Communication Site - Highlighted Content > Pages > Managed Property Empty

[Tyler Bankston]

We are building a communication site and using the Highlighted Content web part. We have built our own content type of "HP Site Page" with the Site Page parent. We have created 2 custom columns called "BB Category" and "BB Publish". When we dig into configuring the Highlighted Content web part no Managed Property Names surface.

We have been able to get these custom columns to surface when using a document library, just not pages. Is this a feature that will be released or are we missing something?

Sharepoint online newbie so please let me know if there is any additional information that would be helpful here.

Thank you in advance.

[#2]

Did you create the managed properties you need?

[#3]

Thanks for replying Juan.

We thought so...Is there somewhere to specifically create managed properties or are they created from the custom columns? Please forgive my lack of knowledge here.

When we added custom columns to a document library they appeared in the managed properties. We followed the exact same process with custom columns for pages with nothing appearing in the selector.

This is the process we followed:

1. Create custom Content Type that inherits from Site Pages.

2. Add all custom columns as Site Columns.

3. Add the Content Type to the Site Pages library and make it the default.

4. After adding new pages, update the page metadata using Quick Edit or the information panel on each page. 

[#4]

In order to see your custom properties, you first need to map them to an available managed property in the search schema. Once you do that, you can use that mapped property (for example, RefinableString01 that you map to BB Category) in your Highlighted Content web part. Don't forget that you have to wait for the search index to run for all the magic to happen!

[#5]

Susan,

Thank you for your reply! Seems like it was just a matter of waiting for the indexing to be crawled again and everything showed up. Guess we were being a little too impatient :)

Thanks for both of your help, it's much appreciated.

[#6]

Hello Susan,

I'm trying to display Highlighted Content using a managed property mapped to a Site Column, as it seems Tyler was, but I've not got it working, you seemed like someone who may have the answer!

I've mapped my custom property (a new site column added to a new content type based on Page) to RefinableString10. That was 2 days ago and I still can't Find a managed property of that name in the HC web part. There are quite a few longstanding Refinable custom properties that we use (successfully) in our tenant, and they don't show up either (basically, typing 'Refinable' into 'Find a managed property' returns nothing, typing 'User' in returns several options). Is there an extra step I need to take when mapping custom properties to make them show up in this webpart?

Sorry, went a bit overboard on the italics there.

Any help appreciated, from anyone,

Paul

[#7]

Have you added data in your library that uses the column? The index doesn’t seem to pick up the attribute until it has actually been used on the site. Try adding some values in your library and then re-index. The attributes should show up.

[#8]

Thanks for the reply Susan, appreciated. 

I already had some content in the site column I'd created as part of the custom content type, no joy. However, I tried the alternative of adding a new site column direct to the library and mapped that too. I then manually requested a reindex of the site via the Site Settings (I hadn't realised I could do that) and an hour or so later I can see the second mapped property. So progress. I imagine adding content to the column as you suggested is another way of kicking off a reindex, so same solution really. But the key for me has been adding a site column direct to the library, not as part of a new content type. 

Onwards! Thanks again.

[#9]

Hmmm. I haven't had to do that. When it doesn't work for me it has either been because I had no content in the column or I forgot to check in the pages!

[#10]

You know what, I think I hadn't Published the page while I was testing. Which I imagine is the same as Check in. :s

[#11]

Sorry, should have said Published!

[#12]

The Site Columns you created, can they be choice? or do they NEED to be managed metadata.  I am not seeing them as well in my dropdown, probably need for search index to complete...thanks

[#13]

If you make them Choice columns, you will need to map them to an existing managed property. If you use managed metadata, you won't need to do that.

[#14]

Thanks.  I must be missing something...

I created a 1) Site Choice Column, 2) a Site Managed Metadata column, as well as a 3) choice column to the Site Pages list and I have a grayed out Managed Property Name (same as @Tyler Bankston) when I tried to filter by Managed Property in the Highlighted Content webpart.  I waited 6 hours, so I don't think its due to the site not being crawled/indexed...

If I go to Site Settings > Site Collection Admin > Search Schema, I cannot find the any of the columns I created to 'map them to an available managed property in the search schema'.

I also did the following:

• add values to those columns in the Site Pages
• went into the List Settings > advanced settings > re-index this list
• The pages are published
• I am a site collection administrator

Do I need to use new content types?  Can I just use the Page Content type?

I followed the ppt slide pages 41-44 to try to map any of the columns I created, but cannot see them when I go to the Search Schema page. 

[#15]

Did you also use the values and assign them to existing pages? Nothing will appear unless you have actually used the properties and assigned them to existing pages. The content type doesn't matter. There is currently an issue with indexing so it could be that this same issue is causing your content not to show up - but you need to use the columns first.

[#16]

@JHerschel You can try to force a full index using below PS script which might help to show the crawled properties https://www.techmikael.com/2014/02/how-to-trigger-full-re-index-in.html

[#17]

FYI. I just saw another thread regarding the issues related to search which is currently being investigated by MS team.  https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/SharePoint/Problem-searching-new-pages-within-SPO-SP141856-Ca...

[#18]

NEVERMIND!!! I see the columns showing up when I try to map a property this am.  For some reason, the past few days, when I go to Map property, and look for columns I created to map, they were not in the list...wonder if Search is related?  that must have been the missing piece...stay tuned

[#19]

The only thing I can think of this that this might be related to the current issue with search. Check the Admin Center for updates on that issue and hopefully, when it is resolved, everything will work for you.

[#20]

Thank you @Devendra Velegandla.  Everything started working this morning and per your post, a few other users who had search issues said it was resolved for them, so I believe my issue was related ad I was not able to filter to find my column (mapping properties) and my drop down was grayed out even when I put something in the text box above...so maybe those were reliant on Search?

Thank you @Susan Hanley as your posts/powerpoint helped me with what were trying to accomplish and will be great if we set up an audience targeted column for news...

Thanks!