Rule - Action Mapping form

  • Release version: Australia
  • Updated March 12, 2026
  • 3 minutes to read
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    Summary of Rule - Action Mapping form

    The Rule - Action Mapping form in AI Search allows ServiceNow customers to connect a boost action to a result improvement rule within a search profile. This functionality enables fine-tuning of search relevancy by applying specific boosts to search results based on defined criteria.

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    Key Features

    • Label, Type, and Application: Define a unique label for the boost action. The type is preset to "Boost Action," and the application scope defaults to the current application.
    • Order: Specify the sequence of evaluation for the boost action relative to other actions within the result improvement rule.
    • Boost Action Types: Choose from several boost types affecting search relevancy:
      • Boost All Documents In Indexed Source: Applies a relevancy boost to every result from a specified indexed source.
      • Boost By User Context (dynamic): Boosts results matching user-specific context values dynamically populated at search time.
      • Boost By Field Match (static): Applies a boost when a search result field matches a specified static value.
      • Boost By Synonym Dictionary: Boosts results matching any synonym from a defined synonym dictionary for a selected field.
    • Indexed Source: Select the specific indexed source to which the boost action applies, ensuring targeted relevancy adjustments.
    • Boost Weight: Enter an integer value to increase or decrease the relevancy score of search results affected by the boost. Positive values raise relevancy, while negative values lower it, with detailed scaling:
      • Each boost weight of 1 adds 0.1% to the original relevancy score.
      • Multiple boosts combine additively to modify the final relevancy score.
      • Extremely negative weights can demote results to the end of the list.
    • Conditional Fields Based on Boost Type: Depending on the chosen boost type, additional fields appear for configuration:
      • Name: Specifies the field from the indexed source to evaluate for matching.
      • Matches the Searcher's Dynamically Populated User Context Element: Available for dynamic user context boosts to select the user context element for matching.
      • Contains: Defines the static value used for matching in static field boosts.
      • Matches A Synonym Dictionary: Specifies the synonym dictionary for synonym-based boosts.

    Practical Application

    By using the Rule - Action Mapping form, ServiceNow customers can precisely influence how search results are ranked within AI Search, enhancing the relevance of results based on user context, static values, or synonyms. Proper configuration of boost weights and types allows tailoring of search experiences to meet specific organizational needs, improving user satisfaction and search effectiveness.

    The Rule - Action Mapping form enables you to link a boost action to a result improvement rule in an AI Search search profile.

    For information on configuring boost actions in result improvement rules, see Boost search results using a result improvement rule.

    Table 1. Rule - Action Mapping form
    Field Description
    Label Unique label for the boost action.
    Type Action type. This field is automatically set to Boost Action.
    Application Application scope for the boost action. This field is automatically set to the name of the current application.
    Order Order of evaluation for the boost action in the context of the result improvement rule.
    Boost Action
    Boost Type Type of boost the action applies to search results from the selected indexed source.
    Supported types include:
    • Boost All Documents In Indexed Source: Applies relevancy boost to every search result from the indexed source.
    • Boost By User Context (dynamic): Applies relevancy boost to search results from the indexed source if they include a value for the selected field that matches a field value specified in the dynamically populated user context.
    • Boost By Field Match (static): Applies relevancy boost to search results from the indexed source if they include a value for the selected field that matches a specified static value.
    • Boost By Synonym Dictionary: Applies relevancy boost to search results from the indexed source if they include a value for the selected field that matches any synonym defined in a synonym dictionary.
    Indexed Source Reference to an indexed source. The boost action only applies to search results for records from this indexed source.
    Boost Weight Integer value that AI Search uses to alter the relevancy scores for search results affected by the boost action. Boost weights can be positive or negative.

    Positive boost weights increase the relevancy scores for boosted search results. Each boost weight of 1 increases a boosted search result's relevancy score by 0.1% of its original value. For example, if you set a boost weight of 100, you increase each boosted search result's relevancy by +10%, so a search result with an original relevancy score of 60 gets a final relevancy score of 66. Setting a boost weight of 1000 adds +100%, doubling the relevancy scores for boosted search results.

    Negative boost weights reduce the relevancy scores for boosted search results. Each boost weight of –1 reduces a boosted result's relevancy score by 0.1% of its original value. As an example, if you set a boost weight of –150, you reduce a boosted search result's relevancy by 15%, so a search result with an original relevancy score of 100 gets a final relevancy score of 85. Any boost weight of –1000 or lower reduces a boosted search result's relevancy score to 0, causing it to appear at the end of the search result list.

    When a single search result is affected by multiple boost actions, AI Search adds the individual boost weights together to determine the total relevancy score modifier. For example, a search result boosted by three rules with boost weights 100, 150, and –25 has a total boost weight of 225, increasing its final relevancy score by 22.5% of its original value.
    When Name of a field from the selected indexed source. This field appears only when you select Boost By User Context (dynamic), Boost By Field Match (static), or Boost By Synonym Dictionary as the boost type.
    Matches the Searcher's Dynamically populated user context element to compare with a search result's value for the field selected in the When field. This field appears only when you select Boost By User Context (dynamic) as the boost type.

    The choice list displays the source table and field for each user context element. As an example, the Language user context element is populated using the User [sys_user] table's language field value for the search user.
    Contains Static value to compare with a search result's value for the field selected in the When field. This field appears only when you select Boost By Field Match (static) as the boost type.
    Matches A Synonym Dictionary Synonym dictionary to check for synonyms that match a search result's value for the field selected in the When field. This field appears only when you select Boost By Synonym Dictionary as the boost type.