Topics, Actions, and Datasources. Each serves a unique purpose in determining how your Peer interacts, retrieves, and delivers information. This guide clarifies these concepts and illustrates their usage with concrete examples.
Topics
Topics define specific areas of expertise or thematic boundaries for your Peer. Setting clear Topics ensures your Peer provides focused and relevant answers based on designated content.
Example 1: Customer Support Peer
- Scenario: A Peer designed to assist customers with shipping and return-related queries.
- Implementation: Create Topics such as "Shipping Information" and "Return Policies" to categorize content.
- Result: When a customer asks, "How long does shipping take?" the Peer specifically utilizes information under the "Shipping Information" Topic, ensuring a precise response.
Example 2: Human Resources (HR) Peer
- Scenario: An internal Peer designed to address employee questions about company policies and benefits.
- Implementation: Define Topics such as "Employee Benefits" and "Vacation Policy" to streamline responses.
- Result: If an employee queries, "How many vacation days do I have?" the Peer accesses only data related to the "Vacation Policy" Topic for an accurate answer.
Actions
Actions are specific operations or commands that your Peer can execute to interact with external systems, APIs, or internal tools. Actions extend the Peer’s capabilities by allowing dynamic retrieval or manipulation of information.
Example 1: read-datasource Action
- Scenario: You have a product list stored as a custom Excel datasource and want your Peer to access this data.
- Implementation: The Peer uses the
read-datasourceaction to query this Excel datasource when a user asks, "What products are currently available?" - Result: The Peer dynamically retrieves and lists up-to-date product details directly from the datasource.
Example 2: create-ticket Action (e.g., Jira Integration)
- Scenario: A customer reports a technical issue that requires creating a support ticket in an external ticketing system like Jira.
- Implementation: The Peer uses a configured
create-ticketaction to automatically open a Jira ticket with details provided by the customer’s query. - Result: This automated process significantly reduces manual workload and ensures immediate issue tracking.
Datasources
Datasources are structured external or internal resources containing information your Peer uses when responding to queries. These can include files, websites, custom datasets, or integration sources like Confluence and YouTube.
Example 1: File Datasource (PDF, DOCX)
- Scenario: Your organization maintains detailed manuals and policy documents stored as PDFs.
- Implementation: Attach PDF documents as datasources. For example, linking a "Product Warranty Policy" PDF to your Peer.
- Result: When asked about warranty details, the Peer directly references the PDF datasource, ensuring answers are accurate and based on official documentation.
Example 2: Custom Datasource (Excel or CSV)
- Scenario: A sales Peer needs access to a regularly updated Excel file containing pricing and inventory data.
- Implementation: Upload the Excel file as a custom datasource and link it to your Peer.
- Result: The Peer can provide real-time responses on pricing or stock availability based on the most current Excel data, ensuring accuracy and timeliness.
Summary of Differences
| Concept | Main Purpose | Example Usage |
|---|---|---|
| Topic | Defines the specific domain or context | Shipping Info, Employee Benefits |
| Action | Executes defined tasks or external interactions | Read product list, Create support ticket |
| Datasource | Provides structured content/data for responses | PDF Manuals, Excel Product lists |
Conclusion
Clearly understanding the differences between Topics, Actions, and Datasources allows you to harness the full potential of your Cognipeer platform. Topics set the contextual boundaries, Actions empower dynamic functionality, and Datasources ensure accurate and up-to-date information delivery.
Use this guide and the provided examples as references when configuring your Peers for optimum performance and accuracy.

