NL Analytics documentation

Convert English earnings-call transcripts into auditable call-level measures for topic exposure, risk, and sentiment.

Key workflows

• From research idea to panel: Follow the main workflow from a topic idea to an exported call-level panel.
• Corpus scope and coverage: Check the current coverage snapshot and coverage caveats before defining a sample.
• Query syntax: Write keywords, phrases, Boolean logic, exclusions, and wildcard searches.
• Metric definitions: Understand Exposure, Risk, Positive Sentiment, Negative Sentiment, and Sentiment.
• Export a research panel: Download call-level output for downstream analysis and reporting.
• Manage searches: Find prior searches, refresh results, download outputs, and merge searches.

What NL Analytics does

NL Analytics turns matched earnings-call sentences into transparent document-level measures. The current documentation scope is English earnings-call transcripts, not a generic upload-any-text workflow.

The core workflow is:

1. Start with a research question or topic.
2. Translate that idea into keywords, phrases, synonyms, and exclusions.
3. Search earnings-call transcripts with the Risk Tool.
4. Inspect matched sentences in the Snippet Tool.
5. Refine the query until the matches support the intended construct.
6. Export call-level CSV output for downstream work.

What the measures are

Approved metrics are raw integer sentence counts calculated at the earnings-call level:

• Exposure counts topic-matched sentences.
• Risk counts topic-matched sentences that also contain risk or uncertainty language.
• Positive Sentiment and Negative Sentiment count topic-matched sentences that also contain financial sentiment words.
• Sentiment is positive - negative.

See Metric definitions for the exact definitions and interpretation caveats.

Before using results

Results depend on query design and corpus coverage. Before treating an output as a measure, inspect matched sentences, check coverage and variation in the target sample, and document the query, date range, export date, identifiers, and normalization choice.

Where to go next

Start with From research idea to panel if you are designing a new measure. Use Query syntax when you need exact search rules, Manage searches when you need a prior search, and Export a research panel when you are ready to download output.