What the documents look like
Near-expiry markdown work concerns shelf-stock batches and their shelf age, not order-by-order weighing and sorting. The working materials are the near-expiry list, the markdown approval, the damage/loss report, and the promotional price tag. Batch status is judged from store inspections, POS shelf-age data, ERP inventory, and quality-inspection records taken together. This category updates by day or by shift, and the same batch can carry inconsistent status across documents.
For store service and internal training, citation tracing answers a narrow question: which material does a quoted statement come from, what version is it, and which batch and date range does it cover. When the material version and the batch range do not line up, the citation has no basis for cross-checking.
Constraints at the citation tracing step
A knowledge base search node selects one or more knowledge bases that use the same vector model, and outputs citations as an array whose length may be zero. An empty array means the output path still runs through; it does not mean the workflow has errored and stopped. Citation content is passed to the answering step and checked item by item against the cited source text.
The minimum relevance value is a filter threshold, effective only in semantic search or when result reranking is used, and it does not perform permission or entity isolation. Retrieval scope is set by the selected knowledge bases, and whether a citation is adopted still depends on review against a valid version. Hybrid search merges multiple result paths through RRF; this is a fusion process, not a switch that can be turned on. Reranking requires a model and must be enabled by configuration. Image retrieval requires corresponding image input and model capability.
Hypothetical drill sample: a store loss administrator submits a near-expiry list on 10 March 2025. The source text reads: "During the 10 March shift inspection at this store, batch A chilled yogurt was found to be 3 days from its shelf-life date, and markdown handling is requested. List number LC-0310-02. Authorization scope is limited to sale at this store on the same day." The proposed handover sentence reads: "Batch A has completed markdown approval under LC-0310-02 and taken effect." The item to be judged: whether the proposed handover sentence is supported by the source text. The source text records only that markdown was requested; it does not record that approval was completed or that the markdown took effect. The proposed handover sentence is unsupported.
Configuration and implementation checks
| Configuration or check item | Use on this page | How to check |
|---|---|---|
| Associated knowledge bases | Limit the citation source scope | Check the selected knowledge bases and material versions, and confirm the vector model identifiers match |
| Citation upper limit | Control the amount of cited content per search | Use the hypothetical sample material as input, and observe whether the output citations cover the LC-0310-02 source text |
| Minimum relevance | Filter low-relevance results | Observe whether it takes effect only when semantic search or reranking is enabled |
| Citation content output | Carry an empty result | Use a paper input of an empty array to check the downstream design; do not claim an actual return |
| Material timeliness check | Distinguish versions | Test the source with the current and historical versions of the list, and record what is observed |
Hypothetical starting point for this exercise: the citation upper limit is set according to the length of the single list in the hypothetical sample. The reason for this choice is that the source text of that list is short, which makes item-by-item comparison easier. The comparison target is whether the output citations fully contain the list number and the batch description. This starting point is a hypothetical setting for this exercise, not an official default value.
Three common errors
- Treating a proposed handover sentence as a completed fact. In the hypothetical sample, the source text records only a markdown request, while the proposed handover sentence states that approval was completed and took effect. The error is reading a pending-review state as already effective. Check: input the source text and the proposed handover sentence, compare the approval-status field, and observe whether the source text contains wording about completed approval or taking effect. If that wording is absent, record the item as unsupported.
- Treating a retrieval result as a basis for authorization. A retrieval hit on the LC-0310-02 source text only shows that the material was recalled within the selected knowledge base scope. Check: input the retrieval output and the authorization scope, compare the authorization-boundary field, and observe whether the authorization comes from the source text wording limiting sale to this store on the same day. Retrieval itself does not constitute authorization.
- Associating knowledge bases across different vector models. Check: input the vector model identifiers of the selected knowledge bases, compare whether the identifiers are consistent, exclude those whose identifiers do not match, and record what is observed. Do not run a cross-model retrieval to compare missed recalls.
How to verify the setup
- Input the hypothetical sample source text and the proposed handover sentence, compare whether the source text records completed approval or taking effect, and observe that the source text does not record this. The result is judged unsupported, and the evidence gap is retained.
- Input a paper empty array, compare whether the downstream design carries an empty citation output, and observe whether the path runs through. Do not claim that a fictional rule search necessarily returns an empty array.
- Input the current and historical versions of the near-expiry list, compare whether the list number and batch description are consistent, and observe which version the citation source points to. Record the actual observation.