diff --git a/documentation/ref-manual/ref-variables.xml b/documentation/ref-manual/ref-variables.xml
index 5d037960c7..b5c95481a7 100644
--- a/documentation/ref-manual/ref-variables.xml
+++ b/documentation/ref-manual/ref-variables.xml
@@ -3588,6 +3588,14 @@ recipes-graphics/xorg-font/font-alias_1.0.3.bb:PR = "${INC_PR}.3"
                             </para></listitem>
                         <listitem><para>You can use spaces between license
                             names.</para></listitem>
+                        <listitem><para>For standard licenses, use the names
+                            of the files in
+                            <filename>meta/files/common-licenses/</filename>
+                            or the
+                            <link linkend='var-SPDXLICENSEMAP'><filename>SPDXLICENSEMAP</filename></link>
+                            flag names defined in
+                            <filename>meta/conf/licenses.conf</filename>.
+                            </para></listitem>
                     </itemizedlist>
                 </para>
 
@@ -5961,6 +5969,23 @@ recipes-graphics/xorg-font/font-alias_1.0.3.bb:PR = "${INC_PR}.3"
             </glossdef>
         </glossentry>
 
+        <glossentry id='var-SPDXLICENSEMAP'><glossterm>SPDXLICENSEMAP</glossterm>
+            <glossdef>
+                <para>
+                    Maps commonly used license names to their SPDX counterparts
+                    found in <filename>meta/files/common-licenses/</filename>.
+                    For <filename>SPDXLICENSEMAP</filename> flag names, see the
+                    <filename>meta/conf/licenses.conf</filename> file.
+                </para>
+
+                <para>
+                    For additional information, see the
+                    <link linkend='var-LICENSE'><filename>LICENSE</filename></link>
+                    variable.
+                </para>
+            </glossdef>
+        </glossentry>
+
         <glossentry id='var-SPECIAL_PKGSUFFIX'><glossterm>SPECIAL_PKGSUFFIX</glossterm>
             <glossdef>
                 <para>