When you search in SharePoint, the results depend on how content is indexed and mapped. By default, SharePoint uses crawled properties that may not match your business terms. Managed properties let you control which fields appear in search results and how users filter them. This article explains what managed properties are, why they improve search accuracy, and how to create and configure them step by step.
Key Takeaways: Setting Up Managed Properties in SharePoint Search
- SharePoint admin center > Search > Manage Search Schema: Central location to create and edit managed properties.
- Map a crawled property to a managed property: Connect existing metadata fields so they become searchable and refinable.
- Enable refiners and sorting: Make managed properties usable in search results for filtering and ordering.
What Are Managed Properties and Why Use Them
SharePoint search automatically creates crawled properties from site columns, document metadata, and file properties. Crawled properties have names like ows_MyColumn and are not user-friendly. They also cannot appear in search results as refiners or sort options by default.
A managed property is a search index field that you define. You map one or more crawled properties to it. Once mapped, the managed property can be used in search queries, refiners, sorting, and display templates. For example, you can create a managed property called ProjectName and map it to the crawled property for a site column named Project Name. Users can then filter search results by project name.
Before you begin, confirm you have SharePoint Online administrator permissions or at least Search Service Application administrator rights. You also need a site collection with content that has the metadata you want to expose. This guide uses the SharePoint admin center in Microsoft 365.
Steps to Create and Configure Managed Properties
- Open the Search Schema page
Go to the SharePoint admin center. In the left navigation, select Search. Then choose Manage Search Schema. This page lists all existing managed properties. - Create a new managed property
Click New Managed Property. In the Property name field, enter a name without spaces. Use PascalCase or underscores for readability, for example ProjectName. The Property name is the internal identifier used in queries. - Set the property type
Select the Type that matches your data: Text, Integer, Decimal, Date and Time, Yes/No, or Person or Group. For short text like a project name, choose Text. For a numeric budget value, choose Decimal. - Configure search settings
Check the boxes for how the property should behave in search:
– Searchable: Allows the property content to match query terms.
– Queryable: Lets users use the property name in queries, like ProjectName:Alpha.
– Retrievable: Makes the property value appear in search results.
– Refinable: Enables the property as a refiner in search results.
– Sortable: Allows results to be sorted by this property.
– Safe for Anonymous: Use only if the property contains no sensitive data. - Map crawled properties
In the Mappings to crawled properties section, click Add a Mapping. In the dialog, type part of the crawled property name or browse the list. Select the crawled property that corresponds to your site column. For example, if you have a site column called ProjectName, look for ows_ProjectName. Click OK. You can map multiple crawled properties to one managed property if they hold the same kind of data. - Save the managed property
Click OK at the bottom of the form. The property appears in the list. A full crawl of the content source is triggered automatically. Wait for the crawl to finish before testing. - Test the managed property in search
Go to a SharePoint site that contains documents with the mapped metadata. Perform a search query. If you enabled refinable, check the refiner panel on the left. The managed property should appear as a filter option. If you enabled sortable, you can sort results by that property in the search results web part.
Common Issues After Setting Up Managed Properties
Managed property does not appear in search results
The most common cause is that the crawled property mapping is incorrect or the content has not been reindexed. Verify the mapping by editing the managed property and checking the Mappings to crawled properties list. Also confirm that the crawled property actually contains data. You can check this by viewing the document properties in the site. If the site column is empty, no value will be indexed.
To force reindexing, go to the site collection settings. Under Search and offline availability, choose Reindex site. This triggers a full crawl. Wait 15 to 30 minutes and test again.
Refiner shows no values even though data exists
This happens when the managed property is not marked as Refinable. Edit the property and enable the Refinable checkbox. After saving, the property needs a full crawl to update the search index. Also ensure that the property type matches the data. For example, a Text property cannot be used as a numeric refiner.
Search query with managed property returns no results
If you use a query like ProjectName:Alpha and get zero results, the property may not be marked as Queryable. Edit the property and enable Queryable. Also verify that the value you are searching for exactly matches the indexed value. Managed properties are case-sensitive by default. Use lowercase in your query to be safe.
Managed Property Settings Comparison
| Setting | Purpose | Required for Refiners |
|---|---|---|
| Searchable | Allows the property content to match user queries | No |
| Queryable | Lets users use the property name in advanced queries | No |
| Retrievable | Makes the property value visible in search result items | No |
| Refinable | Enables the property as a filter in the search refiner panel | Yes |
| Sortable | Allows sorting search results by this property | No |
After creating managed properties, you can use them in search result web parts, custom display templates, and REST API queries. The key is to map the correct crawled property and enable only the settings you need. Too many refinable properties can slow down the search results page.
You can now create managed properties that match your business metadata. Start by identifying the top three columns your users search for most often. Map them as managed properties and enable refinable for those that need filtering. For advanced search scenarios, combine multiple managed properties in a search result web part using the Refinement JSON configuration.