Highlighted content web part not filtering on refinablestrings

Brass Contributor

Trying to use the highlighted content wp to show specific content based on custom properties. Some of these are mapped to refinablestrings which I cannot get to show in the managed properties filter drop down.

 

Actually the only refinablestring managed property that shows up is Refinablestring11. I don't get why this is showing when the others are not as there is no apparent difference in the search schema. Any way to get my custom properties into the query builder?

 

RefinableString11 is only one showing. Why?RefinableString11 is only one showing. Why?

13 Replies

Try expanding your Source and/or switch Type (f.e. to Pages i.s.o. News). I am having same experience (from on-prem/classic experience I always could select ale RefinableStringXXX props, first I thought I ran into a bug, but my current opinion is that Highlighted Content webpart is trying to help -> e.g. will only show that Managed Props that are related to source you want to filter on). 

I am having similar issue.  I created both a Managed Metadata Site Column as well as Choice Site Column.  I tried to map a property, but could not find the columns to map, but don't see anything in the Managed Property Name dropdown..

It's probably because the managed property needs to be 'searchable'. Refinablestrings aren't searchable and you can't edit them to be searchable. I had to create a new managed property from scratch and set it as 'searchable'.

Hello Theresa, i was wondering if this is working. I'm having the same issue, tried to edit the Managed Property RefinableString00 but this is not possible. So i made a new Managed Property in which I added the custom property, and made it searchable about 12 hours ago. But I still can not find the managed property when i try to make a filter in the Higlighted Content. Perhaps you do have a suggestion?

Hi I also created a new Managed Property of "Text" type "Searchable, Queryable, Retrievable"  and mapped it to a list column however I can not view it in "Managed property name" in Highlighted content webpart.

I created it yesterday evening and I dont think its time issue.

Any suggestion would be appreciated. 

No, it isn't a time-issue for i still can't choose the new managed property after 2 days. Also: i made a new managed property, but am not able to edit this. Is this like it should work?

Yes, I got this working. However, the interface behaves a bit confusingly and took me a couple of minutes to work out what was going on - so perhaps you're having the same issue?

 

When I type in the name of the managed property into the 'Find my managed property' field, no options pop-up/appear like I would expect. However the 'Managed Property Name' section expands below this field, and the first field is blank - if you expand it, this is where you will see the managed properties search results - hopefully the one you created will be there.

 

Other than that, I'm not sure what else could be going on in your situation.

 

Hi Theresa, still don't see the option: but i did'nt have all the options 'Searchable, Queryable, Retrievable' checked. Just did, guess i'll have to wait for a few hours again. Thnx for responding! henk.
In SharePoint Online, you should use the refinablestringxx managed properties and map to your indexed fields, use the alias to create a readable name. You need to first have content in the list and the fields you want to index to add them to the managed property. After you've added them, you need to then Reindex the library to force an update of the managed property, it still can take 24 hours to complete though. Searchable means it is part of a text query in search results, filterable is the key here.
Ok, thnx for responding. Tried this: but i'm not able to edit any refinablestringxx. I'm SharePoint admin, so this can't be the issue i guess.

Hi Henk. Were you able to get the highlighted content web part working with the managed property? I am having similar issues while using refinable string. I have not attempted to create a new managed property

I'm running into the same issue, too. On some sites it works, on some it doesn't. Same tenant. Different site collections. They are custom columns -- and they exist in one site, but not another. There are a few differences in the site, but the basics of the managed property are the same. Was about to set this up on a handful of sites, but with it not working... 

You can configure a custom advanced mode and use KQL just like the content editor webpart
Try my post https://sharepoint8020.blogspot.com/2019/05/sharepoint-onlines-highlighted-content.html