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on 02-11-2022 10:19 AM
This is a walkthrough for the most complex case, new external content. Following the last couple of steps will allow you to update icons for an out-of-the-box or existing search result configuration.
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In order to configure unique icons for each of the data sources in AI Search, a new EVAM template needs to be created for each of the data sources.
First, navigate to EVAM > Configuration Bundles.
Most of the time, we will use the Service Portal Search Bundle. If you are using the ESC Portal Search EVAM Definition, for example, it includes the Service Portal Search Bundle.
Click the Bundle you would like to use. We will click on the Service Portal Search Bundle. Assuming that a template has not been created for your data source, click on ‘New’ here.
NOTE: You must be in the Global Context prior to clicking on the Service Portal Search Bundle to edit the related list.
Next, fill in the information related to this data source for rendering results.
Here is an example using external SharePoint content. Note that the table begins with ‘u’ as it is user created.
Click ‘Update’. Then navigate back to the record.
Under ‘EVAM View Config Action Assignment M2Ms’ click ‘Link Existing’ and add the ‘navigation’ action. This will ensure that when the result is clicked, it will follow the URL.
Next, in the top right of the screen, click the search magnifier box next to ‘View Template’. Then click ‘New’ next to view Templates. This will pop-up a new template configuration.
The Name of the template should be meaningful to the source. Ensure that is it active. The following is an example of a configuration that uses an image URL to render the next to the SharePoint results.
{
"component": "sn-search-result-evam-card",
"staticValues": {
"textHeaderLabelOne": {
"translatable": false,
"key": "SharePoint"
},
"detailLabelOne": {
"translatable": true,
"key": "From:"
},
"detailLabelSeparator": {
"translatable": false,
"key": "/"
},
"imageType": {
"translatable": false,
"key": "image"
},
"imageURL": {
"translatable": false,
"key": sharepoint.png"
}
},
"mappings": {
"title": "ai_search_teaser_title",
"textHeaderLabelTwo": "textLabelTwo",
"textHeaderLabelThree": "textLabelThree",
"detailValueOne": "url",
"detailValueTwo": "drive_name",
"summary": "ai_search_teaser_text",
"ariaLabel": "title"
},
"actionMappings": {
"clickAction": "navigation"
}
}
While any image URL will work, we always recommend using internal assets for images. Above, an entry from the db_image table was used. Using this configuration will render the following results:
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I thought this might be helpful in defining a View Template for a Catalog Item result, here the icon is the one associated with the Catalog Item vs the hard coded pencil-page-outline icon. Do you know how to successfully show the catalog item icon?
I found this document, that leads me to believe we cannot use the pictures any longer: https://support.servicenow.com/kb?id=kb_article_view&sysparm_article=KB0998709

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Hi Mary Beth,
If you are using the default field for 'picture' in your Catalog, and the default configuration and template in EVAM, you should be getting the image from your catalog in the search results.
The EVAM Template for Catalog Items has this:
....
"mappings": {
"imageURL": "picture",
....
}....
The pencil outline is a placeholder for when the 'picture' field is blank.
If you're not seeing this behavior, and your configuration looks correct, can you open a case?
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Hi
Can we differentiate icons on the basis of knowledge bases, like different icons for every knowledge base.
Thanks,
Rashi

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Hi Rashi,
If you would like a different image for each knowledge base, it is a little more complicated.
If you have relatively few knowledge bases, your best bet is to create additional EVAM configurations and templates for each knowledge base, using the conditional filter within the configuration, and referring to a different image in each of the new templates.
The other approach, that I would only use if it was absolutely necessary, is to change the image via a search script post processor. The scripting interface is well documented and you want to keep processing in these scripts to a minimum.
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If you're talking about the ServiceNow KBs, you can do this. In the view config just dot walk to knowledge base.icon under table fields
Then in the template make sure the knowledge base icon is mapped in the template. Here's an example of my template, but your requirements will vary.
EVAMs are very fickle and not well documented, but this can get you close.
{
"component": "sn-search-result-evam-card",
"staticValues": {
"imageType": {
"translatable": false,
"key": "image"
},
"icon": {
"translatable": false,
"key": "kb_knowledge_base.icon"
},
"textHeaderLabelOne": {
"translatable": true,
"key": "Article"
},
"detailLabelOne": {
"translatable": true,
"key": "Number:"
},
"detailLabelTwo": {
"translatable": true,
"key": "KB:"
},
"detailLabelThree": {
"translatable": true,
"key": "Category:"
},
"detailLabelFour": {
"translatable": true,
"key": "Updated:"
},
"detailLabelSeparator": {
"translatable": false,
"key": "|"
},
"requireLabelAndValue": {
"translatable": false,
"key": "true"
}
},
"mappings": {
"detailValueOne": "number",
"detailValueTwo": "kb_knowledge_base",
"detailValueThree": "kb_category",
"detailValueFour": "sys_updated_on",
"title": "ai_search_teaser_title",
"summary": "ai_search_teaser_text",
"ariaLabel": "short_description",
"imageURL": "kb_knowledge_base.icon"
},
"actionMappings": {
"clickAction": "navigation"
}
}
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Hi @Gerard Dwan
Thank you for this great, but absolutely complex guide!
I'm trying to add some specific pages as searchable. Right now, they are searchable with AI Search. But they've managed to get the same icon as the Knowledge Articles... Am I completly missing something here? Or where can I edit this? I'm not entirely sure if I even need to go through this way to accomplish this.

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Were these pages from the 'content pages' table or are you referring to a subset of knowledge articles?
If it is a subset of the knowledge articles, you will need to create a new EVAM configuration and template with a filter with the specification that they are pages (and update the image as specified in the article above).
If it's from a new table, you will likely need to create a net-new EVAM configuration, template, and make sure your Search Results Actions are mapped properly, in addition to adding the image.
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Hi @Gerard Dwan thank you for your time!
Yes, sorry that I made myself a bit unclear. It's indeed from the sp_pages table, I assume that's what you mean by content pages?
The searches work etc. but yes, the icon is making it a bit unclear.
But another issue we encountered was... I didn't realize this at first as I was also impersonating a manager employee at first and it seemed fine. But, apparently only users with the announcement_admin role can search for these in the portal. Which makes no sense. We raised a HI case regarding it too.
But thanks for the assistance regarding fixing the icons that displays when they're being searched for! I'll look into making net-new EVAM configs.
BR, Jocke
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Hi @Gerard Dwan.
Thank you for an awesome guide!!!!!!! I achieved to complete my customer's requirements thank you to your guide. But now, my customer is requested to me that for the suggestions, in the search box dropdown, icons are the same that in the results. I can't find anything about this. Do you know how I could tackle this? Thank you in advance!
BR, Noemi.
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Hi @Noe2 currently there is no configuration that will allow you to change the icons in the typeahead search widget. However, certainly encourage you to open and idea in the idea portal.
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Thank you so much @Shamus Mulhall for your reply. Certainly, it could be an interesting idea. When I have time I will propose the idea for future releases.
Best regards,
Noemi.
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Great article! Super helpful. Is there a way to change the size of the icons to match the OOB ones? I am having trouble targeting the icons with CSS due to the shadow-dom components. Changing the height and width on the image table doesn't seem to effect the size being rendered on the results either.
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Hi, @Gerard Dwan ! Sorry for offtop, maybe you may have come across the creation of filters for external data in AI search, unfortunately creating classic facet isn't available, because we just map data by flow by one rest API to External Content Schema (like mentioned in https://www.servicenow.com/community/ai-intelligence-articles/how-to-bring-external-content-into-ai-.... But can get filters in way requesting to another API, mean we didn't store taxonomy data in table of ServiceNow
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Hi @Gerard Dwan - Can we change the color of the fields displayed in the card?
Like, title in purple color & a different font for title

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Hi @DanilMa - the external schema needs to have all of the expected fields in it (including facetable). You can then add the facets to the Search Application configuration.

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Hi @Vijayalakshmi P , the only configuration options are listed here: https://docs.servicenow.com/bundle/vancouver-platform-user-interface/page/build/service-portal/refer...
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Thank you @Gerard Dwan
We are still in Utah, some of the variables are not supported, but in Vancouver.
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Hi
I have are requirement to show the catalog item picture in the dropdown of typeahead suggestion list. Currently it shows a clipboard icon.
From the post above back in 2023, it was suggested by @Shamus Mulhall that it was not possible. I wonder whether ServiceNow has in the meantime implemented something to allow this. (For Zing search, Service portal search source implementation allows this with "advanced typeahead config"
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@Gerard Dwan "the external schema needs to have all of the expected fields in it (including facetable). You can then add the facets to the Search Application configuration. "
how to make a field "facetable"? I am trying to set up the Sharepoint external connector, however it seems not all the fields in the sn_sp_con_sharepoint_external_search table show as facets. They can be added in the search application but they won't show up in the filters when searching.
Thanks!