Managed Properties In Search With SharePoint 2013 - Usage

Introduction

In SharePoint, we usually add the columns to a List or Library in order to include the additional metadata to the item or files in the list/library. For example – Department, Address, Assigned to, etc. These can be easily added from the list/library by going to the List settings and creating a column. The column types are provided in OOTB by SharePoint.

There is a primary difference between site columns and list columns, which deals with the search. Although the site columns are reusable, but there is one more primary advantage using site columns and it is that managed property will be automatically created.

Please refer to the following link, which provides the details about the site columns and managed property with their respective mapped crawled properties.

• Overview of Crawled property

If we create a column in the list/library managed property for the columns will not be automatically created. Thus, if we want to use those columns to be used in search, we have to create a managed property for the columns.

Hence, we will see, how to create a managed property for the columns, which are created in the list/library.

Open central administration in SharePoint 2013 On-Premise environment.

Click Application Management à Manage Service Applications (under Service Applications).



Click Search Service Application, which is created in the current environment.



Click Search Schema in the left navigation.


Click New Managed Property.



Provide the value for the Property Name, description, select type.

Check, if the managed property needs to be Searchable, Queryable, Retrievable and if it needs to store the multiple values.

The most important thing here is to add the mapping.

Click Add a mapping button.



Search for the mapped property, add it to the Managed property. Mapped property will be created for all the columns with ows_ as prefix.



Click OK button. Now, the managed property will be created.

Conclusion

Now, we can run search query with this newly created managed property with the property name. Hence, whenever we create a new column in the list/library and if we want to use them in the search query, we can create a new managed property, as described and use them. Please feel free to query, if you have any doubts in creating the new managed properties.