Configuring NLQ

concept australia Updated Sep 10, 2026 1 min read configuring-nlq.md

Enhance your users' query experience by supplementing NLQ with words and terms used in your environment. Review your users' actual requests in the NLQ logs to find possible synonyms and shortcuts to add.

Natural Language Query functionality is included in the base system. Admins can optionally expand NLQ's range of understanding by adding terms that commonly occur in users' requests. Review the following topics to learn more.

For information about system properties related to NLQ, see Natural Language Query References.

Create an NLQ synonym
Add synonyms to improve the ability of NLQ to recognize the various ways your users request data. With synonyms, you can map commonly used words or terms to table columns.
Create an NLQ shortcut
Create a semantic shortcut to help improve the ability of NLQ to recognize the various ways your users request data. Semantic shortcuts operate similarly to NLQ synonyms by mapping common words to columns, but for a selected table when certain conditions are met.
View NLQ logs
Review NLQ logs to see how the system has handled your users' plain-language requests. Use log records from attempted requests to expand NLQ synonyms or shortcuts.
View NLQ Table Guesser logs
Use the Table Guesser logs to review the CMDB tables that were picked by NLQ in response to plain-language queries.

Parent Topic:Machine learning and natural language capabilities

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---
title: Configuring NLQ
description: Enhance your users' query experience by supplementing NLQ with words and terms used in your environment. Review your users' actual requests in the NLQ logs to find possible synonyms and shortcuts to add.
locale: en-US
canonical_url: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/australia/intelligent-experiences/natural-language-query/configuring-nlq.html
release: australia
product: Natural Language Query
classification: natural-language-query
topic_type: concept
last_updated: "2026-09-10"
reading_time_minutes: 1
breadcrumb: [Natural Language Query, Machine learning and natural language capabilities, Enable AI Experiences]
---

# Configuring NLQ

Enhance your users' query experience by supplementing NLQ with words and terms used in your environment. Review your users' actual requests in the NLQ logs to find possible synonyms and shortcuts to add.

Natural Language Query functionality is included in the base system. Admins can optionally expand NLQ's range of understanding by adding terms that commonly occur in users' requests. Review the following topics to learn more.

For information about system properties related to NLQ, see [Natural Language Query References](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/intelligent-experiences/natural-language-query/nlq-references.md).

-   **[Create an NLQ synonym](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/intelligent-experiences/natural-language-query/create-nlq-synonym.md)**  
Add synonyms to improve the ability of NLQ to recognize the various ways your users request data. With synonyms, you can map commonly used words or terms to table columns.
-   **[Create an NLQ shortcut](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/intelligent-experiences/natural-language-query/create-nlq-shortcut.md)**  
Create a semantic shortcut to help improve the ability of NLQ to recognize the various ways your users request data. Semantic shortcuts operate similarly to NLQ synonyms by mapping common words to columns, but for a selected table when certain conditions are met.
-   **[View NLQ logs](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/intelligent-experiences/natural-language-query/view-nlq-logs.md)**  
Review NLQ logs to see how the system has handled your users' plain-language requests. Use log records from attempted requests to expand NLQ synonyms or shortcuts.
-   **[View NLQ Table Guesser logs](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/intelligent-experiences/natural-language-query/view-nlq-table-guesser-logs.md)**  
Use the Table Guesser logs to review the CMDB tables that were picked by NLQ in response to plain-language queries.

**Parent Topic:**[Machine learning and natural language capabilities](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/intelligent-experiences/platai-machine-learning-natural-language-capabilities.md)