> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://biggeo.gitbook.io/biggeo/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://biggeo.gitbook.io/biggeo/biggeo-ai/start-asking-questions.md).

# Start Asking Questions

BigGeo AI answers location questions in plain language - no SQL, no GIS expertise required. Just ask what you want to know, and get spatial insight in seconds.

## <mark style="color:$danger;">**Needs a cover photo.**</mark>

## Ask Your First Question

Open ChatGPT and ask a location question in plain language, just like you'd ask a colleague.

**Try one of these to start:**

* "What datasets do I have available?"
* "Find hospitals within 5 miles of Central Park, New York"
* "How many EV charging stations are in Denver?"
* "Find grocery stores near \[your address]"

**Or use one of these formats as a starting point:**

* "What is the nearest \[location type] to \[address]?"
* "Find \[location type] near \[address or landmark]"
* "How many \[location type] are there in \[city]?"

***

## Add More Detail

Once your first query works, add a spatial relationship to layer in more insight:

* "Of those hospitals, which are within 1 mile of a subway station?"
* "Which ZIP codes have the highest concentration of results?"
* "Find the nearest one to \[specific address]"

***

## Example Queries by Use Case

**Retail & Site Selection**

* "Find all coffee shops within 2 miles of our store at \[address]"
* "How many fast food restaurants are within 5 miles of downtown Chicago?"
* "Find ZIP codes in Texas with no grocery store within 3 miles"

**Logistics & Operations**

* "What is the nearest distribution center to each of these 20 addresses?"
* "Find all delivery locations more than 50 miles from our nearest depot"
* "How many of our customer addresses are in rural vs. urban areas?"

**Real Estate & Property**

* "How many schools are within 1 mile of \[address]?"
* "Find all parks, grocery stores, and hospitals within 2 miles of \[address]"
* "Which of these 5 properties has the best access to public transit?"

**Healthcare & Social Services**

* "Find areas in \[county] where the nearest hospital is more than 20 miles away"
* "How many urgent care clinics are within 10 miles of our main clinic?"

**Insurance & Risk**

* "How many properties in \[ZIP code] are within a flood risk zone?"
* "Which of our covered properties are within 1 mile of a wildfire risk area?"

**Marketing & Audience Targeting**

* "Find the highest concentration of \[business type] in \[city]"
* "Which neighborhoods in \[city] have the most \[target demographic type] businesses?"

***

## Tips for Better Queries

**Be specific about location.**\
Instead of "Find hospitals near Central Park," try "Find hospitals within 5 miles of 59th St and 5th Ave, New York." The more precise the address, the more precise the result.

**Add a number or threshold.**\
Instead of "Find competitors near our store," try "Find competitors within 3 miles of \[address]." Thresholds keep results focused and tokens low.

**Start narrow, then broaden.**\
Start with one city before scaling to a state. Focused queries run faster and cost fewer tokens.

**Ask follow-ups.**

* "Which of those is the closest?"
* "How many are in each ZIP code?"
* "Show me only the ones in \[city]"

***

## Your Token Balance

Every query uses a small number of tokens. Check your balance anytime under **Account → Subscription Management** in DataLab.

{% content-ref url="/pages/FzPCxwPUpeglhpu6nfEK" %}
[Understanding Credits & Tokens](/biggeo/biggeo-ai/understanding-credits-and-tokens.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}

***

## FAQs

<details>

<summary>Why did my query return no results?</summary>

A few possible reasons: the dataset may not cover that geographic area; your variant may not have BigGeo AI activation enabled; the query may be too narrow; or your token balance may be at zero. See the [Troubleshooting](/biggeo/biggeo-ai/troubleshooting.md) guide for more information.

</details>

<details>

<summary>Can I use data from multiple datasets in one query?</summary>

Yes - if you've purchased multiple datasets, you can reference them in the same query.

</details>

<details>

<summary>Can I export query results?</summary>

This depends on the licensing terms of your purchased variant. Check your purchased variant's delivery method in DataLab > Data Variants > Purchased.

</details>

<details>

<summary>Can I ask follow-up questions after a query?</summary>

Yes - BigGeo AI works conversationally. After a result, ask "Which of those is closest to X?" or "Show me only results in ZIP code Y." Each follow-up is a new query and uses a small number of tokens.

</details>