Nola FAQ

Frequently asked questions about Nola, your AI assistant for building Noloco apps

Find answers to common questions about Nola, Noloco's AI assistant.

General Questions

What is Nola?

Nola is an AI-powered assistant built into Noloco that helps you build and customize your apps faster. She can create tables, generate data, build workflows, customize your interface, and much more—all through simple conversation.

Is Nola free to use?

Yes! Nola is currently free while in beta. She's available on all standard Noloco plans: Free, Starter, Pro, and Business. Free plan users may experience daily message limits during the beta period.

What plans include access to Nola?

Nola is available on:

Free plan (with potential message limits during beta)
Starter plan
Pro plan
Business plan

Nola is not available on some legacy plans. If you're on a legacy plan and want access, consider upgrading to a current plan.

What are the message limits for the Free plan?

During the beta period, Free plan users may experience daily message limits. The exact limit may vary. Starter, Pro, and Business plans have higher or no limits. Contact support for current limit details.

How do I access Nola?

Nola is accessible directly in your Noloco app builder:

Open your app in Build Mode
Look for the Nola tab in the top-left of your app studio
Click to open the Nola interface

For more details, see Getting Started with Nola.

Using Nola

What can Nola help me with?

Nola can help with:

Creating and modifying tables and fields
Setting up relationships between tables
Generating sample data
Building views and pages
Creating workflows and automations
Configuring permissions
Customizing forms
Publishing your app
Explaining Noloco features

For a complete list, see What Nola Can Do.

Do I need to use special commands or syntax?

No! Just talk to Nola naturally. Use plain language to describe what you want to accomplish. For example: "Create a Customers table with name, email, and phone number" or "Help me set up a workflow that sends emails."

Does Nola understand context from earlier in the conversation?

Yes! Nola maintains context throughout your conversation. She remembers what tables you have, what you've asked her to do, and can reference previous parts of your conversation. This means you can have natural, flowing conversations without repeating information.

Can I undo changes that Nola makes?

Yes. Changes Nola makes are immediate and visible in your app builder. You can use Noloco's undo button or manually revert any changes just like you would with manual edits. Always review Nola's changes before publishing your app.

Will Nola make changes without asking me first?

For most actions, Nola will either make the change immediately or confirm with you first, depending on the complexity and impact of the request. If you're unsure, ask Nola to "explain what you're going to do" before confirming you want her to proceed.

How specific should I be in my requests?

The more specific, the better! Instead of "add a table," try "create a Projects table with fields for project name, start date, end date, status, and assigned team member." Specific requests get better results on the first try.

See Tips and Best Practices for more guidance.

Technical Questions

Can Nola connect external data sources like Airtable or PostgreSQL?

Not currently. Connecting to external data sources (Airtable, Google Sheets, PostgreSQL, MySQL, etc.) must be done manually through the Noloco interface. Once connected, Nola can help you work with that data.

Can Nola write custom code for my app?

No. Nola focuses on Noloco's no-code features. She doesn't write custom CSS, JavaScript, or custom code blocks. If you need custom code, you'll need to add it manually using Noloco's custom code features. This is Nola's superpower. No coding errors that you can't understand. You're always in full control.

Can Nola set up Zapier or Make integrations?

Not directly. Nola can't configure external integrations like Zapier, Make, or other third-party services. You'll need to set these up manually. However, Nola can help you set up webhooks in workflows that connect to these services.

Does Nola work with all field types?

Yes! Nola understands all Noloco field types including text, numbers, dates, select fields, linked records, lookups, rollups, formulas, files, and more. Just describe what you need and she'll set it up correctly.

Can Nola help with data migrations?

Nola can help structure tables to receive migrated data and can generate sample data for testing. However, for large-scale data imports from external sources, you'll want to use Noloco's import features or connect your external database directly.

Troubleshooting

Nola didn't understand my request. What should I do?

Try these approaches:

Rephrase more simply - Break down complex requests into smaller steps
Add more detail - Provide specific examples or field names
Ask Nola for clarification - "What information do you need from me?"
Check your terminology - Use Noloco terms like "table" instead of "database"

Nola created something different from what I wanted. How do I fix it?

Just tell Nola what needs to change! For example: "The Status field should have different options" or "Change the relationship to many-to-many instead of one-to-many." Nola can iterate and refine based on your feedback.

I don't see the Nola tab in my app. Why?

Possible reasons:

You're on a legacy plan that doesn't include Nola (check your plan)
You're not in Build Mode (make sure you're editing, not viewing your app)
There may be a temporary issue (try refreshing your browser)

If none of these solve it, contact Noloco support.

I hit my daily message limit. What now?

If you're on the Free plan and hit your daily limit:

Wait until the next day when your limit resets
Prioritize using Nola for complex tasks that save the most time
Consider upgrading to a Starter, Pro, or Business plan for higher/no limits
Handle simple tasks manually

Can I report issues or bugs with Nola?

Yes! Since Nola is in beta, feedback is valuable. Report issues through:

The in-app support chat
The Noloco Community forum
Your account's support channel

Include details about what you asked Nola to do and what happened.

Best Practices

Should I use Nola or build manually?

Use both! Nola is great for:

Setting up structure quickly (tables, fields, relationships)
Generating sample data
Building workflows
Learning features

Build manually when you want:

Precise visual control
Fine-tuned styling
Exact layout positioning

The best approach is often: Nola for structure, manual for polish.

How can I learn Noloco features with Nola's help?

Ask Nola to explain as she works! Try requests like:

"Explain rollup fields and show me an example"
"Walk me through creating a workflow step by step"
"What are the different permission types and how do they work?"

Nola is both a builder and a teacher.

Should I review everything Nola creates?

Yes! Always review Nola's work, especially:

Before publishing to live users
When setting up permissions and security
When building workflows that send emails or modify data
When working with real customer data

Think of Nola as a very helpful assistant, but you're still the boss.

Can I use Nola for production apps with real users?

Yes! Nola can help build production apps. However:

Always test thoroughly before going live
Review all permissions and security settings
Verify workflows work correctly
Clean up any sample/test data
Test with real-world scenarios

Nola builds production-ready features, but testing is still essential.

Data & Privacy

Can Nola see my app data?

Nola has access to your app's structure (tables, fields, views, workflows) and can read data to help you build and troubleshoot. This access is necessary for Nola to help you effectively.

Is my conversation with Nola private?

Conversations with Nola are associated with your Noloco account and app. Noloco takes data privacy seriously. For specific details about data handling, see Noloco's privacy policy or contact support.

Does Nola store my data?

Nola needs to access your app's structure and data to help you build. Conversation history may be stored to improve Nola's performance. For specific data retention policies, refer to Noloco's privacy policy.

Future & Feedback

Is Nola getting new features?

Yes! Nola is actively being developed. New capabilities, improvements, and integrations are being added regularly. Check Noloco's changelog or community announcements for updates.

How can I request new features for Nola?

Share your ideas through:

The in-app support chat
The Noloco Community forum
Feature request form (if available)
Your account's support channel

The team actively considers user feedback for development priorities.

Will Nola always be free?

Nola is currently free while in beta. Future pricing hasn't been announced. It's likely Nola will remain available across plans, with potential usage limits based on plan tier. Watch for official announcements from Noloco.

Will the message limits for Free plans continue after beta?

The beta is still ongoing, so long-term limits haven't been finalized. Noloco will announce any changes to limits or pricing as Nola moves out of beta.