---
title: Inside Activate Search
slug: inside-activate-search
docTags: 
createdAt: 2025-06-11T20:26:19.222Z
---

## Activate Search Indexes

A practical guide to how Activate builds, updates, ranks, and secures search results—plus tips for diagnosing and improving relevance.

## Overview

- **Storage:** Indexes are generated on the web server and stored on the filesystem. 
- **Data source:** Indexes are built **only** from cached data in SQL. The indexer does **not** query Active Directory directly. Ensure the background cache refresh tasks are healthy. 
- **Refresh cadence:** 
  - **Full rebuilds** on first install or via nightly maintenance. 
  - **Incremental updates** approximately every **15 minutes** while the web app is running. 
- **Security model:** The index stores no ACLs. Up to **500** raw matches are fetched, then security is applied and only items the user can access are shown. 

:::hint{type="info"}
Keep the cache current. If cache tasks are stopped, the index won’t reflect recent directory changes.
:::



## Indexed Objects

The following object types are included in the index:

- Roles 
- Services 
- Assets 
- Folders 
- Cloud Folders 
- Distribution Lists 
- Security Groups 
- Tasks 
- Users 
- Contacts 
- Articles 
- Teams 
- Shared Mailboxes 
- PAM accounts 
- Computers 

:::hint{type="info"}
Version notes: Object Tags supported in v7+. AlternativeName supported for Services and Tasks in 8.1+.
:::



## Indexed Fields

Unless specified otherwise, each object contributes these fields:

- **Name** 
- **Description** 
- **DisplayName** (parameter) 
- **Keywords** (parameter; string or HTML) 
- **Object Tags**
- **AlternativeName** (Services & Tasks, 8.1+; creates an alias) 

Additional fields by type:

**Users & Contacts**

- **Email Address** (primary; mail) 
- **EmployeeNumber** (Users only; axEmployeeNumber) 
- **Domain Name** (Users only; domain\username) 

**Folders**

- **UNC Path** (e.g., \\\Server\Share\Folder1\Folder2) 

## Update Types

### Full Updates

Performed when no index exists (e.g., first install) and during nightly maintenance:

- Triggered by the maintenance task: Tasks / System Tasks / Background / MaintenanceScript. 
- Rebuilds the entire index and removes deleted objects. 

### Incremental Updates

- Runs every \~15 minutes while the **IIS application** is active. 
- Captures changes since the last update. 
- **Does not** remove deleted objects; these disappear on the next full rebuild. 
- If the IIS App Pool is stopped or times out, updates resume after restart. 

## Ranking: Object Weights

Each indexed item becomes a **document** with a base weight by object type. Higher weights appear earlier, all else equal.

**Boosting a specific item**

- Add a **SearchBoost** integer parameter to increase a document’s effective weight. 
- Example: A Task (25) with SearchBoost = 75 will rank like a Service/Article (\~100). 

## Ranking: Field Weights

Matches in certain fields count more than others. Prefix matches are especially strong.

:::hint{type="info"}
Make sure Name, DisplayName, and Keywords carry the most distinctive, user-friendly terms.
:::



## How Search Terms Are Parsed

1. **Stop words** are removed (e.g., “and”, “the”). 
2. Each remaining word is searched. 
3. The **entire original string** is also used as a **prefix** match against the object **Name**. 

**Advanced operators**

- Use +term to **require** a word. 
- Use -term to **exclude** a word. 

**Net effect**

- Typing the **start of the name** usually produces the strongest hits due to prefix weighting. 

## Security & Result Shaping

- The search index is **security-agnostic**. It returns the top **500** raw matches. 
- Activate then filters those by the current user’s access rights. 
- It’s possible to see **no results** if all 500 matches are items the user can’t access. 

## Stop Words

Common English stop words are ignored to improve relevance. For example, the query **“Accounting and Finance”** is processed as **“Accounting Finance.”**

## Testing & Diagnostics

Use **Activate Desktop Studio / Administrator** → Search test tool to:

- See which items matched and their calculated weights. 
- Compare how **object** and **field** weights influenced the ranking. 
- Click **Explain Results** for a breakdown of scoring. 

:::hint{type="info"}
Example: Searching for new user may show a Service and an Article at the top if they have higher base weights or boosts.
:::



## Optimising Relevance (Quick Wins)

1. **Favour prefixes:** Ensure the most natural, user-typed beginnings are in **Name**/**DisplayName**. 
   - Consider **AlternativeName** (Services/Tasks, 8.1+) for common synonyms or abbreviations. 
2. **Seed Keywords & Tags:** Add likely search phrases to **Keywords** and **Object Tags**. 
3. **Boost critical items:** Use [Search Boost](docId\:y5RACYaHcdmHt0MfyQEbz) to elevate key Services/Tasks to \~100 effective weight; test and adjust. 
4. **Keep the cache fresh:** Verify background tasks that populate SQL caches are running successfully. 
5. **Plan full rebuilds:** If deleted objects linger in results, schedule/trigger a **full** index refresh. 

## Troubleshooting Checklist

- Background cache jobs running and healthy. 
- IIS App Pool not idling out during business hours. 
- Recent changes present in SQL cache. 
- Full rebuild completed after large structural changes or deletions. 
- Keywords/Tags/DisplayName populated for hard‑to‑find items. 
- Apply SearchBoost for business‑critical items. 
- Confirm user permissions explain any “no results” scenarios. 

## Admin Notes

- Nightly full maintenance task path: Tasks / System Tasks / Background / MaintenanceScript. 
- Incremental update cadence: \~15 minutes while the web app is active. 
- Index location: filesystem of the web server (ensure adequate disk and backup as per ops standards).