> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.bestchatbot.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Retrieval Testing

> Test your bot's answers directly from the dashboard before going live.

# Retrieval Testing

The **Retrieval Testing** page lets you chat with your bot directly from the dashboard. Use it to verify the bot's answers, test edge cases, and make sure everything works before your visitors see it.

<Frame>
  <iframe className="w-full aspect-video rounded-xl" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/980JvXSMCk4" title="Test Your AI Chatbot's Answers Before You Go Live" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowFullScreen />
</Frame>

<Warning>Retrieval Testing produces **real bot answers**, so each response you get here **counts toward your monthly response quota**, exactly like a visitor message on your website. Usage is billed to the workspace owner. If the bot can't produce an answer, that attempt is **not** charged.</Warning>

## How to Use Retrieval Testing

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Retrieval Testing">
    Go to **Retrieval Testing** from the dashboard sidebar.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Type a Question">
    Use the chat input at the bottom to type a question, just like a visitor would on your website.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Review the Response">
    The bot replies in real time with a streaming response. You'll see the answer appear word by word, along with the sources it used.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Iterate and Test">
    Ask follow-up questions or test different phrasings to see how the bot handles variations.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Frame>
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/bestchatbot/97kdRjnWT0Lew0EI/images/retrieval-testing-screen.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=97kdRjnWT0Lew0EI&q=85&s=4853dc7e00007b7672fe831ac1826ea6" alt="Retrieval Testing chat interface with bot response and cited sources" width="1607" height="992" data-path="images/retrieval-testing-screen.png" />
</Frame>

## What to Test

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Common Questions" icon="circle-question">
    Start with the most frequent questions your visitors ask.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Edge Cases" icon="triangle-exclamation">
    Try questions where the answer is partial or not in your knowledge base.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Different Phrasings" icon="language">
    Ask the same question in different ways to check consistency.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Recent Updates" icon="clock">
    After rebuilding, test with questions related to newly added content.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Understanding the Response

Each response in the testing chat includes:

* **The answer**: Generated from your knowledge base content
* **Cited sources**: Which documents or URLs the bot used to form its answer

<Tip>If the bot can't answer a question, it usually means the relevant information isn't in your knowledge base yet. Try uploading more content or adding the relevant URL.</Tip>

## Chat Sessions

Your testing conversations are saved as **sessions**. You can:

* Continue a previous conversation
* Start a new session for fresh testing
* Review past sessions to track improvements

## Next Steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Conversations" icon="chart-line" href="/using-the-bot/bot-responses">
    See how the widget is performing with real visitors.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Knowledge Graph" icon="diagram-project" href="/using-the-bot/knowledge-graph">
    See the connections in your knowledge base.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>