Forum Discussion
Searching for Items in SharePoint Lists with over 5000 Items
It is my understanding that indexing a column and restricting a view to have less than 5,000 items will make work of lists with over 5,000 items. However, how does searching work? If my view only has...
Your understanding about indexing and view thresholds is on point. Regarding search behavior - it generally operates beyond the confines of views. The search index itself indexes all list items, irrespective of view limits. That said, a few nuances come into play. First off, SharePoint only indexes a default set of columns out-of-the-box. If you need additional columns included in searches, you'll have to configure them as "crawled properties."
Another factor is search index freshness. Searches don't reflect real-time data - the index updates periodically based on a crawl schedule, which varies per environment and load. Moreover, the syntax of your search query itself can impact results. Complex queries or filters may optimize or constrain results based on indexed columns.
In some instances, search results could get scoped by the configured "search result source" - like looking within a specific site or list. Lastly, SharePoint may trim excessive search hits to uphold performance and UX. Now, to directly address your query: Assuming no extra filters, the search should return matches across the entire list, extending beyond your 30-day view's 5000 item limit, as long as items are properly indexed. However, if you filter the search to that same 30-day window, results could then align with the view's constraints. For ginormous lists in the millions, you'll likely need to optimize search by configuring crawled/managed properties and tailored result sources for efficient, relevant hits.
Another factor is search index freshness. Searches don't reflect real-time data - the index updates periodically based on a crawl schedule, which varies per environment and load. Moreover, the syntax of your search query itself can impact results. Complex queries or filters may optimize or constrain results based on indexed columns.
In some instances, search results could get scoped by the configured "search result source" - like looking within a specific site or list. Lastly, SharePoint may trim excessive search hits to uphold performance and UX. Now, to directly address your query: Assuming no extra filters, the search should return matches across the entire list, extending beyond your 30-day view's 5000 item limit, as long as items are properly indexed. However, if you filter the search to that same 30-day window, results could then align with the view's constraints. For ginormous lists in the millions, you'll likely need to optimize search by configuring crawled/managed properties and tailored result sources for efficient, relevant hits.