Why is there a discrepancy between the number of answers for phrase stem and answers displayed when clicking on the number in the Keyword Search report?

Environment:

Answers, Analytics
Oracle B2C Service

Resolution:

The Keyword Search standard report has a drilldown on the number of answers that match the search criteria.  If you drilldown on the number of answers that match the search criteria to the search words themselves and drilldown one more time to see the answers, you may see a difference in the number of answers.  The reason for the differences in the numbers is the second drilldown level is utilizing a linked report, the Search Knowledgebase standard report.

The Keyword Search report is utilizing the keyword_searches table and is returning results based on what was whereas the Search Knowledgebase report is returning results based on what is.  Answers can be created, updated, and deleted and any change you make to an answer is going to affect your search results.  It could be that a product or category was changed, specific wording in an answer was changed etc.  Because answers change, are created or deleted, your search results in the past may not be the same as the search results you receive now. 

The Keyword Search report is showing results for search words based on answers that met the criteria at that time of the search.  On the other hand the Search Knowledgebase report is showing the current answers that meet your search criteria right now.  This report is utilizing the answers table so it is in essence providing a snapshot of your knowledgebase today and what answers currently match the search term.