Knowledge Base in Brusnika.LMS — Content, AI Search & Approval

The Knowledge Base in Brusnika.LMS is a corporate library where employees can find, read, track, and use company materials, while learning teams can create, organize, approve, assign, and analyze them.

The Knowledge Base supports many content types, from videos and PDF files to SCORM, interactive H5P content, EPUB and FB2 books, longreads, downloadable files, links, Cforj content, and composite materials.

It is not limited to document storage. The Knowledge Base can be used to organize corporate information, control access, approve materials before publication, assign materials to employees, track updates, and search across LMS content with Nika.AI.

What the Knowledge Base lets you do

In the Brusnika.LMS Knowledge Base, users can:

• create folders and materials;
• organize content in a folder tree with any nesting depth;
• place the same material in multiple folders;
• add materials in different formats;
• restrict access to specific departments or selected employees;
• hide materials from the catalog;
• hide materials from the Bitrix24 extranet;
• assign categories to materials;
• add comments and feedback forms;
• link a material to a competency it develops;
• award XP points for viewing materials;
• send materials through an approval workflow;
• create multi-stage approval routes with designated approvers;
• assign materials to employees;
• track views and acknowledgment statuses;
• subscribe to materials and folders;
• share materials and folders with colleagues;
• copy links to materials and folders;
• search the Knowledge Base;
• ask Nika.AI questions about available LMS content;
• view reports on views, acknowledgment, and assignments;
• use materials in courses, programs, and learning trajectories;
• work with folders, materials, and subscriptions through the API.

How the Knowledge Base is organized

The Knowledge Base is built around a folder tree. Folders can have any nesting depth and can be created, renamed, moved, and reorganized.

A single material can belong to multiple folders. This makes it possible to organize the same document or learning resource under several topics without creating duplicate copies.

Access and visibility can be configured for folders and materials. Folder settings can also include XP points for materials within the folder.

Material types

The Knowledge Base supports a range of content types.

Video can be added as a link from YouTube, Vimeo, RuTube, VK Video, Zen, Yandex.Disk, Google Drive, Dropbox, or Bitrix24 Drive. Video can also be embedded using code or uploaded as a file.

PDF materials are available with preview.

Office materials are documents from the media library.

Books can be provided in EPUB or FB2 format. A book can be marked as “Available to Nika”. When enabled, Nika.AI can read the book and answer questions about its content for users who have access to it.

Downloadable files can be provided for employees to save to their devices.

Links open in a separate window.

Longreads are articles built from content blocks.

SCORM materials can be uploaded as packages, with an option to “Use statuses from the SCORM package.”

H5P supports interactive content.

Cforj materials are created with the Cforj authoring tool.

Composite materials combine blocks of different types in any order.

This allows the Knowledge Base to bring documents, media, books, interactive content, and learning packages together in one structured library.

Creating a material

Material creation consists of three main steps.

1. Content

First, the user selects the material type and adds its content.

The material type is important at this stage because it cannot be changed after the material is saved.

2. Classification and access

The next step defines where the material belongs and who can access it.

Available settings include:

• folder;
• category;
• competency developed by the material;
• comments;
• feedback form;
• whether the material should be hidden from the catalog;
• whether it should be hidden from the Bitrix24 extranet;
• access limited to selected departments;
• access limited to selected employees;
• XP points awarded for viewing.

3. Approval

A material can be submitted through an approval workflow consisting of stages and designated approvers.

An unapproved material is not published, including when the material is handled through the API.

Folders and knowledge structure

Folders can be nested to any depth. Users can:

• create folders quickly;
• rename folders;
• move folders;
• move materials;
• change material order;
• configure access;
• control catalog visibility;
• assign XP points to materials in a folder.

A material can be stored in several folders at the same time.

For example, a customer service policy can be available both under Sales and Customer Service without creating two separate copies.

Employee catalog

Employees see the folders and materials available to them.

The catalog displays the folder tree and the materials in the selected folder. Search can be performed across the folders available to the employee.

Materials and folders that are hidden from the catalog or unavailable to the employee are not shown to that employee.

Nika.AI search

The Knowledge Base includes Nika.AI search. An employee can ask a question in their own words, and Nika.AI searches available information inside Brusnika.LMS.

The search can use information from:

• lessons;
• tests;
• courses;
• programs;
• surveys;
• materials;
• books.

The response includes links to relevant objects, allowing the employee to open the source material.

For example, an employee can ask:

“How do I submit a business trip request?”

Instead of manually searching through documents, the employee can ask Nika.AI. If the required information is available in the accessible LMS content, Nika.AI can provide an answer and link to relevant materials.

Views, tracking, and subscriptions

Employees can view materials and mark them as viewed.

The system provides a view counter for materials.

Employees can also subscribe to a material or folder. Changes to subscribed items appear under My Materials → Tracked, with the indication “Changed since last viewed.”

A subscription to a folder also covers its nested content.

This makes the Knowledge Base useful not only as a static library but also as a way to follow updates to important corporate information.

My Materials

The My Materials section brings together materials and related objects available to a particular employee.

It includes:

• assigned materials;
• materials in progress;
• overdue materials;
• completed materials;
• materials shared with the employee;
• materials awaiting approval;
• materials created by the employee;
• materials available to the employee;
• tracked materials;
• viewed materials.

Material statuses include:

• assigned;
• self-assigned;
• not started;
• in progress;
• acknowledged;
• overdue.

Material approval

The Knowledge Base supports controlled publication of materials.

For example, a legal team can create a PDF called Customer Service Policy and define an approval route:

Department Manager → Director.

Approvers see the material under My Materials → Approval and complete the required approval stages.

The material can then be published according to its configured access and visibility settings.

This allows the Knowledge Base to support a controlled content lifecycle instead of being used only as a repository for already approved documents.

Assigning materials

Materials can be assigned to employees.

Assigned materials appear in My Materials, while assignment information is available in assignment reports and the dashboard.

A material can therefore be used as a standalone learning or acknowledgment item without necessarily placing it inside a course.

Feedback

A feedback form can be added when configuring a material.

This makes it possible to collect employee feedback alongside a specific piece of content.

Competencies and gamification

A material can be linked to the competency it develops.

XP points can also be configured for viewing materials and folders. These points can be used within the gamification functionality of Brusnika.LMS.

As a result, a Knowledge Base item can be connected not only to information delivery but also to competency development and learning gamification.

Reports and analytics

The Knowledge Base provides data for monitoring how materials are being used.

Available information includes:

• material views;
• acknowledgment statuses;
• materials completed during a selected period;
• assignments;
• assigned materials shown in reports and dashboards;
• courses and materials with low completion in the “What Needs Attention” automated report.

The “What Needs Attention” report identifies courses and materials with low completion.

This allows the Knowledge Base to be used not only to publish content, but also to monitor which materials employees actually complete and where completion is low.

Knowledge Base settings

Under Application Settings → Knowledge Base, administrators can allow regular users to create materials and folders.

When this option is enabled, employees without a moderator role can contribute to the Knowledge Base.

The same settings area includes material categories. It supports system localized categories as well as custom categories, whose order can be changed by drag and drop.

Access and XP settings are also configured at the folder and material level.

Connections with other Brusnika.LMS features

Knowledge Base materials can work together with other LMS functionality.

Confirmed connections include:

• courses and programs — a material can be used as a module;
• learning trajectories — materials can be included in a development sequence;
• assignments — individual materials can be assigned to employees;
• competencies — a material can be linked to a competency it develops;
• gamification — viewing can award XP points;
• feedback forms — a feedback form can be attached to a material;
• external access by link — access can be provided to a material or folder;
• API — folders, materials, and subscriptions are available through the API.

The Knowledge Base can therefore function both as a standalone corporate library and as a content source for structured learning.

External access and API

A material or folder can be made available through an external link.

The Knowledge Base also supports API operations for:

• folders;
• materials;
• subscriptions.

Approval rules still apply. An unapproved material is not published through the API.

Use cases

Corporate policies with approval

A legal specialist creates a PDF containing a new corporate policy, places it in the Policies folder, and defines an approval route.

After the required stages are completed, the material can be published. Employees can access it and subscribe to the material or folder to track future changes.

Finding an answer with Nika.AI

An employee needs to understand how to handle a business trip request.

Instead of browsing multiple documents, the employee asks Nika.AI. The assistant searches available LMS content and returns an answer with links to relevant materials.

Corporate learning library

An organization can build a folder structure containing videos, PDFs, ebooks, SCORM packages, H5P content, longreads, and other materials.

Employees can find content through the catalog and search, while the learning team controls access, assignments, and content updates.

Tracking updates

When an important material changes regularly, employees can subscribe to the material or its folder.

Updated items appear under Tracked Materials with an indication that the content has changed since the previous view.

Using a material as part of learning

An individual Knowledge Base material can be used as a course or program module, included in a learning trajectory, or assigned directly to employees.

This combines an open corporate knowledge library with managed learning activities.

Limitations and conditions

Several rules are important when using the Knowledge Base.

If user-created materials are disabled, employees without a moderator role cannot create materials or folders.

A material type cannot be changed after the material is saved.

An unapproved material is not published, including through the API.

Employees cannot see materials or folders that are hidden from the catalog or unavailable to them under the configured access rules.

Some capabilities depend on the environment. For example, hiding a material from the extranet applies to work with Bitrix24.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Knowledge Base in Brusnika.LMS?

It is a corporate library for organizing materials in folders, with search, access controls, approval workflows, assignments, subscriptions, and analytics.

Which material formats are supported?

The Knowledge Base supports video, PDF, Office documents, EPUB and FB2 books, downloadable files, links, longreads, SCORM, H5P, Cforj, and composite materials.

Can materials be organized into folders?

Yes. Folders can be nested to any depth, and a single material can belong to multiple folders.

Can materials be approved before publication?

Yes. A material can have an approval route with multiple stages and approvers. Unapproved materials are not published, including through the API.

Can access to a material be restricted?

Yes. Access can be limited to selected departments or employees, and material visibility in the catalog can also be controlled.

Can Nika.AI search the Knowledge Base?

Yes. Nika.AI can answer questions using accessible information inside Brusnika.LMS and provide links to relevant materials and other LMS objects.

Can employees subscribe to a material?

Yes. Employees can subscribe to a material or folder. Updates appear under My Materials → Tracked.

Can materials be assigned to employees?

Yes. Assigned materials appear in My Materials, while assignment data is available in assignment reports and the dashboard.

Can Knowledge Base materials be used in courses?

Yes. A material can be used as a course or program module and can also be included in a learning trajectory.

Is the Knowledge Base available through an API?

Yes. The API supports folders, materials, and subscriptions.

Can a material be shared through a link?

Yes. External access by link can be provided for a material or folder.

Short version

The Knowledge Base in Brusnika.LMS is a corporate library for organizing and delivering company materials, with folders, access controls, approval workflows, assignments, subscriptions, and search. It supports documents, videos, books, SCORM, H5P, longreads, and other content types. Nika.AI can answer questions using accessible LMS content and link to relevant sources. Materials can also be used in courses, programs, and learning trajectories and linked to competencies and gamification.