Find SharePoint Search Field Codes and Managed Properties
Question details
The user needs to locate managed properties, aliases, and internal field codes for custom columns to use them properly in SharePoint search queries.
- Product
- Microsoft SharePoint
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Configuring search filters and identifying the correct field codes or managed properties for custom lists and libraries in SharePoint.
- Observed behavior
- Custom columns and complex field types, such as Person or Group, cannot be reliably used in search filters without identifying their internal codes or correctly mapping them to managed properties.
Ensure you have Site Collection Administrator or Search Administrator permissions in SharePoint, as standard users do not have access to the Search Schema or advanced List Settings.
Locate Managed Properties via Search Schema
Use the SharePoint Search Administration center to view all managed properties, aliases, and their mappings.
SharePoint search relies on managed properties to filter and sort results. If a property is not mapped or you are using the wrong alias, your search queries will fail or return empty results.
Click the gear icon in the top right corner of your SharePoint site and select 'Site information', then click 'View all site settings'.
Under the Site Collection Administration section, click on 'Search Schema'.
Use the Search box to look up specific property names, aliases, or crawled property mappings to verify their configurations.
Identify Internal Field Codes for Custom Columns
Find the internal name (code) of any custom column by inspecting its URL in the List or Library settings.
Configure Person or Group Fields for Search Filtering
Implement a workaround for Person or Group fields, which can sometimes fail in complex search queries, by using a supplementary text column.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why aren't my new custom SharePoint columns returning in search queries?
Custom columns are automatically captured as 'crawled properties', but they must be manually mapped to 'managed properties' in the Search Schema before you can use them as search filters.
What is the difference between crawled properties and managed properties in SharePoint?
Crawled properties are automatically generated from content and metadata during a search crawl. Managed properties are created specifically for search filters and must be mapped to crawled properties to function in queries.
Why does my search query using 'authors:name' not work properly?
The 'authors' column is usually a Person or Group field, which relies on user ID tokens rather than plain text. To search reliably, create a supplementary standard text column that copies the display name and map that to a managed property.
