Skip to main content

Working With Clarifications

Sometimes when you ask Teela a question, it will ask you a question right back before giving you an answer. This is called a clarification, and it's actually a really good thing. It means Teela wants to make sure it gives you exactly the right answer instead of guessing and potentially getting it wrong.

Why Clarifications Happen​

Clarifications come up when your question could reasonably mean more than one thing. This isn't a sign that you asked a bad question. It's a sign that your data has some natural ambiguity, and Teela is being careful about it.

There are two main situations where you'll see clarifications:

Entity Ambiguity​

This happens when a word in your question could refer to multiple things in your data. For example:

  • You ask about "sales" and your data has tables for sales_orders, sales_reps, and sales_regions. Teela asks: "When you say 'sales,' do you mean sales orders, sales representatives, or sales regions?"
  • You mention "accounts" and there are both customer accounts and financial accounts in your database. Teela asks which one you mean.
  • You ask about "tickets" and your company tracks both support tickets and event tickets.

In each case, Teela presents you with the options and lets you pick the right one.

Value Mismatch​

This happens when the value you used in your question doesn't exactly match what's stored in your database. For example:

  • You say "Active" but the database stores the value as "A". Teela asks: "Did you mean status 'A' (Active)?"
  • You type "California" but the data uses the abbreviation "CA". Teela confirms the match.
  • You mention "Enterprise plan" but the database calls it "enterprise_tier". Teela checks to make sure it's interpreting correctly.

These clarifications are especially common when databases use codes or abbreviations instead of full words.

How to Respond to Clarifications​

Responding is easy. Just click the option that matches what you meant. That's it. Teela takes your selection and continues answering your original question. There's no need to retype anything or start over.

If you see multiple clarification questions at once, just answer each one and Teela will proceed with all your choices in mind.

How to Reduce Unnecessary Clarifications​

While clarifications are helpful, you might prefer to get straight to your answer when possible. Here are some ways to minimize them:

  • Be specific in your question. Instead of "Show me sales," try "Show me sales orders" or "Show me sales rep performance." The more precise your language, the less Teela needs to ask.
  • Use exact terminology. If you know your database uses "A" for active, you can say "status is A" to skip the clarification. But don't worry if you don't. Teela will figure it out either way.
  • Use your team's established vocabulary. Your admin has set up aliases that map business terms to specific data columns. Using those terms helps Teela resolve your question without needing to ask.
  • Add terms to your personal vocabulary. If you use a term frequently that Teela keeps asking about, consider adding it to your personal vocabulary so it remembers your preference going forward. See Writing Good Queries for more on this.

Clarifications Mean Better Results​

It might feel like clarifications slow you down, but they actually save you time in the long run. Here's why:

  • No wrong guesses. Without clarifications, Teela might pick the wrong interpretation and give you data you didn't want. You'd then have to figure out the problem, rephrase, and try again.
  • Accurate from the start. By asking one quick question upfront, Teela delivers the right answer on the first try.
  • You stay in control. Clarifications put the decision in your hands rather than leaving it to an assumption.

Think of it this way: if you asked a colleague to pull a report and they said, "Hey, do you mean sales orders or sales headcount?" you'd appreciate them checking rather than guessing.

Training Suggestions​

Sometimes after a clarification, Teela may suggest that your admin add documentation or an alias to reduce similar ambiguity in the future. If you see a suggestion like this, feel free to pass it along to your admin. It helps make Teela better for everyone on your team.

For example, if Teela frequently asks whether "sales" means orders or reps, your admin might add documentation clarifying that "sales" defaults to "sales orders" in your organization. After that, Teela will know without asking.

Keep Learning​