Global Search Checklist
Use this checklist to set up Global Search end to end. Configuration lives in the Global Search area under Setup. Each step links to a detailed article.
Requirements
- Administrator System Role.
- A standard theme. The Global Search configuration page is unavailable on custom themes.
- The entities and items you want searchable should already exist on the portal.
- The Security Roles you will target with role-specific configurations should already exist.
Plan
☐ Decide what should be searchable. List the entities and items most users need to find. Remember a single configuration allows up to 50 selected items.
☐ Decide whether you need per-role configurations. If different personas should search different sets, plan one configuration per persona (plus the default). The default applies to roles not covered by a specific configuration and does not apply to guest roles.
☐ Decide where to enable suggestions. Up to five items per configuration can show header suggestions. Reserve these for the highest-traffic entities.
☐ Decide on the 'All' tab. The 'All' tab shows results across every searchable item on one screen. It is convenient but may have a performance impact; decide per configuration.
Create the Default Configuration
☐ Create the default configuration The first time you open Global Search with no configuration, the page prompts you to create a default. Select the searchable entities and items, set suggestions, and choose whether to show the 'All' tab.
Add Role-Specific Configurations (Optional)
☐ Create additional configurations per persona Use New Configuration to add a configuration, assign the Roles it applies to, choose its items and suggestions, and mark it Active.
Configure Result Columns
☐ Set each entity's Search list layout. The columns shown for an entity's results come from its Search List Layout. Edit the Search layout for each searchable entity to control which fields appear and their order. See Configuring Global Search.
Enable the Feature
☐ Turn Global Search on. On the Global Search configurations list, click Turn On. The page shows whether Global Search is currently enabled or disabled.
Test
☐ Test as a user from each targeted Role. Use Login As (or a test user) and search for records you expect each persona to find. Confirm the searchable entities match the configuration that applies to that Role.
☐ Test suggestions. Type at least two characters in the header search box and confirm suggestions appear for the items where you enabled them.
☐ Test the full results page. Press Enter and confirm the entity list, counts, and (if enabled) the 'All' tab behave as configured.
☐ Test security. Confirm a user does not see records they shouldn't. Search the same term as two users with different permissions and compare.
☐ Test on mobile. Confirm the magnifying-glass icon opens the search panel and results render.
If You Run Into Issues
☐ Global Search Troubleshooting Symptom-by-symptom resolutions for missing results, missing suggestions, custom-theme restrictions, and configuration precedence.
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