Creating a Search Index

You must create a new search index for a vault for example when you take a new search engine in use. This page tells you how to create a search index in an on-premises installation when your search engine is Smart Search or Micro Focus IDOL. If you use M-Files Cloud, write to M-Files Customer Support at [email protected].

Only a system administrator can create a search index.

For instructions on how to create a search index when your search engine is dtSearch, refer to Rebuilding the dtSearch Full-Text Search Index in M-Files knowledge base.

Note: Version 1.2 of the TLS protocol is mandatory for Smart Search.

To create a search index when your search engine is Smart Search or Micro Focus IDOL:

  1. In M-Files Admin, go to the Advanced Vault Settings section.
    1. Open M-Files Admin.
    2. In the left-side tree view, expand an M-Files server connection.
    3. Expand Document Vaults.
    4. Expand a vault.
    5. Click Configurations.
    6. In the navigation area, click Advanced Vault Settings.
    7. Open the Configuration tab.
      Result:The advanced vault settings are shown.
  2. Expand Search > Indexes.
  3. Click Add Index.
  4. Expand the created index.
  5. Give the index a unique name.
  6. Change the remaining settings where necessary.
    • If you use the default service type, Smart Search, fill in Application ID and API Key under Smart Search Options.

      To get the application ID and API key, write to [email protected] and include the vault GUID in the request. Tell also the search index location that you will use, for example the United States or European Union. If your data must be in a specified country, make sure that the location is available from [email protected].

      or
    • Define the Micro Focus IDOL settings with the instructions in Installing Micro Focus IDOL 12 for M-Files.
  7. To use the search index as the active index, write the name of the newly created search index in the Search > Active Combined Index field.
  8. In the new search index, set Enabled to Yes.
  9. Click Save.
  10. Restart the vault.
  11. Make sure that the indexing is done with a few full-text searches in M-Files Desktop.
  12. Optional: Disable the previously used index when you are sure that the new index works correctly.
    1. In Advanced Vault Settings, go to Configuration > Search > Indexes > <index name>.
    2. Set Enabled to No.
With the new search index, you can take search facets in use. For more information, see Configuring Search Facets.